(FanDuel Insider)
Theo Epstein was sitting in the scorching Arizona sun sporting a long-sleeved shirt, presumably putting up a major sweat, and all he could do was smile.
Two years ago during the spring training months, the Cubs president of baseball operations sat in the seats surrounded by radar guns. It was the third year of his plan to rebuild a team from the ground up. Those first two seasons were difficult. So difficult in fact, they aren’t worth mentioning. Epstein maintained his professionalism, taking each and every harsh question tossed his way that contained words like “depressing” and “miserable.” He may as well have been attending a funeral, but he maintained himself and answered questions with intelligence and fluidity because that’s how Theo is.
He went on to explain the vibe around the organization was a good one and “the sense of progress and potential is palpable. We all feed off that and enjoy coming to work each day.”
The scouting process was an intense one. Any scout will just say “this is just what I do,” but these guys spend countless hours on the road, in baseball stadiums and in hotels typing up their observations. During this timeline was when names like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber surfaced.
In an interview with the New York Times, Epstein went over the strategies it took to snag the power hitters. “We’d be like, ‘Oh, if we can get Bryant in the draft, if we can get Schwarber in the draft with what we have,’” explains Epstein. The strategy was all written out on a hotel napkin at 2 AM while going over when they could get them in the draft. “Then we get them and we put them up on the white board in the board room and we start to get pretty excited.”
The excitement was on point considering Anthony Rizzo just sported his third All-Star jersey. Schwarber is out with injury, but the moment the scouts saw him in the Instructional League, they knew he was special. The Instructional League introduced the world to Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia. “We get to tell the kids guys like that were sitting there and now they’re on national tv hitting bombs,” said Epstein.
Despite the loss of the 23-year-old, the team is still sitting in the first place position in the National League Central.
Jake Arrieta is coming off a National League Cy Young Award winning season with a top-five performance in wins and is fourth in the league in hits per-nine innings (6.298).
During 2011, powerhouse shortstop Javier Baez was revoked privileges to play on a certain field because of the continuous contact he would make with cars driving by on the Red Mountain Freeway. The 23-year-old is now hitting a .278/.316/.448 slash line.
The plan continues to work.
We can’t go on without mentioning the 6’5″ frame of two-time All-Star Kris Bryant. Coming off a 2015 Rookie of the Year Award, he’s currently ranked first in WAR in his league and is also first in runs and is already tied with last year’s home run numbers (26).
The power of Jorge Soler was the perfect addition to the team. The 215 pound, 6’4″ right fielder was mentioned to “be a defensive end if he grew up in this country.” The $30 million it took to acquire him is looking like a lot of money at the moment, but Soler came at the perfect time when Schwarber went down.
Last year’s blockbuster push didn’t happen for the Cubs like we all anticipated. Acquiring Dan Haren and Tommy Hunter didn’t do anything for the team, who was doing everything they could on their journey to the National League Championship.
That plan didn’t work.
“If not now, when?” Epstein’s plan may have taken place on the napkin of a crappy hotel bar, but with the team currently sitting at a 66-41 and one of the best squads in baseball, the plan is not only working, but it’s excelling.