The Cubs’ recent path to the World Series is “a case study in how to bring a team or a business back to life,” Alex Rodriguez (yes, that Alex Rodriguez) writes for FOX Sports. A-Rod praises top Cubs exec Theo Epstein, with whom he negotiated prior to the 2004 season, when the Red Sox were trying to bring Rodriguez to Boston in a pair of mega-deals that would have sent Jon Lester and Manny Ramirez to Texas, while also acquiring Magglio Ordonez and Brandon McCarthy from the White Sox for Nomar Garciaparra. The deal, in which Rodriguez was to take a $40MM pay cut, was vetoed by the players’ union. Rodriguez, of course, headed to the Yankees, but the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series anyway. “We were three 20-somethings convinced we were about to turn baseball upside down together,” Rodriguez writes, referring to himself, Epstein and Jed Hoyer. “Though I never got a chance to work with Theo, I knew then that he was going to be a force.” Here are more quick notes on the Fall Classic.
- There’s little mystery to the Cubs’ success, Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs writes. The reasons for the accomplishments of other recent World Series teams, like the Royals and Giants, have been a bit harder to explain, but the Cubs are simply “a super-good club, made up of super-good players.” Even if the Cubs lose this time around, they’re extremely well positioned to make a run at another World Series or three in the near future — they have Lester, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Hendricks and Willson Contreras under control for four or more seasons.
- Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman both began the season as members of the Yankees, but they’ll finish it opposing one another in the World Series, MLB.com’s Richard Justice writes. Miller has been dominant thus far this postseason for the Indians, with 21 strikeouts in 11 2/3 scoreless innings thus far. Chapman has allowed three runs over eight frames for the Cubs. Both are obviously standouts as MLB pitchers go, but as Justice notes, this World Series could turn either or both into household names.
Would love to see A-Rod replace Joe Buck
I would be happy with a whoopee cushion replacing Joe Buck.
How about Matt vasgersian? I thought him and smoltz were great together
Yes, please! And I don’t even like Vasgersian. Btw, Kyle went 1-3 (2B, BB) in AFL today. He’s gonna DH/PH in the Series!
HELL NO! Dude was awful calling the Giants Cubs series. Had to be a SF homer
As a cards fan, who has no dog in the Joe Buck fight, I noticed that he appeared, when doing the games, somewhat negative towards the Cubbies success. I have always respected his ability to call a game but this is the first time, that was obvious to me, that he didn’t want what inevitably happened.
Yea, Buck is a pouty little princess with the Cubs.
Epstein and Hoyer did a great job of building this team, all the other GMs are staying up late trying to find the next Kyle Hendricks. A-Rod and Verducci are the most knowledgebale , and Buck is not very good.
Buck is play by play.
If A-Rod commentated, he’d be color.
I’d like to see A-rod be color commentary. Verducci is knowledgeable but he strikes me as somebody who sniffs his own farts.
I would be all for building a statue for Theo when he
Takes a team with limited payroll and builds to the same levels.
That is precisely what Theo has done. There is very little high-priced talent on this team comparatively. Lester
Pete could hit. Really, really well. (Understatement) But in my opinion he is not even a mildly decent commentator, or human being for that matter. He oozes slime. Plus I don’t find him funny at all.
Heyward, yes. And to some degree Zobrist
“That is precisely what Theo has done. There is very little high-priced talent on this team comparatively. Lester”
Um, the Cubs have the 5th highest payroll in all of baseball. While Bryant, Russell, and Baez make just above the minimum, there are several eight figure salaries on the payroll.
But something like 30-45% of this years salary is tied up to 3 players, and the most expensive one has been brutal. He’s done an extraordinary job building them, and money has only been a small part of it.
How many other teams could sign Lester, Heyward, Zobrist in the same offseason? I’m not POO POO-ing what Theo has done, but unlimited budgets give you the luxury of having Heyward stink this this year.
I meant Lackey, not Lester
This comment is spot on. I think the ability to waste winning years while saving money to build a terrific farm was key. Theo always had the financial power to spend in those dog years. It wasn’t until the Cubs started to compete did he open up the wallet to accent what the team is today.
This is a brilliant strategy that worked. Perfect team, perfect timing. I can’t say that all teams would of allowed that type of strategy. Some teams are expected to compete every year with no tolerances otherwise.
But the point you’re missing is that the Cubs have always had the ability to spend big money, so that was part of the plan—we’ll spend money on big free agents to supplement the team—something many teams cannot do. So while Theo has proven himself to be a terrific evaluator of talent and has done some tremendous things, he has not proven he could replicate it working within small to mid-range budget.
Having a low(er) payroll and a limited payroll are two completely different things.
But the top two teams in payroll aren’t in the World Series, and one of them didn’t even make the postseason. And frankly, teams are swimming in money. The Padres, supposedly a low-budget team, flushed 50 million dollars down the toilet this year to make James Shields and Matt Kemp go away. Money is nice, but spending it wisely is the key.
Right, but do teams like Cleveland, Kansas City, or Milwaukee have the ability to spend a quarter billion dollars on free agents in one offseason? They might be able to, but they certainly aren’t going to live it down if one of those guys does as poorly as Jason Heyward. The Cubs could cut Heyward tomorrow and not lose any sleep over the money. Other teams aren’t so fortunate.
The Royals are owned by one of the wealthiest men in America. And they won the World series just like, what, last year and nearly won it the year before. Cleveland is currently in the World Series. Having the ability to buy free agents is nice but doesn’t guarantee anything.
5th?? The Cubs rank 14th in payroll for 2016. I think you might’ve looked at a list that includes deferred payments, or incentives.
Buck has been a drag for a long time (was watching some of my old World Series DVDs and he wasn’t always this bad) and IMO Verducci is one of the most agonizing and uninsightful color guys I’ve ever listened to. Together.. They’re the Antiscully.
A-Rod has been surprisingly good, I wasn’t expecting that, I guess. I’ve enjoyed his commentary in the pre and post game stuff. Pete Rose on the other had, he’s gotta go.
I’d be happy if A-Roid would just go away quietly. Who cares what he thinks. He’s only an expert at “how to mask illegal supplements”.
I certainly hope that MLB isn’t going to allow him to “Be A Significant Part” of ANYTHING to do with Baseball. MLB needs to show that it has some integrity left…………
Either Ban A-Roid from participating…………..
…….Or “Release The Chains on Pete Rose”.
As much as I dislike arod, you can’t just ban him when hundreds of other guys have been caught doping as well.
MLB does not appear to be treating former offenders the same way it treats players who fail tests now. There’s an appreciable thawing, which I think is being done for practical and economic reasons.
Yeah that A-Rod observation that Epstein is a good executive is cutting edge.
Full disclosure. I can’t stand A-Rod. I cheered when he was finally suspended because he’s always struck me as someone who just couldn’t take ownership of his mistakes. I root for him to fail. Period.
Now… Having said that I have two points.
1. A-Rod is a wonderful as an analyst. His insightful commentary is something over and above anything I expected. But my expectations were low. I guess my point is that he’s way better than most and he’s new at this.
2. This is a puff piece and I don’t know if someone helped him write it. But it’s well written and shows some insight. A-Rods not going to write something hyper critical of people because he’s new to this and because of his past. But it seems well written and was an interesting read.
Surprised to see all of the positive A-Rod comments on his analysis. I’ve found him to be narcissistic and pretentious. Perhaps I am allowing my disdain for him as a player cloud my judgment.
Not sure how many execs are HOF, but if Cubs win the WS isn’t Theo basically one of one in terms of successful turnarounds. I guess his only other act might be to win the WS with Tampa Bay or an expansion team
I’m pretty sure that at this point it’s a matter of if they give him 2 wing in the HoF: 1 for his time with the Red Sox and 1 for his time with the Cubs as opposed to just 1 for time with both teams…
When a team has a lot of money to spend, it’s much easier to turn a team around. If Epstein could turn Tampa Bay around, THAT would impress me.
I loathed A-Rod when he played and I thought he was the poster child for out of touch athlete. During his 20’s and early 30s he was a prick to many and had few friends if you believe most stories written about him. That said, he’s been an average to slightly above average desk guy. I thought he was going to suck, so the contrast from that to his performance thus far makes him seem very good.
Maybe he has grown up a bit and/or someone finally got through to him. He needs to have a post-playing baseball life, so maybe that woke him up. Regardless, he is the only watchable guy on that panel (Thomas is hit and miss). Rose is brutal behind the desk because they clearly want him for the comic relief, instead of the baseball mind that he still has if you give him some time and space to talk about the mechanics of it all.
Steroids, HOF, and all of that….those are much longer conversations for another day.
Dodgers 1 Cubs 2 Giants 3 cards 4 nationals 5 Mets 6. Top nl salary order. 1-2 played in nlcs and all but cards made playoffs and they just got beat out. So to be successful gm you have to have the money. He told fans up front was tearing down and building up and for most part done well. Can’t be perfect montero heyward jackson. And while everyone wanted to dump Baez for nothing he resisted.