Theo Epstein hatewagon...

[Yeti]

Apparently the 2009 Yankees don't count.

So, a brief recap of what just happened.

Fork: Time to post!
Fork: The Yankees don't care about player development.
BH: They have the 4th best farm system in baseball.
Fork Huey: Well, the system isn't as good as it used to be, which is why they haven't won any titles since 2000.
Jon: Except for 2009.

And ... scene?

You're forgetting Huey's contributions.

Since we're making corrections and all...

Irregardless, it's nice to talk about baseball for a change.

Morphbait acknowledged

[Gilgamesh]

Apparently the 2009 Yankees don't count.

So, a brief recap of what just happened.

Fork: Time to post!
Fork: The Yankees don't care about player development.
BH: They have the 4th best farm system in baseball.
Fork Huey: Well, the system isn't as good as it used to be, which is why they haven't won any titles since 2000.
Jon: Except for 2009.

And ... scene?

You're forgetting Huey's contributions.

Since we're making corrections and all...

Irregardless, it's nice to talk about baseball for a change.

Morphbait acknowledged

You guys need better Morphbait.



There, that's better.

[Tinker to Evers to Chance]

Apparently the 2009 Yankees don't count.

So, a brief recap of what just happened.

Fork: Time to post!
Fork: The Yankees don't care about player development.
BH: They have the 4th best farm system in baseball.
Fork Huey: Well, the system isn't as good as it used to be, which is why they haven't won any titles since 2000.
Jon: Except for 2009.

And ... scene?

You're forgetting Huey's contributions.

Since we're making corrections and all...

Irregardless, it's nice to talk about baseball for a change.

Morphbait acknowledged

You guys need better Morphbait.



There, that's better.

Sure.

[Saul Goodman]

Four pages of the hatewagon thread already.  Welcome to hell, Theo.

[morpheus]

Apparently the 2009 Yankees don't count.

So, a brief recap of what just happened.

Fork: Time to post!
Fork: The Yankees don't care about player development.
BH: They have the 4th best farm system in baseball.
Fork Huey: Well, the system isn't as good as it used to be, which is why they haven't won any titles since 2000.
Jon: Except for 2009.

And ... scene?

You're forgetting Huey's contributions.

Since we're making corrections and all...

Irregardless, it's nice to talk about baseball for a change.

Morphbait acknowledged

You guys need better Morphbait.



There, that's better.

Sure.

I admit it, I LOLed.  Twice.

[CBStew]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.   

[morpheus]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.   

I think he's saying that Epstein would net zero for the Cubs.  Epstein +1, Jackson -1.  1-1=0.  QED.

[BH]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.   

I think he's saying that Epstein would net zero for the Cubs.  Epstein +1, Jackson -1.  1-1=0.  QED.

Clearly Epstein only wanted the Cubs job because he wanted Brett Jackson. Once Boston found out about this, like any scorned lover, they made Jackson their main target. This just keeps getting juicier.

[Yeti]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.   

I think he's saying that Epstein would net zero for the Cubs.  Epstein +1, Jackson -1.  1-1=0.  QED.

Clearly Epstein only wanted the Cubs job because he wanted Brett Jackson. Once Boston found out about this, like any scorned lover, they made Jackson their main target. This just keeps getting juicier.

Where does Peavy come in?

[CT III]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.   

I think he's saying that Epstein would net zero for the Cubs.  Epstein +1, Jackson -1.  1-1=0.  QED.

Lord knows, any outfielder drafted by the Hendry Regime is bound to be a superstar.

[BH]

Boston can take any or our prospects if they let Theo bring along any of his top aides he wants to chicago.

[Eli]

"If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday

Keith Law is one smug, annoying asshole.

[Slaky]

"If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday

Keith Law is one smug, annoying asshole.

Couldn't agree more. But he's right, in this instance.

[motown]

Phil Rogers wrote this today:

"It's clear that the sides have at least discussed Brett Jackson, the Triple-A outfielder who could take center field away from Marlon Byrd in 2012. There would be howls all around if Jackson went to Boston, but consider what ESPN's Keith Law thinks of a guy who is widely regarded as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect. He sees Jackson as a reasonable part of this exchange. "If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday, answering a question with a question. I'm with Law on this one. Epstein and the front office that he will assemble for Ricketts – along with Ricketts' understanding that you have to spend heavily on teenage players to grow your own stars – should be a game-changing shift for a franchise that has been patching things together annually since Dallas Green left. No one should think the Cubs are going to get Epstein without some labor pains. Jackson could be the biggest of those pains."

I wish that he had written this in English.  I don't have any idea of what his point is.  

I think he's saying that Epstein would net zero for the Cubs.  Epstein +1, Jackson -1.  1-1=0.  QED.

Phil's impeccable plus-minus system only alots "one" for a major league player. Thus, since Epstein is not a major league player, the Red Sox should let him go for free.

Also: the Cubs should give up Jackson, and for that matter any other prospect in their system, for free as well.

Edited to add:
Actually I'm not quite right. From Phil's defense of his system (http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2008/01/clarification-.html): 

To be factored into the ratings, a player has to have filled a regular spot in the batting order or been a starting pitcher, closer or eighth-inning reliever. Thus most transactions do not impact the ratings at all -- only those involving the guys who would be considered "proven" players.

Thankfully, the first Google search result for "phil rogers plus minus" is the FJM takedown of said system. We can keep faith in America.

[Eli]

"If you think Theo is going to turn this organization around, you wouldn't give up six years of a non-star prospect?'' Law said in an ESPN.com chat on Thursday

Keith Law is one smug, annoying asshole.

Couldn't agree more. But he's right, in this instance.

I don't disagree with the premise of trading prospects for Epstein. I disagree with how he just flippantly dismissed Jackson.