Replacement Level Poster Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 This a a fabulous article posted in the Athletic. The article highlights the fallacies of the Cubs rebuild and how much luck is involved in winning a team single World Series yet alone multiple is. It is very sobering to think of the heavy lifting still needed by this organization to get the organization where we all want this team to be. There are some excellent quotes from Maddon on developing a culture of winning being important after years of losing, and the importance of veterans in the clubhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Replacement Level Poster Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share Posted May 13, 2018 sorry I screwed up the initial link subcription required https://theathletic.com/351567/2018/05/11/taking-apart-the-myths-behind-cubs-rebuild-and-what-it-means-for-white-sox/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Pirates’ fans would concur. Just have to take your shots...weak AL Central future should make things a bit easier, avoiding the wild card situations like Pittsburgh had to face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lip Man 1 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 It's still going to come down to can this front office / organization... draft / develop the young talent and can they acquire the right veteran pieces through trades or free agency. Hahn has publicly said the money will be there when the time is right. We'll see. And we'll see if the guys the Sox target want to come here. All pieces / questions in play that we should know the answers to in two more seasons. Not that long to wait I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofaRoache Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 17 minutes ago, Lip Man 1 said: It's still going to come down to can this front office / organization... draft / develop the young talent and can they acquire the right veteran pieces through trades or free agency. Hahn has publicly said the money will be there when the time is right. We'll see. And we'll see if the guys the Sox target want to come here. All pieces / questions in play that we should know the answers to in two more seasons. Not that long to wait I guess. I don't trust the drafting or the free agent veteran signings at all. It could get better for sure, but they will have to prove themselves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Say what you want about Ozzer-oo, we were winners back then. Team had a winning mentality. Kudos to Mark B, Konerko, Frank, Robin (the player only), Dye, AJP, Jenks, and tons of others I failed to mention. GO SOX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleHurt05 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 23 minutes ago, greg775 said: Say what you want about Ozzer-oo, we were winners back then. Team had a winning mentality. Kudos to Mark B, Konerko, Frank, Robin (the player only), Dye, AJP, Jenks, and tons of others I failed to mention. GO SOX! I'm jealous how you have completely cleared 2006-2011 from your memory. Those teams choked down the stretch year after year despite Ozzies winning mentality. And Robin (the player only) never won a single playoff series in a White Sox jersey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lip Man 1 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 19 minutes ago, LittleHurt05 said: I'm jealous how you have completely cleared 2006-2011 from your memory. Those teams choked down the stretch year after year despite Ozzies winning mentality. And Robin (the player only) never won a single playoff series in a White Sox jersey. Well to be fair in early August 2010 as I recall the Sox were in first place. Then it seemed the entire bullpen went on the DL for a time and that ended that rather quickly. Can't blame Ozzie for all the injuries which ruined another Sox season much like 2001, 2004. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcq Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 Nobody evaluates and develops talent like this org. TWTW Hustle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 This article isn’t especially insightful, in the sense that it argues that we have nothing to trade this June/July (obviously, we dumped nearly everyone last year AND traded Eaton/Sale/Q already). DUH! It’s also somewhat focused on Maddon potentially leaving the Cubs, and the “luck” they experienced to get their title...especially with all their starting pitching coming externally (Arrieta dumped by Balt, Hendricks from the Dempster deal as a secondary piece from TEX after he turned down trade to ATL for Randall Delgado, Lester and Lackey as FA’s. Mooney seems like a typical Cubs’ fan taking a shot at the White Sox when they are down...doesn’t even mention Eaton trade, or how good Jimenez and Cease have looked (even Rose). As we’ve said a million times, it comes down to developing our minor league talent pool (positive results so far, except for Giolito at the big league level, Burger injury) AND signing the RIGHT FA’s to fit with our team and inculcate a winning culture. Both of those have to go right, although there’s certainly a bigger cushion because of the AL Central’s (future) shortcomings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCCWS Posted May 13, 2018 Share Posted May 13, 2018 4 hours ago, caulfield12 said: This article isn’t especially insightful, in the sense that it argues that we have nothing to trade this June/July (obviously, we dumped nearly everyone last year AND traded Eaton/Sale/Q already). DUH! It’s also somewhat focused on Maddon potentially leaving the Cubs, and the “luck” they experienced to get their title...especially with all their starting pitching coming externally (Arrieta dumped by Balt, Hendricks from the Dempster deal as a secondary piece from TEX after he turned down trade to ATL for Randall Delgado, Lester and Lackey as FA’s. Mooney seems like a typical Cubs’ fan taking a shot at the White Sox when they are down...doesn’t even mention Eaton trade, or how good Jimenez and Cease have looked (even Rose). As we’ve said a million times, it comes down to developing our minor league talent pool (positive results so far, except for Giolito at the big league level, Burger injury) AND signing the RIGHT FA’s to fit with our team and inculcate a winning culture. Both of those have to go right, although there’s certainly a bigger cushion because of the AL Central’s (future) shortcomings. Maybe that is the Theo philosophy. The Red Sox have also won several World series with some acquired starting pitching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted May 14, 2018 Share Posted May 14, 2018 (edited) Well, with the Cubs...it was definitely the case. THEIR NICHE WAS AND IS IDENTIFYING HITTERS. Look at all the surplus that didn't even fit onto the roster. Candelario, Jorge Soler, Christian Villanueva, Vogelbach...that's not even counting Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney and Eloy Jimenez (two of the Top 10 prospects in baseball). They rarely miss with hitters. Rizzo/Bryant/Baez. Jury still out to an extent on Russell, Schwarber and Happ (but mostly positive). Then you've got Willson Contreras, who is undoubtedly the best all-around catcher in baseball after Posey...yet any team in baseball could have claimed him in 2012 (maybe it was 2013) when he wasn't protected by the Cubs as he was going through the transition from middle infielder to catcher. Right now, it's hard to argue that even Soler was a complete bust because of how he has started the 2018 season with the Royals. (He got them Wade Davis for one year.) That's pretty incredible to have success with so many position players...when we're basically elated to get 30-40% success with our Top 10 minor league pitchers. If you look at that 2016 roster, you've got lots of key veterans like Zobrist, that annoying back-up catcher, Heyward, Lester, Lackey, etc. As Maddon mentioned, his former 2008 Tampa Rays didn't really learn how to win until they brought in Hinske, Cliff Floyd, Trever Miller, Dan Wheeler, etc. Actually, their entire bullpen was veteran/journeyman guys at that point. JP Howell, Balfour, Percival and Jason Hammel. Luckily, we're not going to have to spend so much money on the bullpen because we have so much minor league depth, that can cover 3-4 guys (internally). Edited May 14, 2018 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.