Epstein's presser...how it relates to the Orioles

[Sports Guy]

I saw Epstein on PTI today and what he said on there was apparently what he said in his presser today.

He talked about how it will take some time but that he wants to build an organization in Chicago. He wants to build a team that can sustain winning and make the playoffs for several years, not some one and done type thing.

On PTI, they asked him about the differences between Boston and Chicago..He said when he got to Boston, there was already an excellent core of players.

He said that is lacking in Chicago and that they needed to build that.

He also talked about how they need to improve the defense, be more patient and have better at bats.

I couldn't help but listen to him and think, damn he gets it...He knows what needs to happen.

So, obviously the easy segway here is that this is exactly what the Orioles need to do.

He didn't talk about adding premium FAs, spending big dollars or anything like that...He talked about building an organization, having good scouting, player development, etc...

Its almost as if he was looking at the camera and talking directly to the Orioles and telling them what they need to do as well.

[Moose Milligan]

It'll be interesting to see how he does. He's certainly signed his share of dumb contracts while in Boston and Chicago can have a big payroll.

He certainly says the right things though.

[Can_of_corn]

I am not sad to see him leave the AL East. Next step, Friedman out to California.

[Stotle]

It'll be interesting to see how he does. He's certainly signed his share of dumb contracts while in Boston and Chicago can have a big payroll.

He certainly says the right things though.

True, but he was also signing contracts looking for wins 89-96 and worrying about competing with the team of all-stars new york was putting on the field. In any event, the Boston organization has a process in place for identifying and acquiring amateur talent, as well as developing it, and is known around baseball circle as a progressive organization when it comes to valuation of players and the various components of their games, when constructing their MLB roster. Epstein was largely responsible for the construction of that front office and the process that runs it.

[Skeletor]

Those are all big picture ideas that I would think are obvious to the Orioles. Something is getting lost in the process and that is where the value of a guy like Theo comes into play. Sure, you want to build a strong core that plays solid defense and can work a pitcher. But how do we get from here to there?

There are obvious mistakes that have been made that we can point to, like signing relievers to big money and giving up draft picks or having the fewest amount of scouts in baseball. But it's easy to say build a solid organization from top to bottom including improving the scouting and player development. The tricky part comes in implementing it.

[Frobby]

it's easy to say build a solid organization from top to bottom including improving the scouting and player development. The tricky part comes in implementing it.

Exactly. We heard this from Beattie, Flanagan, and MacPhail. Saying it and being able to do it are entirely different things. And it requires more than just throwing money at the problem. It involves getting the right people, enabling those people to do their jobs well by getting them the support they need and allowing them authority while holding them accountable, and a lot of other elements. No easy task.

[mweb]

Yeah, those statements don't really mean much in terms of if someone gets it or not. Trea has posted a quote from John Hart that would make it seem he gets it as well, yet many on here hate the idea of him becoming the GM. As Skeletor and Frobby say, many say the right things and it's not rocket science to say the right things, but actually deliver on them.

[Stotle]

Exactly. We heard this from Beattie, Flanagan, and MacPhail. Saying it and being able to do it are entirely different things. And it requires more than just throwing money at the problem. It involves getting the right people, enabling those people to do their jobs well by getting them the support they need and allowing them authority while holding them accountable, and a lot of other elements. No easy task.

But after you've done it once, or been a part of an organization that has done it once, it becomes a whole lot easier.

I spoke to a Cubs evaluator. I said, "You guys have had a pretty big shake-up up top these last couple of months huh?" He responded that they did, and no one knows exactly how everything will shake out but that they are very confident the outcome will be good. After speaking with him a little bit about the details I got the impression that Epstein has at least taken a look at the basics of how the amateur scouting side is run and is generally pleased with what the Cubs have in place (though there will undoubtedly be changes in how exactly things are run).

Bottom line, once you have a win under your belt, it makes things that much easier to take an approach and find ways to implement it in other settings. I don't have any concerns as to whether or not Mr. Epstein will be able to build a strong, well run organization in Chicago in the general mold of the organization he helped build in Boston. There will be differences in the specifics, but I believe the general process put in place will be essentially the same.

[xKHx]

But after you've done it once, or been a part of an organization that has done it once, it becomes a whole lot easier.

I spoke to a Cubs evaluator. I said, "You guys have had a pretty big shake-up up top these last couple of months huh?" He responded that they did, and no one knows exactly how everything will shake out but that they are very confident the outcome will be good. After speaking with him a little bit about the details I got the impression that Epstein has at least taken a look at the basics of how the amateur scouting side is run and is generally pleased with what the Cubs have in place (though there will undoubtedly be changes in how exactly things are run).

Bottom line, once you have a win under your belt, it makes things that much easier to take an approach and find ways to implement it in other settings. I don't have any concerns as to whether or not Mr. Epstein will be able to build a strong, well run organization in Chicago in the general mold of the organization he helped build in Boston. There will be differences in the specifics, but I believe the general process put in place will be essentially the same.

Mcphail from Minnesota says hello.

[Stotle]

Yeah, those statements don't really mean much in terms of if someone gets it or not. Trea has posted a quote from John Hart that would make it seem he gets it as well, yet many on here hate the idea of him becoming the GM. As Skeletor and Frobby say, many say the right things and it's not rocket science to say the right things, but actually deliver on them.

Those statements may not mean much on their own. But when you consider the person saying them was the person at the forefront of an organization that:

• won two world series in the last eight years
• made the playoffs six times in the last nine years in the hardest division in baseball
• internally developed all-stars like Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youklis, Lester, Pappelbon, etc.
• overhauled scouting/development in the early 2000s, resulting in an organization strong enough to be ranked by Baseball America as a top ten minor league system in the top half of all of baseball five of the last six years, top ten in baseball four of the last six years, and top five in baseball twice in the last four years
• is staffed with people that considered by the organization to be the best options for filling created voids (as opposed to having to go outside the organization to find a new GM/PoBO)
• has roundly been considered by those in the industry to be a progressive, forward thinking organization

I'm sure you, skeletor, frobby aren't implying that Epstein has to walk-the-walk in order for those words to have meaning. After all, he has walked the walk, and was one of the most successful in the game while walking it. In fact, the big knock people around here throw at Epstein is his inability to make productive "big FA signings", which has absolutely nothing to do with the issue of building an organization that runs on efficient and effective processes. He's a perfect choice for an organization like the Cubs, looking for strong leadership and vision up top.

I agree with you three that the words themselves mean little without implementation. Fortunately for the Cubs, Epstein has proven he understands how to implement these concepts.

[Stotle]

Mcphail from Minnesota says hello.

Oh, I completely forgot about that. You are right -- same thing. One front office guy who built a winner 15-20 years ago and has since had mixed results in two other stops, and someone who has headed one of the best teams in baseball over the past six years after helping to overhaul how the whole organization was run starting with his arrival ten years ago.

This is not a knock on Mr. MacPhail, as I think it's a tough standard for anyone to top and of course there are always going to be factors outside of the GM/PoBO's control. But, if you were to look at Mr. MacPhail's history as president of baseball operations in Minnesota, Chicago and Baltimore on one hand, and Mr. Epstein's history as GM in Boston, who would select to start running things for you starting November 1st?

[Skeletor]

Those statements may not mean much on their own. But when you consider the person saying them was the person at the forefront of an organization that:

• won two world series in the last eight years
• made the playoffs six times in the last nine years in the hardest division in baseball
• internally developed all-stars like Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youklis, Lester, Pappelbon, etc.
• overhauled scouting/development in the early 2000s, resulting in an organization strong enough to be ranked by Baseball America as a top ten minor league system in the top half of all of baseball five of the last six years, top ten in baseball four of the last six years, and top five in baseball twice in the last four years
• is staffed with people that considered by the organization to be the best options for filling created voids (as opposed to having to go outside the organization to find a new GM/PoBO)
• has roundly been considered by those in the industry to be a progressive, forward thinking organization

I'm sure you, skeletor, frobby aren't implying that Epstein has to walk-the-walk in order for those words to have meaning. After all, he has walked the walk, and was one of the most successful in the game while walking it. In fact, the big knock people around here throw at Epstein is his inability to make productive "big FA signings", which has absolutely nothing to do with the issue of building an organization that runs on efficient and effective processes. He's a perfect choice for an organization like the Cubs, looking for strong leadership and vision up top.

I agree with you three that the words themselves mean little without implementation. Fortunately for the Cubs, Epstein has proven he understands how to implement these concepts.

I'm not doubting Epstein's abilities. On the contrary, he is exactly the kind of guy the O's need. I was just pointing out that he's really just pointing out the obvious. Sure, he can get it done. Like Frobby said, every GM the Os have hired in the past ten years has said these things, but none have been able to do it.

[Stotle]

I'm not doubting Epstein's abilities. On the contrary, he is exactly the kind of guy the O's need. I was just pointing out that he's really just pointing out the obvious. Sure, he can get it done. Like Frobby said, every GM the Os have hired in the past ten years has said these things, but none have been able to do it.

But what prior successes have the previous O's GMs had to back-up those words? I understand the concepts, but would have no clue how to walk into the Warehouse and come up with a process for implementing those changes. At the same time, I bet if I hung out for four or five years in an organization that did all of these things I'd have a pretty good idea as to what was important, and what would translate into my new setting when I left to run the show somewhere else.

To me, that is why my preference for a new PoBO in Baltimore would be to grab a higher-up in from an organization that does the things I want my organization to do. I have zero doubt that Mr. Hart is a fantastic baseball mind and knows how to run an organization. If he has been closely involved with the day-to-day in Texas, and would be able to put a similar set of systems in place in the Warehouse, I think he's a fantastic choice.

[Skeletor]

But what prior successes have the previous O's GMs had to back-up those words? I understand the concepts, but would have no clue how to walk into the Warehouse and come up with a process for implementing those changes. At the same time, I bet if I hung out for four or five years in an organization that did all of these things I'd have a pretty good idea as to what was important, and what would translate into my new setting when I left to run the show somewhere else.

To me, that is why my preference for a new PoBO in Baltimore would be to grab a higher-up in from an organization that does the things I want my organization to do. I have zero doubt that Mr. Hart is a fantastic baseball mind and knows how to run an organization. If he has been closely involved with the day-to-day in Texas, and would be able to put a similar set of systems in place in the Warehouse, I think he's a fantastic choice.

We are in agreement.

[MikeAD]

I've said this so much and for so long but how sad is it that regular fans know what this team obviously needs to do and there is literally 0% chance that it happens.

There are 3 dozen people in the league that could turn the club around in 2-3 years if given the reins and it just won't happen.