Let me humbly preface this by eating copious amounts of crow. Maybe two years back I thought Theo had delivered a death sentence to Cubs baseball. I looked at our lack of pitching in the farm system and couldn't envision us having the necessary pitching staff/bullpen to win at the major league level. I saw Rizzo, Castro, and Baez as just didn't see enough offense.
Boy was I ignorant. Epstein drafted Bryant and Schwarber and acquired Addison Russell and Jake Arrieta. Then he signed Lester, brought back Hammel and acquired Fowler. Next thing you know we probably have the brightest future of any organization in the league.
Epstein accomplished so much in Boston. He won two World Series and his finger prints were all over their third title. Now he's completely rebuilt one of the most dysfunctional organizations and worst, most crippled rosters in all of baseball into a juggernaut that is primed for a decade-long run. A realistic scenario is making the playoffs seven of the next ten years and breaking through one time to win a World Series. Should that scenario unfold, Theo has to go down as the greatest Exec in MLB history.
He'll have taken the two single biggest challenges in baseball - bringing titles to Boston and Chicago -- and conquering it. Usually I hate being wrong -- but man it feels good. Epstein took so much heat from clowns like me who failed to see his vision but he stayed the course and now look at us. We're on pace for 92 freaking wins - which is way beyond my expectations for a team starting 4 rookies. Has that ever even been done before?
It seems to me like we have a good chance of punching through one of these years over the next decade. And if we do Theo Epstein will be Chicago's greatest sports Hero. He'll be a beloved Icon of unimaginable proportions. Epstein, Hoyer and Maddon are embarking on a quest for sports Holy Grail -- the Cubs World Series Title. I can't think of anything more amazing than being in Chicago when it happens.
Ron Santo and Ernie Banks -- this one is for you. Theo's gonna bring it home for us.
