The Rantings of a Cub Fan

Here at the FredBook we are equal opportunity employers. So when one of our friends, in this case our buddy Ray asks to write a spiteful rant about his favorite team. And his favorite team is the Chicago Cubs, then by all means Raymon, step up to the plate and get you some!

Being a life long Cub fan, I have had my fair share of ups and downs with the team. After 2003, I learned never to get excited again, because in the end they will just let me down. Then 2011 came and the Cubs brought Theo Epstein in to run the everyday operations of the baseball side of the organization. Theo killed the ghost of Babe Ruth like he was Dr. Peter Venkman himself, bringing the organization two World Series in a 10 year period. For the first time since 2003 I was truly excited, I thought the Cubs were changing the outlook of the organization, and then I see that Dale Sveum is going to be our new coach. Really? Dale Sveum? What does he have that Ryne Sandberg doesn’t? “Major League” experience? Sandberg at least has experience as a head coach in the minor leagues, including A, AA, and AAA. He also has helped out in Spring Training. Sveum has been a hitting coach. That constitutes “Major League” experience? Sandberg gave an interview last year in Chicago and said you have to change to organization from the ground up. I thought with the hiring of Theo, they were doing that. But now we are hiring a manger just to stick it to the Red Sox. They can say there are other reasons, but the reports were the Red Sox really wanted Sveum to be the manager, they just weren’t prepared to offer a contract at this time. So the Cubs swoop in and steal him, just because the Red Sox and them can’t agree on compensation for Theo. They also gave him a 3 year deal, which is pointless, because this organization wont be winning until at least that 3 year mark. They have no talent in the minor leagues and really do have to build from the ground up. But if you are truly building an organization, why not put a manager that can grow with your organization, a manager that knows the history, a manager that understands that this will not be built in a day. That manager was Ryne Sandberg.

Raymon


P.S. As editor of FredBook, I would also like to add that I've seen Dale Sveum make some truly awful calls as a third base coach. That would scare me too if I was Ray. - Fred