Joe Maddon to the Cubs. UPDATE: He’s gone (p 19)

[ndistops]

If Gleyber Torres wins the Yankees a title, then we can talk, until then I'm good with how things turned out.

[dan_yall]

If Gleyber Torres wins the Yankees a title, then we can talk, until then I'm good with how things turned out.

If I'm a Cubs fan, I don't care if they traded Mike Trout to win that title.

Also, if I'm a Cubs fan, I can't believe they just dumped the manager that brought home their first title in a century and had never won less than 92 games before this season. I love to hate Joe Maddon because he's obnxious, but it wasn't his fault the organization couldn't develop any pitching.

[Socnorb11]

If Gleyber Torres wins the Yankees a title, then we can talk, until then I'm good with how things turned out.

The Cubs won the division by 17.5 games that year, and Chapman wasn't really that good in the post-season. It's an extreme stretch to say that he won the Cubs a title. In fact, he did everything he could to hand Game 7 over to the Indians, if you recall.

[Socnorb11]

Also, if I'm a Cubs fan, I can't believe they just dumped the manager that brought home their first title in a century and had never won less than 92 games before this season. I love to hate Joe Maddon because he's obnxious, but it wasn't his fault the organization couldn't develop any pitching.

So you think Epstein should have been fired instead?

[ndistops]

If Gleyber Torres wins the Yankees a title, then we can talk, until then I'm good with how things turned out.

The Cubs won the division by 17.5 games that year, and Chapman wasn't really that good in the post-season. It's an extreme stretch to say that he won the Cubs a title. In fact, he did everything he could to hand Game 7 over to the Indians, if you recall.

There would've been no Game 7 if Chapman hadn't come in and gotten an 8-out save in Game 5, which the Cubs won by 1 run. And even after he gave up the tying HR in Game 7, he went out and pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to enable the Cubs to win the game in the 10th. (Allowing him to pitch the 9th was an unbelievable move that caused me to believe Joe Maddon may have actually had an in-game stroke, but whatever, he got the outs.)

He also got a 3-out save in the NLDS clincher in SF (right after the Cubs' 4-run rally in the 9th) that may not have been so easy if one of the Cubs' lesser relievers had pitched the inning. He's as responsible for that title as any player.

[JoeMcKim]

If Gleyber Torres wins the Yankees a title, then we can talk, until then I'm good with how things turned out.

If I'm a Cubs fan, I don't care if they traded Mike Trout to win that title.

Also, if I'm a Cubs fan, I can't believe they just dumped the manager that brought home their first title in a century and had never won less than 92 games before this season. I love to hate Joe Maddon because he's obnxious, but it wasn't his fault the organization couldn't develop any pitching.

We also live in a world where the Red Sox won a World Series LAST YEAR and while they missed the playoffs this year still ended the season with a winning record and they fired their GM.

[stlouie_lipp]

I'm with ndistops on this one. They made the trade and they won the World Series. Everything else be damned.

[pioneer98]

Cards fans were divided about the Rasmus trade in 2011, and he's not even as good as Torres. The Cubs' drought does make that equation a bit different I guess.

We also live in a world where Theo & Co. are considered geniuses. I think they are good. They obviously put together a winning team, one that could be back next year and crush the Cards. I just don't think they are quite at the level of their reputation.

[JoeMcKim]

The Cubs were able to win because of tanking and then trading away prospects for add on players for pennant chases. But with their inability to produce and hold onto their own homegrown talent they're just a good team outside of their WS winning team.

[CardsofSTL]

[expletive] the Cubs.