CHICAGO CUBS   RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

The Chicago Cubs are an iconic and valuable franchise, 5th most according to Bloomberg Sports, with a total value of 1.32 billion dollars.  The first two years under the Theo Epstein regime have been awful (127 wins and 197 losses .391 W%)  Their 2013 record (66 W and 96 L) was the second worst in the National League and third worst in all of Major League Baseball.  A bad team with a bad manager got bad results on the field.

I've associated Epstein with quality and success from his Boston days but the product on the field in Chicago at times looked like a minor league team on a bad day.  Even the young "core' seemed lost at times.  The team's best offensive player was the relatively unknown Dioner Navarro with a .300/.365/.492 slash line and .856 OPS but only 240 AB.  Navarro parlayed this productive season into a two year 8.0 million contract with the Blue Jays after making 1.75 million last year.  These have been lean years for the franchise on the field.

2013 attendance at the "friendly confines" was good at 2.6 million (average 32,625) twelfth best in MLB but down from 2.9 million in 2012 and 8 consecutive years over 3.0 million before that.  The trendline is not good.  Total revenues were 320 million, 4th most in MLB while payroll was 104.9 million (14th in MLB), leaving room for a healthy bottom line.  The Chicago White Sox, who also finished last in their division in the AL drew 1.8 million fans (22,105/game) which was 24th with a payroll of 123.6 million and a 63 W 99 L record, 2nd worst in the AL.  Cubs and Chisox were a double whammy for Chicago baseball in 2013.

All that said, the "wave" is coming.  Late 2014 or 2015 should see a crop of young players that will excite the faithful and pull the team out of the basement.  Names to remember are:  Javier Baez SS, Albert Almora OF, Jorge Soler OF, Kris Bryant 3B, Arismendy Alcantara 2B, Mike Olt 3B, Dan Vogelbach 1B, CJ Edwards P, and Pierce Johnson P.

With the pipeline full of talent and the franchise in good financial shape, Theo and his braintrust must be salivating as the good years are right around the corner.  These can be the "fat " years.  The nightmare should be over.  Salud, Theo.