In season thread

[SilenceS]

So has Joe Maddon been that much better then Renteria?

Yes

 

[TC in Mississippi]

So has Joe Maddon been that much better then Renteria?

Absolutely. The optimism he brings to these kids, backed up by previous success,cannot be measured. I think Renteria could be that kind of manager but Maddon is one.

 

[brett05]

So nothing tangible outside of the errors Joe is making?

 

[zack54attack]

Just stay in the Wild Card hunt. That's all I ask.

Th Cubs second half schedule is favorable. They open up with a nice stretch. They also get to play the Pirates and Giants, teams right there in the WC.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

So nothing tangible outside of the errors Joe is making?

From what I see, and the fact that this team neither gets too up or too down, tells me that Joe Maddon is the right manager for this team. He makes some decisions I don't necessarily like but in 50 years of being a fan of baseball I've never known a manager who doesn't. what I see is a young motivated club that goes out every day with a winning attitude whether they're on a winning streak or a losing streak. I agreed with you before this season that managers don't mean a lot for wins and losses in terms of decisions and I still do, I also firmly believe that a manager's job is to have his team mentally and physically ready to play. To these eyes that's what Maddon does. If the question is could Renteria have had the same record as Maddon with this team and the injuries and adversities, particularly to the bench, I would have to say no.

 

[CSF77]

From what I see, and the fact that this team neither gets too up or too down, tells me that Joe Maddon is the right manager for this team. He makes some decisions I don't necessarily like but in 50 years of being a fan of baseball I've never known a manager who doesn't. what I see is a young motivated club that goes out every day with a winning attitude whether they're on a winning streak or a losing streak. I agreed with you before this season that managers don't mean a lot for wins and losses in terms of decisions and I still do, I also firmly believe that a manager's job is to have his team mentally and physically ready to play. To these eyes that's what Maddon does. If the question is could Renteria have had the same record as Maddon with this team and the injuries and adversities, particularly to the bench, I would have to say no.

Cubs would be below .500 if they kept status Que with the manager situation. Even with Shark and Hammel last year they played sub .500. With Arrieta and Hendricks still sub .500 ball. Castro was on a career best year now is on a career worse (almost). Adding Bryant helps but he has not been a huge game changing talent yet.

Over all the team is playing better because Maddon has them playing as a unit. Sure errors has hurt them really bad. But even so they have kept over .500.

End of the day they got ass whooped by the Cards. That is their measuring stick right now. As we have seen they need another bat. And I do not mean Soler fixes every thing. He was leading the majors in strike outs when he got injured. So I don't think that he is going to transform into Sammy Sosa when he gets back. I'm expecting a no gain with Denorfia getting less playing time to be honest.

What has been killing the team has been all of the line up outside of Bryant and Rizzo. I expect more from Castro, Montero and Fowler. None have been picking up the slack. So that is a real issue looking forward.

 

[JosMin]

So has Joe Maddon been that much better then Renteria?

Is this really a question?

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Cubs would be below .500 if they kept status Que with the manager situation. Even with Shark and Hammel last year they played sub .500. With Arrieta and Hendricks still sub .500 ball. Castro was on a career best year now is on a career worse (almost). Adding Bryant helps but he has not been a huge game changing talent yet.

Over all the team is playing better because Maddon has them playing as a unit. Sure errors has hurt them really bad. But even so they have kept over .500.

End of the day they got ass whooped by the Cards. That is their measuring stick right now. As we have seen they need another bat. And I do not mean Soler fixes every thing. He was leading the majors in strike outs when he got injured. So I don't think that he is going to transform into Sammy Sosa when he gets back. I'm expecting a no gain with Denorfia getting less playing time to be honest.

What has been killing the team has been all of the line up outside of Bryant and Rizzo. I expect more from Castro, Montero and Fowler. None have been picking up the slack. So that is a real issue looking forward.

To be fair to Renteria the Cubs were over .500 from late May to the end of the season last year. That doesn't mean I don't see a much different and better team concept under Maddon.

 

[chibears55]

So nothing tangible outside of the errors Joe is making?

I see him having the team playing loose, big thing to watch now is how they bounce back after this 5 game losing streak. .

I also want to see how they respond back to the Cardinals next week when they play them at home. .
Should have Soler back in lineup and possibly Olt bat on bench.
But i want to see if they come out with chip on shoulder and play them hard or with tail between legs..

Having this team above. 500 with the no.1 starter struggling for most part, inconsistent offense, bad defense, horrible bench, bullpen that just coming together, bad 4 n 5 of rotation. .
I say he done a pretty good job at keeping them positive and playing hard every game. ..

 

[CSF77]

To be fair to Renteria the Cubs were over .500 from late May to the end of the season last year. That doesn't mean I don't see a much different and better team concept under Maddon.

Rick was good at connecting with his players also. Pads would be smart to try to hire him next year. That said I do not see the team being over .500. Rick was brought in due to him being bilingual and the team having a wave up-welling. It made little difference to get Baez and Alcantara to hit better. Maybe he factored in Castro having a career best year. Maybe maybe not.

But the bottom line is the team record. That reflects on the manager. W/L is all that matters with a manager. That makes him a genius or a lame duck. Look at Bud Black. Reguarded as one of the best and this years investment his below .500 and he gets axed. That is reality. Rick was not able to take last years team and keep them at least at .500. Maddon got Lester (who is honestly has not been good) and Bryant (who has). and has gotten the team over .500. If you look at it the team in general has been about equal to last year. Soler fell in production from last year. Russell is a minor upgrade to Baez. Bryant has not been a world changer to Valbuena. Castro worse than last year. Fowler I would say a down grade to CF last year. Catcher (D major upg) O minor. And so on. Pen wash at best.

So production wise the team is about the same as last year but on W/L it is a major improvement. That reflects on the manager. Just the way it is. Management sets the tone. It is the same thing in any work environment.

 

[brett05]

Is this really a question?

Have you not been watching the product? Have you not been on this board looking at Cub Fans bewildered by some decisions Joe has done?

 

[brett05]

From what I see, and the fact that this team neither gets too up or too down, tells me that Joe Maddon is the right manager for this team. He makes some decisions I don't necessarily like but in 50 years of being a fan of baseball I've never known a manager who doesn't. what I see is a young motivated club that goes out every day with a winning attitude whether they're on a winning streak or a losing streak. I agreed with you before this season that managers don't mean a lot for wins and losses in terms of decisions and I still do, I also firmly believe that a manager's job is to have his team mentally and physically ready to play. To these eyes that's what Maddon does. If the question is could Renteria have had the same record as Maddon with this team and the injuries and adversities, particularly to the bench, I would have to say no.

And why would you say that? Is it just subjective (which is 100000% ok) or is there something objective that you can point to? From an objective standpoint it does not appear that Tampa lost anything with the change at the manager position.

 

[brett05]

I see him having the team playing loose, big thing to watch now is how they bounce back after this 5 game losing streak. .

I also want to see how they respond back to the Cardinals next week when they play them at home. .
Should have Soler back in lineup and possibly Olt bat on bench.
But i want to see if they come out with chip on shoulder and play them hard or with tail between legs..

Having this team above. 500 with the no.1 starter struggling for most part, inconsistent offense, bad defense, horrible bench, bullpen that just coming together, bad 4 n 5 of rotation. .
I say he done a pretty good job at keeping them positive and playing hard every game. ..

I agree, but three things. 1) it is subjective 2) The NL seems to not be as solid top to bottom 3) Rick might have been doing this as well

 

[brett05]

Rick was good at connecting with his players also. Pads would be smart to try to hire him next year. That said I do not see the team being over .500. Rick was brought in due to him being bilingual and the team having a wave up-welling. It made little difference to get Baez and Alcantara to hit better. Maybe he factored in Castro having a career best year. Maybe maybe not.

But the bottom line is the team record. That reflects on the manager. W/L is all that matters with a manager. That makes him a genius or a lame duck. Look at Bud Black. Reguarded as one of the best and this years investment his below .500 and he gets axed. That is reality. Rick was not able to take last years team and keep them at least at .500. Maddon got Lester (who is honestly has not been good) and Bryant (who has). and has gotten the team over .500. If you look at it the team in general has been about equal to last year. Soler fell in production from last year. Russell is a minor upgrade to Baez. Bryant has not been a world changer to Valbuena. Castro worse than last year. Fowler I would say a down grade to CF last year. Catcher (D major upg) O minor. And so on. Pen wash at best.

So production wise the team is about the same as last year but on W/L it is a major improvement. That reflects on the manager. Just the way it is. Management sets the tone. It is the same thing in any work environment.

That reflects on the players.
The team offensively is way better than last year. Bryant is right now #2 in ROY behind Joc as it stands today. Catcher is much better on both sides that last year. Russell is way better than Baez of last year. Rizzo has gone possibly into another level.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

And why would you say that? Is it just subjective (which is 100000% ok) or is there something objective that you can point to? From an objective standpoint it does not appear that Tampa lost anything with the change at the manager position.

Of course it's subjective, but from a standpoint of watching the game for a very long time. I like to quantify with stats as much as anyone but sometimes I trust what I see. Last year's team was remarkably loose for a losing squad, albeit one that got better by the month, and this one is even more loose with some young players with a lot of pressure on their shoulders. That's all I got but I believe what I believe.

 

[Diehardfan]

Fundementals. Over the years the Cubs have probably been the most fundementally inept team in MLB which contributed mightily to years of losing. Hell, even in the years they were competitive, they weren't very sound. This year's team is the most fundementally sound team they've put on the field in years. Are they a great at it? No, but they are certainly better than they've been in years....and, with a very young group of players. IMOP, that's Maddon's doing.

 

[chibears55]

I agree, but three things. 1) it is subjective 2) The NL seems to not be as solid top to bottom 3) Rick might have been doing this as well

1. It subjective cause there absolutely no way of telling how much difference maddon makes except the fact you seeing better baseball being played on the field and players respecting a d responding to what he asks for so far..

2. the young team is 1 of 7 playing above .500 right now as a young group and currently on a 5 game losing streak, so their currently in the better half of the NL.

3. We will never know where they would stand right now with Renteria if he stayed, I personally think they would be worse record wise mainly because of Renteria inexperience of decision making and maddon personality seems to help him relate too and get a little more out of the players..

That said.. like I mentioned above, I want fo see how he gets them to snap out of this funk and more importantly respond back to the Cardinals next week. .

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

 

[CSF77]

By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | 7:16 PM ET
NEW YORK -- Turns out baseball magic is more than just a cliché. On Monday when the Cubs arrived in New York, manager Joe Maddon turned myth into reality by bringing in an actual magician to perform for his struggling club.

Cast your Esurance All-Star ballot for #ASGWorthy players
"We were talking about how we needed some magic around here, so why not bring in a magician?" said Maddon, whose team has lost five straight.

Simon Winthrop, a Las Vegas-based magician, wowed the Cubs with a performance that included dice tricks, illusions and plenty of how-did-he-do-that moments.


"It was just a good little treat," second baseman Addison Russell said. "I was nice and surprised to come into the locker room and see that. It was cool."

This isn't the first trick Maddon has pulled from his sleeve. Maddon long ago established a reputation for utilizing out-of-the-box methods of morale building. When he was the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, Maddon's hijinks included bringing in a merengue band, wearing short shorts and scheduling various animals to make visits to the clubhouse. Once, an animal trainer arrived with a penguin. Another time, a 20-foot python.

In April 2013, Maddon tried out this magician thing. The Rays won their next two games.

The manager felt the Cubs needed some sort of mental break after losing five straight, including three to the Cardinals over the weekend. So he made sure that even visiting instructor Manny Ramirez -- who made the trip to New York -- wasn't the most interesting man in the clubhouse.

"Team meeting!" Ramirez announced, falling onto a couch and signaling for the media to leave the room. For some clubs, that would signal a loud, stern gathering was about to take place. And few would blame Maddon for trying to fire up a lineup that had scored just four runs over its last four games entering Tuesday, and hadn't homered in 11 of 13 contests.

But to reach his players, Maddon often opts for fun over frustration.

"It's something new. It's not the daily routine," Russell said. "He impresses us."

At one point, Simon asked slugger Anthony Rizzo to write down the name of a celebrity on a piece of paper. Rizzo revealed to the audience that he wrote down the name John Travolta. Simon then took to the clubhouse computer and typed into Google: "What is Anthony Rizzo thinking about?"

On cue, images of Travolta appeared on the screen.

For another trick, Simon crinkled up a soda can and demonstrated that it was empty. Then he held out the can and put his finger underneath it.

Suddenly, the crinkles started coming out.

"Then he went around the top and sealed it up, gave it to me to open and I heard the 'psst,'" Maddon said. "Then he poured the soda out into a cup. That was one of the coolest things ever!"

Still, a larger question looms. Does this mean the python is coming back anytime soon?

"It's hard to get zoo animals at the last minute on the road," Maddon quipped. "A magician is always easier to get on the road than a 20-foot python. I've always felt that way."
Joe Trezza is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

 

[CSF77]

So noticed that Soler was hitting #2 tonight. Line up Alcantata, Soler, Schwarber, Olt. Made me think that they might translate that to Fowler, Soler, Rizzo, Bryant. Or back to the starting line up when Bryant first promoted. It makes sense at this point to Get Rizzo and Bryant into the traditional RBI spots.

 

[SilenceS]

I think people need to pump the brakes on Oakland selling. They are not a bad team and I think will be in it until the end. The offense is pretty gnarly for having not one superstar. They are full of speed and grinders and they get the job done. The bullpen is awful though.