The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a five year deal with current Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein, according to John Dennis of WEEI. The move fills the open General Manager spot for the Cubs, and doesn’t mean good things for the Pirates.
Obviously we know Epstein’s legacy in Boston. The Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. The Cubs don’t have as much to spend as the Red Sox, but they have enough. The thing about spending money is that it doesn’t really buy championships. It helps to overcome mistakes, such as signing Alfonso Soriano to a deal that pays him $18 M annually from 2010-2014. However, if you want to win, you still need to make smart moves. If you get a smart General Manager in there, it’s much easier to make those smart moves.
The Cubs were on a downward path in the NL Central prior to this move. They had an expensive roster with players who looked to be on the decline (Soriano, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster). They potentially have holes to fill at first base, third base, and right field this off-season. They also need pitching, after seeing Rodrigo Lopez make 16 starts in 2011, and after seeing Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster put up ERAs in the 4.80 range. Their 2011 roster was not what you’d expect from nearly a $120 M payroll.
Epstein will inherit the contracts of Dempster ($14 M in 2012), Zambrano ($18 M in 2012, $19.25 M in 2013), and Soriano ($18 M in 2012-2014). However, he will have Matt Garza for two years, has at least $30 M coming off the books with the departure of Carlos Pena, Aramis Ramirez, and John Grabow, and has holes to fill at first, third, right field, and the rotation. That sort-of blank slate is an advantage, as it will allow Epstein to build his team quicker.
A team like the Pirates needs every advantage they can get. One advantage was that the Cubs were poorly run, which negated their high payrolls. That might not be an advantage for much longer. A big payroll doesn’t guarantee winning, but if you get a smart General Manager in there, and you give him a lot of funds to work with, you’re very likely to see the results.
