Big Mike: I like Part One of your Plan for the Cubs. I don’t want to rub it in, but the Red Sox are doing most of those things — and that won’t surprise you. I recall when they started redefining scouts’ duties by area; in particular, their efforts to establish ties to baseball in Japan. Of course, that took off when they signed Daisuke Matsuzaka. I’ll wait for your next installment before responding more, but, right now, I’m compelled to comment on one important point:
Your strategic thinking is impressive, but what have the Cubs done when things go wrong? What will Hendry and Company do in 2010 when things start to unfold and they have to deal with unforeseen developments?
What I sense with the Cubs is that when a bad GM or manager is in place, everyone waits around – rolls their eyes – and waits for that person to leave. Good plans are important, but, a team has to take action to address problems and situations as they unfold. The Cubs dont’ do that well, do they?
There has to be a high standard, and, then, a dynamic that when certain things are not happening, management will find ways to MAKE them happen. So, for example, when Grady Little left Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 ACLS in one of the worst managerial blunders ever, the Sox team of Henry/Lucchino/Epstein decided to fire Little. Some might say that was easy, but, in the old days, Little would have been retained for 2004. Instead, Terry Francona was hired and you know the rest. A second example: The Sox hiring of pitching coach John Farrell, who will be around for at least one more year. I don’t know how they enticed Farrell to come to Boston, but, as I’ve written here, I think, Farrell is such an outstanding person to have with this team. The best communicator about pitching the Sox have had in my lifetime. He’s got leadership skills, people skills — The pitchers love Farrell and respect him.
These personnel decisions are KEY – and how the manager and GM communicate with players. In Boston, players in recent years have felt management at least tries to treat them decently, apprise them of things and put them in a position to win. I’ll discuss the relationship between Theo Epstein and Francona another time.
By the way, the rumors are swirling all over the place today about the Sox going after Roy Halliday – for Clay Buccholz and, maybe Casey Kelly, their great young prospect.
