Alvin’s open letter to Theo Epstein after a content editor gets through with it

In Commentary And Analysis, Facepalm by dmick8960 Comments

The other day, Alvin Yellon satisfied many of us with a classic example of his stupidity. Like many, Ryno has had a lot of fun with this. Here here is (the rest of this is from Ryno).

Just for fun, I decided to look at Alvin’s open letter as an editor. All bits and hyperbole aside, I wanted to see exactly how much bullshit was in there.

Alvin’s original was 2,185 words, and I cut it to 275 without losing any of the context.

What’s funny is that the article was supposed to be an open letter to Epstein. The only thing directed at Epstein was a plea to build a winning team right now. He graciously told Epstein — who obviously would never have been able to concoct such a plan — that they key was to release a reliever and acquire mid-level talent.

The rest of it was a shot at the people who think building a strong farm system is the best plan for the team.

Just to sum up: Alvin needed 2,185 words to say the Cubs lost to the Mets, let us know that prospects are unlikely to meet expectations and tell Epstein to bring in mediocre players in order to win a World Series before he dies.

Here’s what I would have done if I were Alvin’s content editor:

The Cubs were leading the Mets 3-0 Sunday afternoon, looking to win their fourth consecutive game and move to nine games under .500. I started to wonder what the Cubs’ management would do if this team somehow sneaked into contention.

That thought was short lived, though, because the Cubs didn’t win Sunday and dropped to 11 games under .500. It appears that the Cubs will once again be sellers at the trading deadline, looking to move several key players like Scott Feldman and Matt Garza.

This particular loss prompted me to vent two thoughts:

1. Carlos Marmol needs to go. At some point, performances like his hurt the team and its future. Some have said a game like Sunday’s was “virtually meaningless,” but I think it is meaningful to sweep the Mets in New York for the first time in 22 years. That helps build a winning attitude and culture.

2. While following prospects is interesting, it’s important to remember that they are statistically likely to fail. We should all be excited by Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and others, but I don’t think the Cubs should expect them to be the core of a World Series contender. At some point, the Cubs need to acquire a few mid-level players to fill holes and then put some of those prospects around them to grow.

I know people who lived without seeing the Cubs in the World Series and I don’t want to be one of those people. I’ve followed this team for nearly 50 years and already experienced several disappointments at the hands of this team.

I’m tired of disappointments.

All I did was cut out anything that wasn’t an actual point or relevant support of a point. That said, the numbered list was basically irrelevant to the article.

Without adding any support, this is how I would have done Alvin’s article:

When the Cubs blew a 3-0 lead to the Mets 3-0 Sunday afternoon, a small wave of sorrow swept over me as I realized the Cubs will likely was once again wear the “Seller” label in July.

The loss dropped the Cubs to 11 games under .500, and it appears that the Cubs will once again be sellers at the trading deadline. They’ll try to entice a team to give up talented young players to acquire productive veterans like Scott Feldman and Matt Garza.

My opinion is that we shouldn’t mortgage the future on unproven prospects. Keep the Feldmans and Garzas of the team, fill a few holes with mid-level talent and then allow the cream to rise to the crop of the farm system.

I’ve followed this team for nearly 50 years. I know people who lived without seeing the Cubs in the World Series and I don’t want to be one of those people. I’ve already experienced several disappointments at the hands of this team.

I’m tired of disappointments.

That’s 171 words, down from 2,185. And it says the same fucking thing…without the tangents.

If his point was that the Cubs should at least field a team that can sneak into the playoffs — where history has shown that anything can happen — he failed miserably. That’s actually a fair point.

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Comments

  1. uncle dave

    I’m not watching all that closely, but it seems like a number of the Cubs’ picks in the draft have signed for over slot. Is there a source that’s compiling all of this info? Is this gonna put them in a bind with Bryant?

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  2. Mish

    I would be lying if I didn’t point out that my interest in Cubs and baseball has been slightly greater the last few days because of Al’s stupidity and being a little more around OV than my previous lurking.

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  3. Myles

    Ryno wrote:

    @ uncle dave:
    Maybe CHC wants to pick 5th AND 3rd next year…do they still do that?

    If they don’t sign Bryant, they’ll forfeit their next year’s 1st round pick because they lose the bonus pool slot money for Bryant, which puts them over for the rest of it. At least, I think they’ve gone that far over for everyone else.

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  4. uncle dave

    Huh. Looks like they have about, what, $250K to play with under the 105% rule? Glad someone else has to figure all of this out.

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  5. Author
    dmick89

    I’m very surprised it took it what it did to sign Hannemann. The guy is already 22, has one year of college under his belt and he’s been a two-sport player. I know he could have gone back in the draft, but it’s highly unlikely a 23 year old gets more next year. I just don’t see the advantage in taking Hannemann unless you know he’ll sign at slot. Better yet, under slot.

    I’m not sure it will really matter. The Cubs will still get Bryant signed and my guess is that he comes in a bit under slot.

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  6. Author
    dmick89

    @ Aisle424:
    Appel fell to 8th last year and it was still a gamble to re-enter the draft a year later. Bryant will get $6 million or a bit more and I just don’t see what kind of leverage he really has beyond that. If the Cubs offer only $6 million, what options does he have? Go back to school and pray to the baseball gods that he be taken first overall the following year? Even then he’ll come in under slot (see Appel).

    This just isn’t like the choice Appel had. $3 million or gamble that he’ll get more the following year. Huge gamble. You’re betting on staying healthy and being taken in the top 3 or 4 picks. Offer Bryant $6 million (roughly half a million under slot) and he’ll sign. Even if he went first overall next year, he’s probably looking at an Appel-like signing bonus. If he falls to 2nd and it’s very likely he won’t be the best player in the draft anyway, he’ll get less.

    I’ll be disappointed if the Cubs pay him slot or higher.

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  7. uncle dave

    @ dmick89:
    Good point — there’s not much difference between slot at #3 and slot at #1, so it’s all risk, no upside. The players do seem to get screwed a little bit by this new arrangement.

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  8. Author
    dmick89

    @ uncle dave:
    At this point it seems that way. I’m curious to see how it unfolds over the next few years. I expect what we’ve seen this year will be closer to what we see in the future. Players just don’t have much or any leverage when taken in the top 5 to 10 picks. Appel’s gamble was ridiculously large. It paid off, but 95% of the time it wouldn’t.

    Appel went under slot. So did Gray. No reason for the Cubs to do any different with the number 2 pick.

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  9. GW

    Last comment got eaten by the spam filter.

    It’s been reported that the Cubs have signed all but Bryant among their first 10 picks. If things go really awry with Bryant, and he decides to go back to school, they can go up to $192,405 overslot. If Bryant signs, that number jumps to $527,825.

    They are currently at $241,700 over. My guess is that the combination of Frazier, Garner, and Wilson (6th, 7th, and 8th rounders), for whom figures have not yet been announced, ends up at ~$50k underslot so that they end up OK even if Bryant doesn’t sign. However, I think they expect Bryant to go underslot. When he does, they will announce Clifton (who has previously leaked an agreed-upon figure that is ~$470k overslot), Tyler Alamo, and maybe one or two others. If Bryant requires full slot or more, they will just tell Clifton et al.: “sorry, it didn’t work out. good luck in school.”

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  10. Rizzo the Rat

    dmick89 wrote:

    He’s just fucking terrible right now and doesn’t deserve to play.

    Having a couple bad months doesn’t mean he’s bad. And I don’t see the point in benching him unless you think he’ll improve if you do.

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  11. Author
    dmick89

    @ Rizzo the Rat:
    He needs to work on something and working on it during games isn’t working. If I was the Cubs I’d just tell him to ignore everything they said over the last 6 months and do your thing.

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  12. Suburban kid

    He’s just fucking terrible right now and doesn’t deserve to play.

    What’s his lack of sexual prowess got to do with it?

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  13. SVB

    Ryno wrote (a couple days ago in his first edit of Al’s missive)

    I’m sad.

    Is that a description of his emotional state, or his character?*

    *I bet I already know the answer, but had to ask.

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  14. Rizzo the Rat

    Subscriber-only scouting report on Baez: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=20996
    It has him with a future 65 hit tool (plus-plus bat speed, repeatable contact swing, impatient approach), 70 power tool, 50 glove (move to 3B likely), 55 arm, 40 baserunning/speed ( 4.3-4.4 home-to-first). They don’t think he’ll stick at short, but his bat (with a more refined approach) should play in the bigs. They rate him as a 7(0) and have him as a first division regular/all-star. His risk factor is high and there are concerns about his makeup since he doesn’t always hustle on his plays..

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  15. Rizzo the Rat

    I admit, I’m surprised his speed rating is so low, since he stole 24 bases last year, and I think I remember KG rating him at 50/average.

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  16. Ryno

    I was listening to the hockey game the other day, and I can’t believe they let Chicago get away with calling their team the Black Cocks.

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  17. Rice Cube

    @ dmick89:
    It’s not a terrible idea considering he hasn’t had a day off since he was called up. If they’re big on the streak or whatever, let him pinch-run for Navarro after a hit. But the argument for not doing it now is that the Astros and Brewers coming up are slump-busters, so let’s see what happens.

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  18. WenningtonsGorillaCock

    josh wrote:

    The Cubs are playing the Astros.

    *shrug*

    The Cubs are playing the Astros, who are in the AL now. So, there’s that novelty.

    Shockingly, some suckers bought my season tickets for both games this weekend off of Stubhub. At almost face value, too.

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  19. Suburban kid

    @ WaLi:
    I wasn’t asking about a Series Preview thread. I was asking about a game thread. Because there’s so many of us here discussing the game.

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