We are pressed up against the luxury tax. If he spent an extra $5 million this offseason (putting us **over** the tax) would our fortunes be any different? An extra $10 million? 20? What amount does Ricketts have to pay for free agents in order for the rest of the guys to decide to start hitting?
Dansby Swanson is making $25 million a year to strike out every other AB. Seiya Suzuki is making $20 million a year to leave runners stranded in scoring position. Cody Bellinger is technically hitting above average but for $30 million this year.
How Is more spending going to fix this?
I don’t think spending vs not spending is the issue. The magic just isn’t there. There is a certain X factor that baseball teams have, something you can’t really put your finger on, much less buy.
The Maddon Cubs were a group that, for the most part, always had fun, and were truly, a team. I think these guys have fun to a degree, but it’s just not the same, and I don’t think Craig or even Rossy fully replicated the fun level that Maddon injected into the clubhouse.
Now before I romanticize a team or a manager I will say this. The Maddon Cubs weren’t perfect, shoot we honestly probably coulda won one more championship with that core. But 2017 no one was beating LA or Houston, 2018 Sox were a destiny team and likewise was the 19 Nats. Baseball happens, it’s life. And Maddon himself certainly wasn’t perfect, in many ways he was too lax.
This current team is frustrating to watch, not because they’re bad, but because they just don’t have a spark, there’s a vision, but it’s a cold and calculated one. I get what Jed is trying for, but there’s no soul or passion behind it. Theo really *wanted* it and *dreamt* of it. It reflected in the team he built. This…this ain’t it.
The way that we spend and develop prospects is the issue. Not spending itself.
We outspend the Deadbirds by $50 million. We likely outspend the Reds and Pirates combined.
We outspend the Brewers, but they finish above us regularly since 2018.
The issue is inefficiency within our own club, not spending. That is what needs changed.
I haven’t seem it mentioned, but I think losing Andy Green as our bench coach has hurt us overall.
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I’m always so confused by the Ricketts bashing.
We are pressed up against the luxury tax. If he spent an extra $5 million this offseason (putting us **over** the tax) would our fortunes be any different? An extra $10 million? 20? What amount does Ricketts have to pay for free agents in order for the rest of the guys to decide to start hitting?
Dansby Swanson is making $25 million a year to strike out every other AB. Seiya Suzuki is making $20 million a year to leave runners stranded in scoring position. Cody Bellinger is technically hitting above average but for $30 million this year.
How Is more spending going to fix this?
I don’t think spending vs not spending is the issue.
The magic just isn’t there. There is a certain X factor that baseball teams have, something you can’t really put your finger on, much less buy.
The Maddon Cubs were a group that, for the most part, always had fun, and were truly, a team. I think these guys have fun to a degree, but it’s just not the same, and I don’t think Craig or even Rossy fully replicated the fun level that Maddon injected into the clubhouse.
Now before I romanticize a team or a manager I will say this. The Maddon Cubs weren’t perfect, shoot we honestly probably coulda won one more championship with that core. But 2017 no one was beating LA or Houston, 2018 Sox were a destiny team and likewise was the 19 Nats. Baseball happens, it’s life. And Maddon himself certainly wasn’t perfect, in many ways he was too lax.
This current team is frustrating to watch, not because they’re bad, but because they just don’t have a spark, there’s a vision, but it’s a cold and calculated one. I get what Jed is trying for, but there’s no soul or passion behind it. Theo really *wanted* it and *dreamt* of it. It reflected in the team he built. This…this ain’t it.
The way that we spend and develop prospects is the issue. Not spending itself.
We outspend the Deadbirds by $50 million. We likely outspend the Reds and Pirates combined.
We outspend the Brewers, but they finish above us regularly since 2018.
The issue is inefficiency within our own club, not spending. That is what needs changed.
I haven’t seem it mentioned, but I think losing Andy Green as our bench coach has hurt us overall.