Author Topic: Cubs in '20  (Read 49236 times)

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #210 on: October 05, 2019, 08:05:55 pm »
Interesting first-four listing.  Wonder how many others they'll interview?  Three of those four are basically internal guys.  (Ross has external job, but feels "insider".)  Two of them were part of existing team that, using Theo's words, lacked "energy", was unsuccessful in "reaching" players, and was unsuccessful in getting guys to be the "best players they could be". 

Obviously none of Ross, Venable, or Loretta have managed before, I don't believe at any level?  Actually, Loretta has, Team Israel for World Baseball in 2012.  Otherwise, he was an admin guy for Padres since 2009, I think this was maybe his first year "coaching"?  Venable's had the 2 years coaching 1B, no managing?  Ross zero coaching, no managing? 

Ross is 42; Venable is only 36.

I wonder what kind of a cat Loretta is.  The recent story of stealing the umpire head phones and talking to the replay officials in New York was kind of both funny and kinda weird.  Maybe he'd be funny, impulsive, and high-energy?  Beats me. 

Venable as 1B coach seems relatively quiet and businesslike.  From TV shots he doesn't seem like a super non-stop talker or super rah-rah.  Princeton doesn't mean you're brilliant, but maybe he is?  Being the youngest at 36, that may have some advantages. 

Girardi is an outstanding individual with a ton of good qualities.  I wonder how hard it might be to establish rapport with Cub players who maybe don't have hard-work and max-preparation coded into their DNA? 
 
By reputation Ross is strong in terms of "reach" and "accountability" personality.  He seems to be one guy in recent Cubs history that expected things to be done right, and would call it out when it wasn't.  People skills guy who could connect.  Might be good from discipline, motivation, rapport, and work-hard standpoint.  I wonder if he's smart enough, or might struggle with issues of strategy and analysis and stuff? 

Anyway, seems like a nice group of candidates already.  And those are just the first four with ties to the club or the city. 

No rule against conducting interviews with guys on playoff teams on their days off - happens all the time.  If Theo wants to interview Espada he could do it between the ALDS and ALCS.

I don't think Venable is much more than a courtesy interview TBH, and if the aim is to change the culture promoting Maddon's bench coach hardly seems like the logical next step.  Of the names we're heard for official interviews Ross and Girardi clearly stand out, but Ibanez could certainly factor in at some point.  Maybe DeRosa too.

Chris27

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #211 on: October 05, 2019, 08:31:38 pm »
Mookie Betts apparently will be on the trade block. If Epstein wants to make a big move, one is out there.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #212 on: October 05, 2019, 08:57:43 pm »
Also Jackie Bradley may be non-tendered, but I'm not sure I see a great fit there.  Ks a ton and his defense isn't what it was a few years ago.  If Boston is having a fire sale I'd certainly be shopping, but the fit has to be right.

If he seems remotely healthy I'd be very tempted to see whether you could get Ender Inciarte cheap and take a flyer on him.  Potential a very solid CF platoon guy.

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #213 on: October 05, 2019, 08:58:19 pm »
Craig, Ross is a special assistant to Theo so he’d be an internal guy as well.

I think the break between LCS and WS is ok to announce stuff.

davep

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #214 on: October 05, 2019, 09:05:00 pm »
No rule against conducting interviews with guys on playoff teams on their days off - happens all the time.  If Theo wants to interview Espada he could do it between the ALDS and ALCS.

But there is a rule that if someone is under contract, you can't contact him without the permission of his team.  Of course, they don't have to make the permission or the interview public, so it may have happened.

ben

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #215 on: October 05, 2019, 09:42:40 pm »
My nephew was on the same Little League team with Will Venable one year (age 12) and they played on All-Star teams together.  We used to tell the other manager before the game to make sure his 1B played DEEP because Venable (then about 80 pounds) could just rip the ball down the RF line (LH hitter) before the infielders moved a muscle.  Saw him hit a ball in All-Stars at least 50' over the RF fence!

His Dad, Max, was a MLB player for many years and a really good guy.  You would never have known he was a MLB player.  He would ask if he could help when he was able to attend practice, but never acted as though he knew any more than any other guy.

Just a GREAT family and Will was articulate, rather quiet, always smiling, as a youngster.  Not a surprise when he went to Princeton and played basketball (fabulous athlete), not a surprise when he started playing baseball again as a junior there and not a surprise when Sandy Alderson (who lived nearby and knew Max) drafted Will in the 7th round.  Also not a surprise when Theo picked him up for the coaching staff.  Will is a class act!

Will almost certainly lacks the experience to get selected as manager by Theo and he seems more like a front-office type to me; however, I'm sure he has everyone's respect in the Cub org and I'll bet he communicates very well with players...maybe down the road.
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Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #216 on: October 05, 2019, 10:13:51 pm »
But there is a rule that if someone is under contract, you can't contact him without the permission of his team.  Of course, they don't have to make the permission or the interview public, so it may have happened.

Why would Houston deny permission?

davep

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #217 on: October 06, 2019, 06:09:15 pm »
Normally they wouldn't, after the season, but they may well ask that they wait until it i
s over.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #218 on: October 06, 2019, 07:33:53 pm »
Normally they wouldn't, after the season, but they may well ask that they wait until it i
s over.

That would be unusual to the point of being almost unheard of.  Playoff teams routinely give staff clearance to interview when a promotion is involved - they know other clubs aren't going to wait around.  To deny permission until after the WS is effectively to deny your employee a chance to advance his career.  Extremely poor for morale.

davep

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #219 on: October 06, 2019, 08:31:43 pm »
I had no idea that playoff teams routinely gave permission to contact their staff while the playoffs were still going on.  Do you know of any that have done this?
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Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #220 on: October 06, 2019, 09:09:29 pm »
Well, off the top of my head Alex Cora (also the Astros bench coach) interviewed with Boston while the Astros were in the playoffs.

DelMarFan

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #221 on: October 08, 2019, 03:00:03 pm »
Quote
“Our inability to pitch in high-leverage situations was a clear problem,” Epstein said. “I think we had the third-worst record in baseball behind just the Tigers and Orioles in combined one- and two-run games. Our inability to pitch in high-leverage moments kind of haunted us throughout the year. That’s something I have to do a better job of finding options for.”

Wasn't there a question about the "clutch-ness" of the pitching staff, and whether that was really a thing?  Seems like the Cubs thought it was a real thing.

Athletic.  https://theathletic.com/1269907/2019/10/08/craig-kimbrel-couldnt-save-the-cubs-bullpen-and-they-cant-expect-him-to-in-2020-either/

brjones

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #222 on: October 08, 2019, 07:09:55 pm »
It's been speculated a few times here that Jose Espada might be the playoff team coach the Cubs are interested in interviewing, and Mooney seems to confirm that here:

https://theathletic.com/1278622/2019/10/08/as-cubs-go-full-speed-ahead-in-search-to-replace-joe-maddon-joe-espada-is-another-name-on-the-list/

CUBluejays

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #223 on: October 08, 2019, 08:20:26 pm »
Espada being Brandon Hyde’s brother-in-law is kinda interesting piece of info. It gives the Cubs an extra source of info and gives Espada inside info on the Cubs.

Deeg

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Re: Cubs in '20
« Reply #224 on: October 08, 2019, 08:29:00 pm »
Speaking of inside info, given that Theo and Cashman are quite friendly, I think one can safely assume they've discussed Girardi over the past few weeks.  If Cashman had given a sort of "steer clear at all costs!" message, we probably wouldn't even be seeing an interview.