League Team Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL Kansas City Royals (NYY/TB) 3611-3517 1 14 8 7 TBL Cleveland Indians 1084-698 2 5 2 1 HSL Chicago Cubs 2071-1764 1 9 4 1
Okay, what about the other color of socks then?
League Team Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL Kansas City Royals (NYY/TB) 3611-3517 1 14 8 7 TBL Cleveland Indians 1084-698 2 5 2 1 HSL Chicago Cubs 2071-1764 1 9 4 1
They picked up Williams a few years before who changed things up a bit, no?
I'm not sure the point. I never said the Cubs culture couldn't change, just that it needed it to be, and it's up to Theo. I think he's got a fine plan too.
2072 MSL Gold Glove Winner
On a side note I just ordered this bad boy.
I just love old baseball caps and this one's a beaut.
Last edited by Prynce; 11-09-2014 at 04:21 AM.
Maybe i was drunk, i won't admit that i was, nor will i admit that i am now, but from the post or two i did read, it seemed you implied that in order to change a culture, hit had to win a ws.
I now think you were just saying you had to win consistently. While i think that's true, I also think that Leo had a solid point.
The overhaul that this organization has gone through really is from top to bottom. Owners, font office, manager, philosophy, ballpark.... There isn't a single thing about how this ballclub operates that's in the same fashion that previous regimes operated.
If you are a major league ballplayer, there isn't a single reason you should under perform because of a losing history. Weak minded players, maybe. Like Milton Bradley.
Basically what I'm saying is that the the culture has changed. Just not into a confident one, yet.
League Team Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL Kansas City Royals (NYY/TB) 3611-3517 1 14 8 7 TBL Cleveland Indians 1084-698 2 5 2 1 HSL Chicago Cubs 2071-1764 1 9 4 1
Piniella was brought in because he was a big name manager. However he thought it be a nice spot to ride into the sunset. Sure he would like to win, but he was not expecting pressure to do so. He also wasn't considered one of the best managers in the game. The most comparable situation to Maddon is when Dusty Baker got hired in 2003. He came here to win a World Series just like Joe is now.
Not sure what losing culture you're talking about. The people playing for the Cubs now weren't here for all of that, and a lot of them expect to win. Sure you can speak in generalities but have you heard these guys talk? Your Raiders example is absolutely terrible because ownership hasn't changed other than the son taking over for the father. Cubs went from the one of the smallest front offices in baseball that despised sabermetrics to one of the largest that embraces everything. They also went from one of the worst farm systems to the best one in baseball according to places like Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America, ect. The Cubs have never been this healthy as an entire organization in their history.
Mindset has already changed. Cubs traded people at the deadline like everyone knew, and unlike the previous two years that started nose dives the guys responded by winning.
Players are not pessimistic at all right now. Most are really excited because they know it's finally time to win. It wasn't like it was a secret what Theo and Jed were doing their first couple years here. They gutted the team in order to bottom out. They collected high draft picks and got guys like Albert Almora, Kris Bryant, and Kyle Schwarber. Now that the farm system is stocked with oodles of talent they are going to invest in the major league team. The MLB team has a bunch of cost controlled young position players, a really good bullpen already (not quite the Royals level but it's full of a bunch of young cheap hard throwing guys), and a rotation that features Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks. They now plan to add some elite starting pitching in free agency (which the cost control of the lineup allows them), and hope that Baez, Soler, Bryant, Alcantara, Russell, Almora, Schwarber, ect. will fill in around the now established Rizzo and Castro.
The Cubs were a terrible team that improved as the year went on. But the fact you state this shows your lack of knowledge of the Cubs rebuild. Renteria was not brought in to win games last year. The Cubs were not ready to win, and they did not try to win. He was brought in to help Rizzo and Castro rebound after things got really bad with Sveum. Theo/Jed wanted a clubhouse that would allow the young guys to flourish, and by all accounts Renteria did everything they asked in getting that clubhouse turned around.
Do you really think Anthony Rizzo worries about the 2003 Cubs when he's taking at bats? I can't even fathom how ridiculous you sound. Fans care about the history of the Cubs. They are the ones who worry about the renovations to Wrigley and curses. After the last game of the year Rizzo was asked if he felt nostalgic looking around at the old Wrigley for the last time. He said nope and was looking forward to all the modern amenities they'd soon have.
Theo and Jed set out to rebuild the Cubs and have done it faster than their own expectations. Even Theo said they've done a 5-6 years worth of rebuilding in 3 years so far. The Cubs are on the verge of being very good. Not all their prospects will pan out, but that's why they stock piled so many. If one guy misses there's another one right behind him. Not to mention the Cubs have stock piled power bats at a time when power is down throughout baseball.
Former GM of...
S3SL Padres 2017-2030
SBSL Isotopes 2007-2009
TSSL Cubs 2006-2018
TPSL Cubs 2007-2018
This thread didn't age well for anyone who doesn't have an anthropomorphic milkshake on his avatar or isn't a self proclaimed bastard.
League Team years Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL San Diego Padres 2034-2059 2,217-1,995 1 6 3 1 TBL Arizona Diamondbacks 2005-2018 1,216-1,053 1 9 6 3 TSSL San Diego Padres 2015-2021, 2024-2028 1,017-928 0 7 3 2 TSSL Texas Rangers 2029-2033 396-414 0 0 0 0
League Team years Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL San Diego Padres 2034-2059 2,217-1,995 1 6 3 1 TBL Arizona Diamondbacks 2005-2018 1,216-1,053 1 9 6 3 TSSL San Diego Padres 2015-2021, 2024-2028 1,017-928 0 7 3 2 TSSL Texas Rangers 2029-2033 396-414 0 0 0 0
You weren't the only one I was responding to in here.
In fact, you came in kind of late.
But you did in a post you didn't quote blow off the whole "culture" thing by begging the question stating that the Red Sox were able to win in spite of a "losing culture" by winning the World Series, which obviously means they changed the culture.
League Team years Record Wild Card Division Pennants Titles MSL San Diego Padres 2034-2059 2,217-1,995 1 6 3 1 TBL Arizona Diamondbacks 2005-2018 1,216-1,053 1 9 6 3 TSSL San Diego Padres 2015-2021, 2024-2028 1,017-928 0 7 3 2 TSSL Texas Rangers 2029-2033 396-414 0 0 0 0