New GM and Manager

[Lou Do]

Personally I am a huge fan of what the Rays guys have accomplished.  They completely changed the culture of an organization that only new about losing.  Madden is a very sound handler of people and in game manager.
 
Don't like that way Francona lost the Red Sox clubhouse. 

[Firehawk]

Don't like that way Francona lost the Red Sox clubhouse.

becasue of 1 year?  its falls on the players too not just the manager...a manager /coach can only do so much..the players have to go and perform...that was a vet team too, they shoudnt need too much pep talk rah rah, lets go out and win the game speeches

I'm voting for Epstein and Francona for the very reason they went through the same type of atmosphere in Boston, as it is here in Chicago...this is a unique atmosphere for the fact this team has not won in a century, the fan pressure is enormous, I would argue more so then anywhere in Baseball ...not many players, and not many managers or GM's can take the pressure of getting it done here...those 2 did it in Boston under very similar circumstances...id be more then happy to give them a shot at it here.

[Satsuma Illini]

Voted Other. Mozeliak and LaRussa. Complete homer pick but they have done us pretty good. If not them, then the Rays GM and manager seem the best right not.

[Firehawk]

Voted Other. Mozeliak and LaRussa. Complete homer pick but they have done us pretty good. If not them, then the Rays GM and manager seem the best right not.

I'm sure it's easier to win in TB when you don't have the type of pressure like it is here in Chicago.

and likewise with STL...small market, and they have won before, recently too....no where near the type of pressure to win like it is here in Chi Town

This organization needs to start finding guys that are pressure players not only in the office but on the field too.....I don't think you can just assume that because a type of plan or system worked in a place like TB, or in a place like STL, where they have a tradition of winning already, will work in a  large market city that has not won in 100+ years

its something that IMO, needs to be observed and thought about before selecting a guy..because it is a huge factor IMO

[ctibass]

I voted for Tampa Bay for 2 reasons

1) Their system seems to be turning out pretty good players

2) Even after basically liquidating the roster, Maddon is able to get that team back into the playoffs and playing pretty good

And for a bonus point, Maddon looks like Barry from Storage Wars, so that gives him the edge

[Lou Do]

Don't like that way Francona lost the Red Sox clubhouse.

becasue of 1 year?  its falls on the players too not just the manager...a manager /coach can only do so much..the players have to go and perform...that was a vet team too, they shoudnt need too much pep talk rah rah, lets go out and win the game speeches

I'm voting for Epstein and Francona for the very reason they went through the same type of atmosphere in Boston, as it is here in Chicago...this is a unique atmosphere for the fact this team has not won in a century, the fan pressure is enormous, I would argue more so then anywhere in Baseball ...not many players, and not many managers or GM's can take the pressure of getting it done here...those 2 did it in Boston under very similar circumstances...id be more then happy to give them a shot at it here.

The fan pressure is the biggest reason to consider those two guys.  Just watching catching Hell on ESPN and how the fans reacted really emphasizes the gorilla in the room that has to be slain.  Then follow that up with the two post season sweeps in the Pinella years where they came into the playoffs as first round favorites and you can see how the pressure effects the organization.  But just because Tampa is not a big market, don't underestimate how tough it is for a shoe string budget team to make the playoffs 3 out of 4 years in the big money AL East. 
 
That being said, This is a team that needs to be reshaped from the bottom up. The Red Sox went out and spent, spent and spent some more. It is clear with the way the Cubs are operating they are not going to do that.  Rickets talks about a quick turn around, but I just don't see us having the arms in the minor leagues nor spending enough to bring them in. 
 
In terms of it being the manager and the players in losing the clubhouse, rumors about drinking in the clubhouse and pitchers not staying in shape during the season are very disconcerting. 
 
Francona took a team from Camp 4 of Everest, up the Hillary Steppe to the top of Everest.  The Tampa team took the Jamaiccan bobsledders  all the way to the Hillary Steppe.  With some more money, they could take them all the way. 

[Firehawk]

Don't like that way Francona lost the Red Sox clubhouse.

becasue of 1 year?  its falls on the players too not just the manager...a manager /coach can only do so much..the players have to go and perform...that was a vet team too, they shoudnt need too much pep talk rah rah, lets go out and win the game speeches

I'm voting for Epstein and Francona for the very reason they went through the same type of atmosphere in Boston, as it is here in Chicago...this is a unique atmosphere for the fact this team has not won in a century, the fan pressure is enormous, I would argue more so then anywhere in Baseball ...not many players, and not many managers or GM's can take the pressure of getting it done here...those 2 did it in Boston under very similar circumstances...id be more then happy to give them a shot at it here.

The fan pressure is the biggest reason to consider those two guys.  Just watching catching Hell on ESPN and how the fans reacted really emphasizes the gorilla in the room that has to be slain.  Then follow that up with the two post season sweeps in the Pinella years where they came into the playoffs as first round favorites and you can see how the pressure effects the organization.  But just because Tampa is not a big market, don't underestimate how tough it is for a shoe string budget team to make the playoffs 3 out of 4 years in the big money AL East. 
 
That being said, This is a team that needs to be reshaped from the bottom up. The Red Sox went out and spent, spent and spent some more. It is clear with the way the Cubs are operating they are not going to do that.  Rickets talks about a quick turn around, but I just don't see us having the arms in the minor leagues nor spending enough to bring them in. 
 
In terms of it being the manager and the players in losing the clubhouse, rumors about drinking in the clubhouse and pitchers not staying in shape during the season are very disconcerting. 
 
Francona took a team from Camp 4 of Everest, up the Hillary Steppe to the top of Everest.  The Tampa team took the Jamaiccan bobsledders  all the way to the Hillary Steppe.  With some more money, they could take them all the way.

I think the Cubs will spend once they get these bad contracts out from under them...so i see them more of a Reds Sox model then a TB model....Sox dont just buy all their talent they have developed a few pretty good ones over the years too

two post season sweeps in the Pinella years where they came into the playoffs as first round favorites and you can see how the pressure effects the organization

exactly what i mean when I talk about  pressure 

[ErvinSmallFanClub]

I voted for Friedman and Maddon.  The Rays have done what I want the Cubs to do - build a team that can win over the long haul with organizational depth, instead of trying to build a "competitive" team on a year-by-year basis by throwing gobs of money at "proven veterans".  Despite being in the toughest division in baseball, with two teams that outspend them by a 4-1 factor, the Rays have made the playoffs 3 of the last 4 years (same as the Yankees, and more often than the Red Sox).

The Rays lost their best player of a year ago (Crawford) to the Red Sox.  They traded one of their best pitchers of a year ago (Garza) for prospects and spare parts.  And they still found a way to get to the playoffs, because they had a player in the minors (Desmond Jennings) who came up during the season to play in Crawford's place, and because they had other pitchers in their system who could make up for losing Garza.  Contrast that to the Cubs current situation, where losing Wells and Cashner to injuries means we're subjected to a year of starts from Rodrigo Lopez, Doug Davis, Ramon Ortiz, etc.

Part of that is on Friedman (building depth) and part is on Maddon (using guys like Sam Fuld and Johnny Damon in a way that maximizes their effectiveness).  I also like Maddon's willingness to do unconventional things, like using a catcher (John Jaso) in the leadoff spot because he has a high OBP.  And when his closer (Troy Percival) was hurt in the 2008 postseason, Maddon wasn't afraid to use a rookie with almost zero major league experience (David Price) to close out Game 7 of the ALCS.  Contrast that to Quade, who keeps trotting his veterans (Koyie Hill, Byrd, Soriano, Reed Johnson, Baker, etc.) out there game after meaningless game instead of seeing what his younger players (Colvin, Lemahieu, Welington Castillo) can do with regular playing time.

 

[BYS]

The more likely scenario is Friedman and Dave Martinez.

Wouldn't it be ironic if Martinez got the job over Sandberg? Considering that Martinez let Cindy Sandberg swing his Louisville Slugger

[Lou Do]

The more likely scenario is Friedman and Dave Martinez.

Wouldn't it be ironic if Martinez got the job over Sandberg? Considering that Martinez let Cindy Sandberg swing his Louisville Slugger

Or Ryno on the North side and Davey on the South side.  We could have some bench clearing brawls during the city series where the managers were the prime combatants.  Ryno owes him.