Theo Epstein MLB Commissioner?

[Ron Madden]

Theo Epstein Wants Next Job To Help Address Baseball’s ‘Existential Threats’

Along with taking time to spend with family and work with non-profits, Epstein said in a statement that hopes his next job allows him to help address some “existential threats” to the game of baseball.

When asked to elaborate by Yahoo! Sports’ Hannah Keyser, here’s what he had to say in response:

Along with taking time to spend with family and work with non-profits, Epstein said in a statement that hopes his next job allows him to help address some “existential threats” to the game of baseball.

When asked to elaborate by Yahoo! Sports’ Hannah Keyser, here’s what he had to say in response:

It is the greatest game in the world but there are some threats to it because of the way the game is evolving, and I take some responsibility for that because the executives like me who have spent a lot of time using analytics and other measures to try and optimize individual and team performance have unwittingly had, you know, a negative impact on the aesthetic value of the game and the entertainment value of the game. I mean, clearly, you know the strikeout rate is a little bit out of control and we need to find a way to get more action in the game, get the ball in play more often, allow players to show their athleticism some more and give the fans more of what they want.

https://nesn.com/2020/11/theo-epstei...ntial-threats/

JMO but I believe anyone would be better than Manfred right now.

Why not Epstein?

[Chip R]

Theo Epstein Wants Next Job To Help Address Baseball’s ‘Existential Threats’


https://nesn.com/2020/11/theo-epstei...ntial-threats/

JMO but I believe anyone would be better than Manfred right now.

Why not Epstein?

Great idea but it's a pipe dream. The reason Manfred was promoted in the first place was because he had experience negotiating the CBA. Aesthetics of the game be damned. Almost everything he's done has been a misstep. Commissioners aren't there to be loved. Even someone like Giamatti had detractors - especially here. If they want to make the office of the commissioner be a caretaker of the game and leave the CBA negotiations to someone like Manfred, that may be a good idea. Theo may be more suited to be a gadfly outside the game. If he's got an idea or two to improve the game, there are many writers who would sit at his feet while he gives an interview. That way he's not responsible if they don't implement his idea(s).

[westofyou]

Why take a job that is essentially being a caddy to thirty rich men with gimmi, gimmi, gimmi issues?

I'd rather wash dishes at a fondue place

[UKFlounder]

$$$

Roger Goodall gets $40 million or more per year to do the same in the NFL.

Manfred might not make that much, but I bet a couple years at his job has made his life extremely comfortable and I bet he’s the type that loves the dollars.

Why take a job that is essentially being a caddy to thirty rich men with gimmi, gimmi, gimmi issues?

I'd rather wash dishes at a fondue place

[westofyou]

$$$

Roger Goodall gets $40 million or more per year to do the same in the NFL.

Manfred might not make that much, but I bet a couple years at his job has made his life extremely comfortable and I bet he’s the type that loves the dollars.

Maybe, but unlike Goodell Epstein strikes me as someone who has a soul

[kaldaniels]

I don’t like the idea.

Theo is a competent GM that landed ass backwards into 2 teams primed for contention.

He could be a Joe Torre-like advisor or whatever Torre is/was. But the commish (well a good commish) has to get his hands dirty and I don’t think that is Theo’s forte. He’s PR-savvy and could be best served as an ambassador for the game.

[paulrichjr]

I don’t like the idea.

Theo is a competent GM that landed ass backwards into 2 teams primed for contention.

He could be a Joe Torre-like advisor or whatever Torre is/was. But the commish (well a good commish) has to get his hands dirty and I don’t think that is Theo’s forte. He’s PR-savvy and could be best served as an ambassador for the game.

I'm confused by your statement. Are you saying that Theo was good but got lucky? I want to make sure you remember that he literally took two teams that hadn't won in something like 100 years and turned them both into World Series Champions. Maybe you aren't saying that he was good but lucky. Of course a little luck goes into it but the dude was really really good.

[Wonderful Monds]

I don’t think Theo would be a blatant yes man and an empty suit for the owners the way Manfred is. That’s the only kind of person they’re ever going to bring in for that job.

[RedsManRick]

The commissioner's job is to protect the owners' investments. He only cares about improving the game to the extent that it can be expected to increase revenue and/or franchise value.

And while there is an obvious connection between the quality of the on-field product and revenue, I don't have much confidence in the assessment of the product's quality by a bunch of elderly rich guys.

I think Epstein would probably make a very good commissioner from the perspective of the health of the game. But I'd be absolutely shocked if the owners chose a commissioner who was not either a lawyer or non-baseball business executive.

[757690]

He actually likes baseball, so that would seem to elimate him from consideration.

[kaldaniels]

I'm confused by your statement. Are you saying that Theo was good but got lucky? I want to make sure you remember that he literally took two teams that hadn't won in something like 100 years and turned them both into World Series Champions. Maybe you aren't saying that he was good but lucky. Of course a little luck goes into it but the dude was really really good.

He was a fine GM. But the legwork had really been done before he arrived at either spot.

If Krall and Co. brought a title to Cincy I’d find that much more impressive.

The 100 years stuff is a narrative, a good one. But I compartmentalize that from the actual moves/running the team Epstein did.

[kaldaniels]

The commissioner's job is to protect the owners' investments. He only cares about improving the game to the extent that it can be expected to increase value and/or franchise value.

And while there is an obvious connection between the quality of the on-field product and revenue, I don't have much confidence in the assessment of the product's quality by a bunch of elderly rich guys.

I think Epstein would probably make a very good commissioner from the perspective of the health of the game. But I'd be absolutely shocked if the owners chose a commissioner who was not either a lawyer or non-baseball business executive.

That’s was I was alluding to with my statement the commish has to “get his hands dirty.”

Epstein would make a nice “face of the game” spokesman/senior advisor. But the job of the commish isn’t a job for those who like their public image to be rosy.

[kaldaniels]

I think it’s great that Theo won titles with Boston and Chicago. He did a very good job in keeping the teams he inherited pointed in the right direction - in the short term.

The way he went out though in Boston and Chicago gives me doubts whether he can build a team from the ground up and/or have sustained success.

YMMV

[Wonderful Monds]

I think it’s great that Theo won titles with Boston and Chicago. He did a very good job in keeping the teams he inherited pointed in the right direction - in the short term.

The way he went out though in Boston and Chicago gives me doubts whether he can build a team from the ground up and/or have sustained success.

YMMV

I’d say he built the Cubs up from the bottom at the very least. He can’t maintain it very well, there was a quote yesterday where he even admitted that. But he can build a team at least.

[757690]

The Cubs may not be as strong as they were a few years ago, and won’t be a long term dynasty, but they still have a ton of talent on their roster, a decent farm and they never will have money issues. With some smart moves they could easily build another strong team. It’s not like Epstein burned them to the ground in order to win once.

I hate to admit this, but I would much rather be the Cubs right now than the Reds.

Edit: Just looked it up, the Cubs farm is rather barren. But they still have enough talent on their team for a quick retool, imo.