There is No Next Theo Epstein and Other Bullets

The Golden Era Committee, a newly-established wing of the Veteran’s Committee, is voting this morning on a handful of former players for induction into the Hall of Fame. Hopefully we’ll soon hear of good news about Ron Santo. There will also be plenty of Lukewarm (and downright hot) Stove action today, the first day of MLB’s Winter Meetings. Until then, Bullets…

  • Gordon Wittenmyer puts together a great read on Theo Epstein’s early days as the Boston GM, and how it relates to his current role with the Cubs, viewed particularly through the lens of the 2004 trade in which Epstein sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs – a surprising deal from the Boston side (in terms of the return), but one that paid long-term dividends. Wittenmyer’s closing quote comes from Jim Hendry: “I used to tell people all the time, when they thought they were getting the next Theo: There was not a next Theo, in my mind.” We’re ready to see it in action, Theo, and this week should really get rolling.
  • Buster Olney interviewed Epstein for an ESPN the Magazine feature, of which there is a small snippet online (er, strike that – the whole thing is just three questions). In response to a question about how Epstein can instill a winning attitude with the Cubs: “When you have long-term contracts, there’s only so much you can do to influence players’ behavior. But you can have a significant impact on the young players you draft or sign – what they stand for as players and in their lives. It’s important to have a farm system everyone in the organization cares about. Producing talented players year in and year out is not a luxury – it’s a necessity.” That’s an interestingly candid statement, and suggests an additional reason – beyond the production and financial reasons – for Epstein’s preference for younger players.
  • Jose Reyes officially signed on with the Marlins last night for six years and $106 million, marking the second year in a row that a shocking large contract was signed on the eve of the Winter Meetings (last year, the Nats signed Jayson Werth for seven years and $126 million (I still can’t believe it)). The implications of the signing are many, and will be discussed later this morning.
  • On the Winter League front, catcher Welington Castillo has started playing in the Dominican Winter League. Castillo is from the DR, so it was probably a matter of “hey, I’m here, I might as well play some baseball.” Bryan LaHair has once again stopped playing in the Venezuelan Winter League (he’ll be in Dallas today to accept his minor league hitter of the year award, actually). I’m not sure what happened, but he wasn’t the same after coming back from a mid-November break. In the six games since that return, LaHair had just three hits (though one was a homer), three walks, and 11(!) strikeouts.
  • A generic Winter Meetings preview from the Cubs’ perspective. A generic Winter Meetings preview from the national perspective.
  • It sounds like Pedro Martinez is officially retiring. Pedro at his absolute best – from 1997 to 2000, which was the height of the steroid era, no less – may have been the best of all-time. Pedro’s 2000 season featured a must-be-a-mistake 0.737 WHIP. That is, of course, the single-season record, which is followed in the record books by four guys who pitched before the first World War. (The only other guy in the top 13 who didn’t pitch before 1920? Greg Maddux in 1995 with a 0.811 WHIP.) Pedro Martinez was silly good.
  • A reminder (not a shameless plug – a reminder) to those of you who want to get Bleacher Nation shirts before Christmas, be aware: the deadline to put in an order and get it by Christmas (with standard shipping) is next Thursday, December 15. So, plan ahead (they’ve also got a deal going this month where you can get free shipping on orders over $50 (code is SHIPFREEUS)).
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Mike Tauchman Ties the Game with an 8th-Inning, Three-Run BLAST!

    Nothing about this game so far had been enjoyable. From the broadcast, to the Cubs prouduction, to all the luck seemingly going the Red Sox way. But after finally chasing Tanner Houck out of the game, the Cubs were able...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Red Sox (6:10 CT) – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — Before today's finale, the Chicago Cubs have won three of four Rubber Matches this season: Dodgers (win), Padres (loss), Mariners (win), and Diamondbacks (win). Let's see if they can make it four out of five. Chicago Cubs...

    Cubs Roster Moves: Jordan Wicks (IL) and Luke Little (Iowa) Replaced by Two Relievers Out of Triple-A

    As expected, Jordan Wicks is hitting the injured list with the always-dreaded left forearm strain. But he's not the only Cubs lefty on his way out the door this Sunday afternoon. Sahadev Sharma has the scoop on the three other...

    Should We Have Seen Wicks’ Injury Coming? Rizzo Makes Us Smile (2x), Hicks Dealing, and Other Cubs Bullets

    In case you missed the bad news last night — no, not the Cubs biggest loss since 2010 ... and, no, not Christopher Morel's early exit either after colliding with Alexander Canario, either — Jordan Wicks was scratched from today's...

    Cade Horton Dominates Once Again in His Latest Start

    Another day, another dominant Double-A start from top Cubs pitching prospect Cade Horton. The 22-year-old righty went 5.0 scoreless innings for the Tennessee Smokies, allowing five hits, no walks, and striking out six. https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1784397003340034131 There sure doesn't seem to be...

    Oh, Noooo: Jordan Wicks Has Forearm Tightness and Won’t Start Tomorrow

    At the end of a nice winning streak, it was easy enough to shrug off a throwaway 17-0 loss to the Red Sox. And I didn't even let Christopher Morel's tumble and early exit throw me, as he was apparently...

    Enhanced Box Score: Red Sox 17, Cubs 0 – April 27, 2024

    Here's how you sum that one up: It's not too often that you see a position player pitching TAKEN OUT MID-INNING because he hit his pitch count. But that happened today. So, yeah, that did not go well. Unless, of...

    Justin Steele Could Be Back Sooner Than (I) Expected (UPDATE)

    And here I was thinking the only silver lining about Justin Steele's Opening Day hamstring injury was the path it cleared for Javier Assad and Ben Brown to step into the rotation. Turns out there's another positive with respect to...

    Chicago Cubs Trading Garrett Cooper to the Boston Red Sox

    The Chicago Cubs had seven days to trade, waive, or release Garrett Cooper after designating him for assignment this past week (making room for Matt Mervis). Because Cooper is a good Major League player, it's not necessarily a surprise that...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Red Sox (3:10 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs won the opener at Fenway last night behind a strong starting effort by Shota Imanga and a grinding offensive approach by the entire Cubs lineup. Let's see if they can do it again with...

    Latest News

    Twins vs. White Sox: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Monday, Ryan Jeffers and the Minnesota Twins (14-13) take on Gavin Sheets and the Chicago White Sox (6-22), with first pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM ET at Guaranteed Rate Field.Keep reading to find out all the details on how...

    Mike Tauchman Ties the Game with an 8th-Inning, Three-Run BLAST!

    Nothing about this game so far had been enjoyable. From the broadcast, to the Cubs prouduction, to all the luck seemingly going the Red Sox way. But after finally chasing Tanner Houck out of the game, the Cubs were able...

    How to Watch Brewers vs. Rays: Live Stream or on TV

    William Contreras and the Milwaukee Brewers (17-10) host Isaac Paredes and the Tampa Bay Rays (13-16) on Monday, with first pitch at 7:40 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Milwaukee-Tampa Bay matchup below.When is Brewers vs. Rays...

    Knicks vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for NBA Playoffs Game 5 – Tuesday, April 30, 2024

    The New York Knicks take a 3-1 series lead into a decisive Game 5 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks are favored by 4 points in the contest, which airs on TNT at 7:00 PM ET....

    How to Watch Marlins vs. Nationals: Live Stream or on TV

    Going for a series sweep, C.J. Abrams and the Washington Nationals (13-14) take on the Miami Marlins (6-23) on Monday at LoanDepot park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 PM ET.If you're intending to watch this game, keep reading for...

    Cardinals vs. Tigers: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The St. Louis Cardinals (13-15), with Steven Matz on the mound, visit the Detroit Tigers (16-12) who will start Kenta Maeda, at 6:40 PM ET on Monday.Keep reading to see how to watch the St. Louis-Detroit matchup in the article...

    How to Watch Blue Jays vs. Royals: Live Stream or on TV

    Daulton Varsho and the Toronto Blue Jays (14-15) host Salvador Perez and the Kansas City Royals (17-12) on Monday, with first pitch at 7:07 PM ET.Keep reading to see how to watch the Toronto-Kansas City matchup in the article below.When...

    How to Watch Orioles vs. Yankees: Live Stream or on TV

    The Baltimore Orioles (17-10), led by Gunnar Henderson, host Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (19-10) at 6:35 PM ET on Monday.The article below will provide you with everything you need to know to watch Baltimore take on New...

    Toronto Blue Jays vs. Kansas City Royals Series April 29 – May 1: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    In the opener of a three-game series, on Monday, April 29 at 7:07 PM ET, the Toronto Blue Jays are hosting the Kansas City Royals.Blue Jays vs. Royals Series Info Royals @ Blue Jays Time: Monday, April 29 at 7:07...

    New York Mets vs. Chicago Cubs Series April 29 – May 2: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    On Monday, April 29 at 7:10 PM ET, a four-game series featuring the New York Mets and the visiting Chicago Cubs will get underway.Mets vs. Cubs Series Info Cubs @ Mets Time: Monday, April 29 at 7:10 PM ET Mets...

    more cubs news