Theo Epstein Sploosh Thread

[Chuck to Chuck]

Going after Hamels would be counter to the strategy Jepstink has shown thus far w/re to pitching.

They haven't been trying to win thus far.

The strategery of the last 3 years is not what the strategery will be going forward.

Going after Hamels by trading young talent would be entirely consistent with the strategy Jepstink have shown when they were contenders with Boston.

[Eli]

Chuck is 100% right. (Yeah, yeah.)

The undervalued assets have been a perfect fit because the biggest risk is they're bad and don't help you win. Wins didn't matter the past three years, so there was little downside -- the Cubs grabbed a bunch of them and hoped to catch lightning in a bottle with a few. If you're trying to compete, you don't have time to throw a bunch of stuff on the field and see who turns out good or bad.

[R-V]

Chuck is 100% right. (Yeah, yeah.)

The undervalued assets have been a perfect fit because the biggest risk is they're bad and don't help you win. Wins didn't matter the past three years, so there was little downside -- the Cubs grabbed a bunch of them and hoped to catch lightning in a bottle with a few. If you're trying to compete, you don't have time to throw a bunch of stuff on the field and see who turns out good or bad.

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings - there will inevitably be underperformance/injury for your high-paid star players. I'm not suggesting you take a pass on guys like Lester & Scherzer in favor of guys like McCarthy & Masterson; I'm saying I don't see a problem with continuing to take flyers on low-cost guys while AT THE SAME TIME busting out the checkbook for a big-ticket guy like Lester. They've got the payroll flexibility to do both.

I think to some extent people are weary of ONLY seeing these value signings (I'm looking at you Eli!) and that's influencing the line of thinking about them.

[Eli]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings - there will inevitably be underperformance/injury for your high-paid star players. I'm not suggesting you take a pass on guys like Lester & Scherzer in favor of guys like McCarthy & Masterson; I'm saying I don't see a problem with continuing to take flyers on low-cost guys while AT THE SAME TIME busting out the checkbook for a big-ticket guy like Lester. They've got the payroll flexibility to do both.

Well, you should have just said in the first place!

[R-V]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings - there will inevitably be underperformance/injury for your high-paid star players. I'm not suggesting you take a pass on guys like Lester & Scherzer in favor of guys like McCarthy & Masterson; I'm saying I don't see a problem with continuing to take flyers on low-cost guys while AT THE SAME TIME busting out the checkbook for a big-ticket guy like Lester. They've got the payroll flexibility to do both.

Well, you should have just said in the first place!

I thought I did!

Let's move on from the pitching discussion. What free agent position players would you like the Cubs to pursue, Desipiots?

[PenFoe]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings - there will inevitably be underperformance/injury for your high-paid star players. I'm not suggesting you take a pass on guys like Lester & Scherzer in favor of guys like McCarthy & Masterson; I'm saying I don't see a problem with continuing to take flyers on low-cost guys while AT THE SAME TIME busting out the checkbook for a big-ticket guy like Lester. They've got the payroll flexibility to do both.

Well, you should have just said in the first place!

I thought I did!

Let's move on from the pitching discussion. What free agent position players would you like the Cubs to pursue, Desipiots?

Melky.

[Eli]

I'd see if Koji Uehara would keep taking overpaid one-year deals until he's bad, which may never happen.

[InternetApex]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings - there will inevitably be underperformance/injury for your high-paid star players. I'm not suggesting you take a pass on guys like Lester & Scherzer in favor of guys like McCarthy & Masterson; I'm saying I don't see a problem with continuing to take flyers on low-cost guys while AT THE SAME TIME busting out the checkbook for a big-ticket guy like Lester. They've got the payroll flexibility to do both.

Well, you should have just said in the first place!

I thought I did!

Let's move on from the pitching discussion. What free agent position players would you like the Cubs to pursue, Desipiots?

Melky.

Cereal. (Baby.)

[Chuck to Chuck]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

[Quality Start Machine]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

Paul on a bike.

[Eli]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

And there goes the goodwill you built up from earlier this afternoon.

[PenFoe]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

And there goes the goodwill you built up from earlier this afternoon.

The fair point he's making is that like 90% of the team is "undervalued" since they're all rookies/young guys.

Meaning, they don't have to keep finding tons of Coghlans and Valbuenas to fill out the starting lineup.

[Eli]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

And there goes the goodwill you built up from earlier this afternoon.

The fair point he's making is that like 90% of the team is "undervalued" since they're all rookies/young guys.

Meaning, they don't have to keep finding tons of Coghlans and Valbuenas to fill out the starting lineup.

I'm just taking umbrage with his random Soriano shoehorn.

[Chuck to Chuck]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

And there goes the goodwill you built up from earlier this afternoon.

The fair point he's making is that like 90% of the team is "undervalued" since they're all rookies/young guys.

Meaning, they don't have to keep finding tons of Coghlans and Valbuenas to fill out the starting lineup.

I'm just taking umbrage with his random Soriano shoehorn.

You'd be pissed at me if I DIDN'T make that reference.

[InternetApex]

But even good teams with big payrolls need undervalued free agent signings

Yes.  I would think that a good team makes these plays in the bullpen and the position player bench.  The real value on this team will be in having Rizzo, Castro, Baez, Soler, and Bryant for less than the one year cost of Soriano.  Those 5 guys are slated to make about $16mm total next year.

And there goes the goodwill you built up from earlier this afternoon.

The fair point he's making is that like 90% of the team is "undervalued" since they're all rookies/young guys.

Meaning, they don't have to keep finding tons of Coghlans and Valbuenas to fill out the starting lineup.

I'm just taking umbrage with his random Soriano shoehorn.

You'd be pissed at me if I DIDN'T make that reference.

Wrong again.