Theo Epstein has done it again, and this time with the Chicago Cubs. Twelve years after he led the Boston Red Sox to their first world championship in 86 years as their general manager, he has now led the Chicago Cubs back to the World Series for the first time in 71 years.
Now Chicago hopes to see its first World Championship since 1908. Ironically, the Cubs will go up against the man who managed the Red Sox in 2004, Terry Francona, who now manages the Cleveland Indians.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/790021279906619392
But does Epstein deserve much of the credit? Yes he does!
Just read this headline from The New York Times: “Theo Epstein’s Shrewd Moves Fortify Cubs With Impact Players.”
Many would point out that you never know when it comes to trading players and who to sign as a free agent and who to let go. Some teams win in spite of bad moves and sometimes the best moves do not work out. But in this case it is clear that Theo Epstein not only built a great and dominant team, but he also brought in the right manager in Joe Maddon.
As Epstein described it to the Times, “It’s best not to think about winning or losing trades anyway, because the best ones work out for both teams, ” Epstein said. “But, as a rule, if you’re the team that’s selling — if you’re out of it and you’re trading with a team that’s in it — you usually have the pick of just about their whole farm system, with a few exclusions. You should hit on the guys that you get back.”
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/790059149115527168
But the Cubs were certainly fortunate in that they did not lose any players to serious injuries this year. This in contrast to the New York Mets who lost almost their entire starting lineup.
The World Series will begin Tuesday night in Cleveland. The Indians, who have not one won since 1948, will try to block Theo Epstein’s Cubs.
