Before Epstein took over team, the Cubs had one of the smallest front offices in baseball, and weren’t up to date on the latest technological advancements. Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox have around twenty people working in the statistical analysis department — the Cubs had one. Along with losing the game on the field, they were losing the game off the as well. Some new staffers within the Cubs organization described the Cubs old front office as archaic. Could you imagine walking into a recording studio and the engineer is still recording on tape? That’s what it was like before Epstein was hired.
Things like an updated computer information system, more front office staff, cameras being installed in minor league parks to watch prospects. A Cubs manual on how to play baseball from the lowest level of the system to the major league team are not going to get many headlines but they are essential to gaining every edge possible — something previous Cubs teams didn’t do. The Cubs already have built-in advantages because they play in a large media market, have a large payroll, a dedicated fan base, and a cathedral of a ball park that will continue to attract fans. If the negotiations between the Cubs and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel go through, Wrigley will only improve and thus the Cubs financial advantages will only improve in a division they should dominate financially. The old saying “wait ’til next year” has never been more appropriate than now. I can’t wait ’til next year or even two years from now.
As for the White Sox, this season might be the start of a spiral to the bottom of the American League. Every baseball season provides a surprise team but I highly doubt the White Sox will be that surprise team. In a power battle between manager Ozzie Guillen and GM Kenny Williams for the direction of the team, Williams prevailed and now has to oversee his own rebuilding project, which hasn’t even begun yet. The current team is highlighted by underachieving, overpriced players not living up to their contracts. Jake Peavy, Adam Dunn and Alex Rios all have to live up to past performances in order for the Sox to succeed, and the chances of all three doing that at the same time are slim.
If they do live up to expectations, the White Sox would be very wise to trade them and get the most value back in return to help the farm system. Despite the departure of Mark Buehrle to Miami, the White Sox still hold a pretty good pitching staff. Everything has to go right for the Sox to contend and everything has to go wrong for the Detroit Tigers for them not to win the division. I’m suspecting Justin Verlander’s arm has to fall off and Prince Fielder has to pull a 2011 Adam Dunn-esque type of season for the Sox to sneak into the playoffs. Should I even mention their new manager Robin Ventura has never managed a game at any level and was perfectly content in assisting a local high school team in California before he became manager?
Currently the White Sox have only one player ranked in the top 100 prospects in baseball. That player is Addison Reed, after that it’s best not too look at the Sox farm system. In the past, the White Sox treated the farm system as a way to acquire players to help the major league team, not as a way to develop talent to promote to the major league team. Because of Williams’ aggressive ways they traded the future for the present many times and now it’s catching up. The present of the farm system is awful.
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All those wrigley bars were right except for Smart bar. that is the least douchy club/bar in Chicago. Bunch of old school house heads in a shitty ass basement listening and dancing to some dirty beats.