For the first time since 2014, the Cubs aren’t going to qualify for the postseason. They were in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot for most of the season, but a September collapse has doomed the club to a bitterly disappointing finish. The Cubs’ late-season demise will not lead president of baseball operations Theo Epstein to exit the organization, however.
Epstein shot down any speculation to the contrary Wednesday, saying (via Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com): “I’m here [with the Cubs]. We have a lot we need to work on to get back to the level we’re accustomed to. I’m invested in that. That’s what I’m focused on.”
Epstein added that the idea of “waking up and trying to build the next Cubs championship team” still excites him. The architect of Chicago’s curse-breaking title-winning team in 2016, Epstein has been enormously successful since he stepped down as Boston’s general manager in 2011 to run the Cubs. However, thanks to the unhappy ending to the Cubs’ season and the Red Sox’s need for a new leader in their baseball department, speculation arose of a possible Epstein-Boston reunion. If we’re to believe Epstein, though, the Red Sox will have to find Dave Dombrowski’s replacement elsewhere.
As things stand, Epstein still has another two seasons remaining on the five-year, $50MM extension he signed with the Cubs in September 2016. While Epstein’s immediate future in Chicago is secure, the same surely doesn’t apply to a fair amount of this year’s roster. He and the rest of his front office cohorts will spend the next several months trying to construct a team that doesn’t fall apart in crunch time, which figures to lead to quite a bit of offseason turnover. Even championship-winning manager Joe Maddon may not be safe. Maddon has made it known that he wants to manage the team for a sixth season in 2020, though he doesn’t have a contract beyond this year. Epstein declined to reveal when he’ll decide Maddon’s future, per Rogers.
Whether or not Maddon returns next season, he likely won’t have either of the Cubs’ top two players – third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant or shortstop Javier Baez – for the rest of 2019. Maddon said Wednesday (via Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chcago) that it’s unlikely either will play again until next season. Bryant has been out since he sprained his right ankle last Sunday, while Baez has taken just two at-bats this month (none since last Saturday) after suffering a hairline fracture in his left thumb. The futures of both players will be on the minds of Epstein & Co. during the winter, when Bryant and Baez are each scheduled to go through arbitration for the second-last time.
Well…Not going back to the SOX. OH WELL…
Well we never wanted him to leave. However, I would like to see him detach himself from the day to day running of the team and hand the personnel and salary decisions to Hoyer and Mcleod. It’s time. That way Hoyer or Mcleod won’t be tempted to leave.
Much as the White Sox did with Rick Hahn. It’s an idea whose time has come.
Not the first time he’s witnessed a September collapse :/
I’d prefer that this wasn’t called a collapse. It makes it seem as if this club played great for 5 1/2 months and fell a part. What really happened is that the Cubs played mediocre ball all year, were only in the race because other teams played mediocre ball, and got steamrolled down the stretch while other teams turned it on.
When you spend that much money on a team and it doesn’t make the playoffs. That’s a collapse. Go cubbies. I’m just loving this.
No, it’s a failure. A collapse is when you’re good enough, and you fall a part down the stretch. I think calling this a collapse would be a favorable description to the FO, Maddon, and the players – as if to say that everything went well until the end. That isn’t what happened at all. They started like trash, had a really nice run in late April into May – but played right around .500 ball the rest of the year.
More like a failure than a collapse. This team was bad all year
I’m not sure what you consider a collapse then…being in 1st place in division, then 1st WC, then having the chance to actually take lead in said division and lose 8 straight games, knocking them out of playoffs. Yeah, that’s a colllapse.
They were leading the division because St. Louis and Milwaukee were playing mediocre ball most of the year. The Cards turned it on right after the break. The Brewers turned it on in September. The Cubs continued playing .500 ball. This isn’t a defense of the Cubs. It’s an indictment. I think calling it a collapse is a cop out- as if to say they were actually good enough throughout the season to get to the playoffs. But they weren’t. This team was mediocre at best. Since mid-May, every 3-4 game winning streak was immediately followed by a 3-4 game losing streak. They’re currently on their longest losing streak of the season, but it was immediately preceded by their second-longest winning streak. A losing streak like this was just par for the course during an underwhelming, mediocre season.
Definitely think 2016 is going to end up being the only championship from this “dynasty”.
St Louis has just as many NL Central titles as the Cubs during the Cubbies’ “dynasty”
It’s kinda sad how much you comment on Cubs posts…but I guess being a Sox fan has to be quite boring. Also, the Cards have how many WS titles during this “dynasty”. Guess it’s hard to understand such things when ur team hasn’t been competitive since 2008…WOW!!! 11 years man, I see why u comment now.
Chitown wrong as usual. Since 2016 the Cubs have a division title and a pennant and a world series championship.
As of now the Cardinals do not even have a division title pending the outcome of their race with the Brewers.
While in quotes “dynasty” this team is no dynasty, not even close to one.
Baez is getting traded!!
Chooch!
That’s the last player that is getting traded.
Change the players not the manager. Try something new because the Cubs have kept the same players while changing the coaching staff every year
A lot of it is dependent on contracts ending and whether you fit any longer at a certain price. That goes for both the players and Joe.
The way the Cubs ended last season was a complete embarrassment and they somehow found a way to top it. If Theo wants to walk they need to let him
I finally understand why Cub fans troll Sox fans. The smart ones troll out of frustration from the mouth breathers that generally comment on Cub feeds. Go Bears!
I see you are a FIB. That means something a little different up here in Wisconsin.
Amen to that my Wisconsinite brother
Theo will stay with the team until another offer futures world seroes….he’s a DD & if you disagree then ask ha
Hayward, Manny, and most recent Jon lester
It’s definitely a collapse when the Cubs drained its farm system and went over the luxury tax threshold. It’s going to be very interesting to see what the Cubs do this offseason!
That’s not what a collapse is buddy. Losing 8 straight and going from leading division to out of playoffs in a month is. Has literally zero to do with payroll. So if the Rays did the same thing it wouldn’t be a collapse, bc they have low payroll…literally makes zero sense.
What the Cubs going to do next season when that new rule kicks in with a bullpen pitcher has to stay in against three hitters with a depleted farm system with no MLB ready pitchers to a payroll at $140 million to having to start paying guys arbitration raises after going over the luxury tax threshold?
That won’t be implemented.
Won’t will be implemented?
Deep breaths everyone. Cubs have issues but they are not that far from being super competitive. Changes are needed and Epstein will make it happen.
Not so sure, as a Cubs fan, and watching 2 straight years of Sept collapses. It’s going to take some big roster upheaval, and players like Bryant/Schwarbs may not be around.
Because Epstein has proven he can make the right free agent signings before, NOT. He should not be able to sign players via free agency. Theo can draft and trade, let someone else sign free agents. Theo has issues with this in Boston also.
More than anything, a team’s success comes down to the players performing up to expectations.
For most of the season, this Cubs team waddled in mediocrity. They only looked competitive because their competitors were equally mediocre. However, the Cardinals and Brewers turned it on at the right time while the Cubs went belly up in September.
With their hitters and pitchers anyone betting this team would lose eight games in a row at any time during the season, let alone in the middle of a playoff push, would have been institutionalized for a public display of lunacy. Yet, it happened.
Too many good pieces still remain for Theo to walk away. This off season he’ll tweak what needs tweaking; make a trade or two and sign a FA starting pitcher (Hamels not returning.) and, once again, all will be well in Cubbie land.
Is Nico Hoerner a lead-off hitter?
May be, solid contact skills, hits the ball line to line. Decent speed, some pop. Why not?
Love all the Cub haters, when it’s all said and done everyone’s team but one will be joining the Cubs as non 2019 World Series Champions. It’s not like Cubs payroll is 100 million over everyone else. Bullpen is what bothers me with Theo. He acts like spend cheap and put anyone out there . Doesn’t work
Spend cheap out anyone out there? He signed Craig kimbrel 3yrs 43MM. Morrow wasn’t cheap at all, they are just the typical awful free agent contracts Theo continuously does each year. These contracts along with arbitration raises are gonna be why the cubs will be forced to trade guys you wish they could keep. Diminished value in almora, Russell, happ, amongst others hurts as well for revamping the team
I think it’s more likely that Hoyer takes over the Red Sox
If the Cubs are serious about retooling, Bryant and Schwarber come to mind–both are controllable through 2021, so they’re not purely rentals. But neither are without caveats. KB is set to earn significant money over his final arbitration years, and Schwarber’s all-around skill-set isn’t necessarily hard to come by in today’s climate.
Quintana could also be made available if the Cubs decide to exercise their option on him (assuming they will, as it’s somewhat reasonable at 11.5m). While he hasn’t been outstanding on the North Side this year, he’s reliable enough to warrant interest.
He would never leave the franchise unless it was in good shape for the future, ex. Boston.