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#Post#: 31391--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: craig
Date: September 4, 2011, 9:51 am
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Of course the primary reason the team didn't do better with it's
budget and is in the current state is because it didn't produce
a volume of low-cost young and sustainable talent. When the
guys he already had or acquired in 2003 (Wood, Z, Prior, Lee,
Aram) wore out, no new young talent replaced them.
That's Hendry's fault, of course, because he was the draft and
farm boss, so the talent that was graduating up to him was
talent that he had drafted and whose teachers/coaches he had
hired. And the drafters and farm boss and farm development
people have all subsequently been hired by Hendry or guys hired
by Hendry.
But Fleita's been the boss for years now. So if the farm has
been inadequate in producing championship players, it's either a
function of:
1. Bad luck
2. Bad work by Fleita
3. Bad work by Wilken
4. Inadequate moneys to Fleita and Wilken to do the job well.
It may be that #4 is the case, and/or a combination of #1 and
#4. So Fleita and Wilken may be terrific, and if they are now
funded well (#4), that they are ready to hit a hot streak of
talent, development, and good luck.
But I can't help but wonder if #2 isn't part of the issue. And
if Ricketts is committed to sustaining #2 and #3, the only way
the next GM is going to have excellent success even if he/she is
really gifted is if the explanation for the farm problems is #'s
1 and 4 and not #'s 2 and 3. I'd sure have preferred to get a
crack at changing factor #2, Fleita.
Hopefully Ricketts knows exactly what he's doing, and has wisely
and effectively evaluated Fleita as being more than qualified to
be a championship level farm boss.
#Post#: 31399--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Jes Beard
Date: September 4, 2011, 10:38 am
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--- Quote from: ben link ---
>
> However, zero playoff victories in 8 seasons and considering
the lowly state of the franchise now - all with a huge payroll -
does not speak well for our former gm.
>
--- End Quote ---
You and I agree that Hendry had to be replaced, but the idea
that the number of playoff victories in 8 seasons should have
been the measure, or even a consideration, in that decision
seems strange.
Reaching or not reaching the playoffs is certainly a major
consideration, and there were too many years when the Cubs did
not reach.
The length of time involved in a performance review is certainly
a major consideration, but cutting off the period reviewed to
eliminate another playoff appearance, and one in which the Cubs
nearly made it to the WS seems to be cherry picking at its
finest.
Performance based on available resources is certainly a major
consideration, and Hendry seemingly showed little meaningful
ability to take advantage of that resource edge other than in
the first couple of years in making a few trades which were Cub
favorable because of the budget to absorb salary.
But to focus on playoff wins in particular, instead of playoff
appearance.... The Braves under Scheurholz only won what, one WS
in 15 seasons of trips to the playoffs? So by that measure
would he be a failure? If a GM puts together a team which makes
it to the playoffs, he has been successful. What happens from
there is more crapshoot than anything else, and teams which
focus on building to win in the playoffs do stupid things like
signing Milton Bradley because they were not lefthanded enough
the last trip to the playoffs.
#Post#: 31410--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Reb
Date: September 4, 2011, 11:39 am
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How much money is committed to Fleita over these four years? A
drop in the bucket compared to player salaries, I'm guessing.
So, if the new GM--in a year or two--decides there are more
capable farm directors available, seems like the GM could dump
Fleita. It's not like getting stuck with Soriano or Z.
#Post#: 31414--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Eastcoastfan
Date: September 4, 2011, 12:18 pm
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I wonder if Fleita can play CF?
#Post#: 31431--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Playtwo
Date: September 4, 2011, 1:26 pm
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I personally don't think that extending Fleita will prevent a
top flight GM candidate from coming to the Cubs as Rosenbloom
suggests:
HTML http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/chi-ricketts-found-a-new-way-to-mess-up-cubs-gm-search-20110904,0,7123057.column
#Post#: 31434--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Cactus
Date: September 4, 2011, 1:32 pm
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I haven't seen it mentioned here so I will:
Ricketts may have been concerned that he was going to lose
Fleita to the Detroit Tigers.
#Post#: 31439--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: JeffH
Date: September 4, 2011, 1:41 pm
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He was. The problem is that he should have been grateful
instead.
#Post#: 31445--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: brjones
Date: September 4, 2011, 1:50 pm
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That Tigers story seems fishy to me. Wouldn't they have had to
wait until after the season to talk to Fleita unless the Cubs
gave him permission? It doesn't seem like there should've been
an immediate need right now to get the extension done.
Regardless, I don't think he's viewed as an elite farm director
by anyone. While they may want to keep him, I don't think he's
the type of guy you just can't afford to lose. It just doesn't
make sense to give him the extension now.
I wonder if there's some chance that Fleita's job
title/description may be in flux. Maybe Ricketts really wants
him in the organization for whatever reason, but he doesn't
necessarily think it needs to be in the farm director's role.
Maybe the new GM will be allowed to bring in his own farm
director if he wants, and Fleita will be transitioned into one
of those vague special assistant GM roles like Maddux has.
#Post#: 31446--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Cactus
Date: September 4, 2011, 1:50 pm
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Sullivan story on the Fleita contract including the news that
the Cubs gave permission for the Tigers to talk to him.
Plenty of quotes from Ricketts too.
HTML http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-cubs-stress-continuity-with-fleita-extension-20110904,0,5340043.story
#Post#: 31460--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Cubsin
Date: September 4, 2011, 4:01 pm
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Given their performance over the past century plus, how can
"continuity" be a good thing for the Cubs?
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