Sveum is safe for now and Stewart is staying put also

[Boobaby1]

•Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein says manager Dale Sveum isn't to blame for the team's poor record, ESPNChicago.com's Doug Padilla writes, citing an interview on ESPN 1000. The Cubs just don't have the talent to provide Sveum with good options right now, Epstein says. "I think Dale is taking a lot of heat for the fact that we don't have currently a roster that is talented enough to regularly win baseball games," says Epstein. "We just don't."


•Epstein also says the Cubs will not release Ian Stewart, Padilla notes. The Cubs suspended Stewart after he sent a series of tweets complaining that the club was unlikely to promote him. "He hasn't lived up to our expectations but he is a human being and his career is at stake," Epstein says. Stewart has hit .168/.286/.372 for Triple-A Iowa this season.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/06/nl-notes-phillies-cardinals-cubs.html

 

[dabynsky]

No surprise on Sveum at this point.

Stewart is going to rot in Iowa if he wants all of his money. His AAA manager said that he wasn't sure if Stewart would play right away because he was unsure if he stayed in game shape during his suspension.

 

[kchicub08]

Is Epstein just a master of the obvious? Can we get any news that matters?

 

[SilenceS]

Sveum is a puppet. I truly believe thats why they didnt want to get Ryno involved because he is a hero in Chicago. Sveum was a sacrifice for when they become competitive it wont be him at the helm.

 

[brett05]

Sveum is a puppet. I truly believe thats why they didnt want to get Ryno involved because he is a hero in Chicago. Sveum was a sacrifice for when they become competitive it wont be him at the helm.

Any management that hires a puppet or refuses to hire a guy that is a "hero" (fwiw, I am not saying he isn't) should be removed immediately.

 

[brett05]

"I think Dale is taking a lot of heat for the fact that we don't have currently a roster that is talented enough to regularly win baseball games," says Epstein. "We just don't."

And Theo should man up and say he's messed up, no?

 

[Boobaby1]

And Theo should man up and say he's messed up, no?

He has in a way, but he smoothed it out a touch to make it palatable to the fans.

 

[SilenceS]

He has in a way, but he smoothed it out a touch to make it palatable to the fans.

Yea, I got a feeling with the dropping attendance and the fact that its June and no one cares about seeing this Cubs team. There should be a lot of activity in the off season. Ricketts is losing way more money this year already and thats how you get a tight wad to spend. If not, then this franchise is in big time trouble and no GM or coach is going to fix it.

 

[Franko725]

Screw Stewart. Let him rot. It isn't exactly like anyone is really going to want a guy that is playing that poorly in AAA anyway. Maybe if he was playing better, he wouldn't be stuck down there.

I am definitely a supporter of the current front office, but that signing was just plain dumb.

 

[X]

Any management that hires a puppet or refuses to hire a guy that is a "hero" (fwiw, I am not saying he isn't) should be removed immediately.

on what basis?

 

[nwfisch]

No sense in firing Sveum at this point, and really no sense in dumping Stew-shart.

That said, I really hope this year is the last of the tanking and dealing stuff and the Cubs actually build a contender for Sveum and this cast of characters.

 

[justaChifan]

on what basis?

On what basis ? Seriously? On the basis of knowing he is going to be the sacrificial lamb. Good soldier.

 

[nwfisch]

On what basis ? Seriously? On the basis of knowing he is going to be the sacrificial lamb. Good soldier.

It's not like they hired him and then threw the rebuilding plan on him. IMO.

 

[CSF77]

No sense in firing Sveum at this point, and really no sense in dumping Stew-shart.

That said, I really hope this year is the last of the tanking and dealing stuff and the Cubs actually build a contender for Sveum and this cast of characters.[/QUOTE

I do not see the Ricketts' investing heavy next off season. Best situation is Bryant comes up sometime next year. I believe that they need another LH bat that can hit for HR's. They may have it already in Sweeney. Have to wait to see how this year works out first. They may spend on a SP but resigning Garza would fill this need then they could back fill Feldman's spot.

I don't expect a overhaul.

 

[CSF77]

Even with all of the mess of this year the lacking falls on the 3 full time hitters. Castro, Rizzo and Soriano. Castro 302 AB .232 BA. Rizzo 272 AB .246 BA and Soriano 265 AB .245 BA.

Ya we can say how cheap they are and platoon this and that. That doesn't change the fact that the hitting core choked.

 

[chibears55]

Even with all of the mess of this year the lacking falls on the 3 full time hitters. Castro, Rizzo and Soriano. Castro 302 AB .232 BA. Rizzo 272 AB .246 BA and Soriano 265 AB .245 BA.

Ya we can say how cheap they are and platoon this and that. That doesn't change the fact that the hitting core choked.

Agree... If these guys are hitting their Average, their offense is much better despite the other position players.

same with edwin jackson, carlos marmol, and not having garza at beginniing of season. If jackson pitched at a .500 level, marmol started out how he finished last year, and garza didnt reinjure himself in ST, the pitching staff would be better then what it is now.

I know their all IFS but like CFS said, these are the core players and If they got their Normal / Avg production from them their a much better team now.

 

[chibears55]

Sveum is a puppet. I truly believe thats why they didnt want to get Ryno involved because he is a hero in Chicago. Sveum was a sacrifice for when they become competitive it wont be him at the helm.

I wouldnt call him a puppet, i just think they explained to him the situation and he took the opportunity to use it as a stepping stone to becoming a manager and im sure they agreed not to fire him and let him fulfill the contract in the process knowing he wasnt going to have a good team to manage the first couple of years and there was going to be turn overs on the rosters during the season.
sveum contract expires after 2014, so one would think he would have a much better team to manage in his final year to really have a chance to prove himself as a manager and be worthy of an extension and be with the young core he has been somewhat working with / managing..


I think the situation with ryno being pissed off was more from when hendry hired quade over him.

That said, I really hope this year is the last of the tanking and dealing stuff and the Cubs actually build a contender for Sveum and this cast of characters

agree.. this off season needs to be about adding more core players / long term contracts and not about being able to find players they can flip in July 2014.
this will be off season no. 3 , its time to start putting the pieces together and establishing their team.

 

[CSF77]

There were a few factors I believe. 1was that they wanted to put their stamp on the team. Ryno was not the guy in this view point. Now if the Ricketts were playing the fan fav game then they should have made Maddux the GM and Ryno the manager and used that as a distraction away from a bad product on the field. I do believe that the intentions are pretty legit. Ricketts want to build from with in. Hired a team that they felt could revamp the farm. Hired a manager that they felt could me more of a coach and teacher vs a in game manager. We are seeing growing pains and the inbetween years while they are drafting and developing the next generation. Not sure if the next wave will work or not but that is the direction that they are building. I see the Reds as a blue print. Now they are pretty good. They did add some and used some of their developed depth to get players. That is when the plan comes together and the product of building up a farm to use as trade goods and for filling in every day player etc. F/A is the last resort for acquiring talent. I believe that they will use F/A for SP. they will develop the hitting.

 

[mountsalami]

I think Dale is a diamond in the rough.

For being one of the lowest paid, highest media-hyped , along with no experience as a ML manager.......

He may be the only true gift that has fallen in Command Central's lap.

The man is an amazing tactician of the game.

 

[patg006]

I think Dale is a diamond in the rough.

For being one of the lowest paid, highest media-hyped , along with no experience as a ML manager.......

He may be the only true gift that has fallen in Command Central's lap.

The man is an amazing tactician of the game.