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#Post#: 34766--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: ben
Date: September 25, 2011, 10:08 am
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One additional item i believe the movie got right: the necessity
of "thinking differently" in order to get different results.
The movie is correct that the Red Sox did that in order to gain
a different outcome.
Cub leadership will need to think differently in order to
overcome:
* a weak MLB team,
* more day games than other teams, and
* the stigma of more than a century without a WS, which is
probably the biggest hurdle (particularly since the players hear
about it constantly from the media and it even impacts Cub fan
behavior at games).
Seems to me that Ricketts is generally headed in the right
direction with emphasis on the farm system/long term etc.
Let's hope he hires the right guy to lead the baseball operation
and that he keeps spending at very high levels to help execute
the plan!
#Post#: 34767--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Jes Beard
Date: September 25, 2011, 10:27 am
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--- Quote from: ben link ---
>
> One additional item i believe the movie got right: the
necessity of "thinking differently" in order to get different
results. The movie is correct that the Red Sox did that in
order to gain a different outcome.
>
--- End Quote ---
How so? What was the different thinking in Boston that gained a
different outcome?
--- Quote from: ben link ---
>
> Cub leadership will need to think differently in order to
overcome:
> * more day games than other teams
>
--- End Quote ---
Again, how so?
I know that for 42 years now we have heard that excuse for Cub
failures, and I am still waiting to have real explanation for
it.
The Cubs should BENEFIT from more day games, because they will
be used to it.
Excusing Cub failings on day games would be like the Packers
excusing failings on playing in the cold. No. They know they
are going to play in the cold and it is if anything an advantage
for them.
Columnists write that Cub players suffer from being young men
pursuing Chicago nightlife after day games, staying out late and
coming to the ballpark too tired to play well.
But there are TWO teams on the field, and the Cub players are
going to be more used to the schedule and should therefore be
less likely to be affected by it than the visiting teams who
will be just as likely to have players staying out until 2AM.
The Cubs have also always been able to build teams with more
"stable" players who are less likely to go out and party.
Or the excuse goes that all of those day games simply wear
players down and that come September they are all tuckered out
and that opposing teams are fresher because they have played
fewer day games. Well the difference between the number of day
games and night games played by the Cubs has narrowed
considerably since the late 1980's.... and the Cub tendency to
die in the fall has remained just as strong, so that explanation
also doesn't work.
Just what different "thinking" is required to "overcome" some
imaginary disadvantage?
#Post#: 34775--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Cubsin
Date: September 25, 2011, 11:09 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: ben link ---
>
> One additional item i believe the movie got right: the
necessity of "thinking differently" in order to get different
results.
>
> The movie is correct that the Red Sox did that in order to
gain a different outcome.
>
> Cub leadership will need to think differently in order to
overcome:
> * a weak MLB team,
> * more day games than other teams, and
> * the stigma of more than a century without a WS, which is
probably the biggest hurdle (particularly since the players hear
about it constantly from the media and it even impacts Cub fan
behavior at games).
>
> Seems to me that Ricketts is generally headed in the right
direction with emphasis on the farm system/long term etc.
Let's hope he hires the right guy to lead the baseball operation
and that he keeps spending at very high levels to help execute
the plan!
>
--- End Quote ---
While I agree that some fans believe a century without a WS win
is important, the results of the 1945 World Series aren't that
big of a deal to the current players.
And I've always wondered why the Cubs seemingly always believed
that the correct response to all those day games was to employ
as many older, slower, bigger, injury-prone players as they
could.
#Post#: 34778--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Eastcoastfan
Date: September 25, 2011, 11:24 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Agree with Ben -- it was a really fun movie! The scouts sitting
around the table should all have been wearing Cubs hats for
better effect!
#Post#: 34795--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: ben
Date: September 25, 2011, 12:46 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Jes, the Boston turnaround roughly coincided with their
"different thinking" re running the franchise...e.g. bringing in
a VERY young guy as GM (Epstein) and moving toward a VERY
sabermetrics-friendly approach. Without question, there were
some other items lining up, such as some good players on the
team and a farm system with guys like Henley Ramirez who enabled
the Beckett trade, that allowed Epstein to make some moves.
I'll defer to East on the above issue as he follows the Red Sox
much more closely than I. I'm pleased Ricketts seems to be
benchmarking the Red Sox, perhaps among other organizations.
Let's hope the spending continues.
I'm uncertain about the true impact of day games and "legacy of
losing" etc., and I certainly hope we build a team of
mentally-tough dudes who are not the least bit impacted by such.
Still, it's hard for me to believe the above factors don't make
it a bit tougher for the Cubs to succeed. On the other hand, i
believe that extra burden should be more than offset by being a
large-market team that spends as a large-market team. I'll
hope the new baseball leadership can prove that's true.
#Post#: 34796--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: ben
Date: September 25, 2011, 12:52 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Interesting point by Cubsin that, historically, the Cubs have
employed more established veterans who may wilt a bit more in
the heat.
The implication is that younger guys probably could hang tougher
despite the day games, which could be true. Certainly doesn't
appear that Castro has been worn down one bit by the day games
we play!
On the other hand, he seems to be more than a bit special in
every way! Sure glad we have that kid to build around (at the
nice price for at least awhile)!
#Post#: 34803--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: StrikeZone
Date: September 25, 2011, 1:44 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I love how when young crappy players like Darwin Barney and Ryan
Theriot turn back into pumpkins, everyone makes excuses for them
by saying that they're tired or that they're worn down because
they've never played this many day games or whatever.
I caught a little bit of a game last week and Len Kasper was
trying to give Barney a pass for his horrible second half at the
plate because he's young and he hasn't played so many games
before.
It could just be that he hit a wall because he's just not that
good and that he's a utility infielder that's been miscast as an
every day starter due to the Cubs being so thin at second base.
I remember the same things being said about Ryan Theriot a few
years ago.
It's amazing that guys that have actual Major League starter's
talent don't seem to wear down. Starlin Castro has been better
in the second half both of his seasons.
#Post#: 34807--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: brjones
Date: September 25, 2011, 2:01 pm
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I also like how some people are just now realizing that Barney
is "wearing down" when he's actually been pretty terrible since
May 1. July was the only post-April month where he posted an
OPS above .659, and even July was nothing to get excited about
(.714).
#Post#: 34808--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: Cactus
Date: September 25, 2011, 2:05 pm
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Barney has lost 15 pounds since the start of the season.
#Post#: 34809--------------------------------------------------
Re: Next GM for the Cubs
DIR By: brjones
Date: September 25, 2011, 2:09 pm
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Well, his weight loss hasn't made him any worse in August or
September than he was in May or June. I could buy that excuse
if he'd gradually lost effectiveness...but instead, he has just
been steadily bad since April ended.
The weight loss is a red herring...he's just not a major league
caliber starting second baseman.
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