Epstein not counting Cubs out for next season

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By ANDREW SELIGMAN

updated 8:29 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2012

CHICAGO - For all the talk about the Chicago Cubs' future, Theo Epstein isn't ready to write them off for next season.

The club's new president of baseball operations says the Cubs just might surprise a few people even though there are question marks on the roster and holes in the farm system.

Epstein sees each season as a "sacred opportunity to win" and insists the Cubs "have more talent than we're given credit for."

"Check back in the middle of the season," Epstein said Saturday during a question-and-answer session with fans at the Cubs Convention. "We might just have the ability to really surprise some people, do some damage in the National League Central."

Chicago is undergoing a major overhaul, and a quick turnaround appears unlikely. There were some rumblings the Cubs were eyeing Prince Fielder, particularly after they hired manager Dale Sveum from Milwaukee's staff, but don't count on that.

"There haven't been any discussions with us with Prince," said Sveum, the Brewers' hitting coach the past three seasons after serving as their bench coach and third-base coach. "He's a heck of a player. He's probably one of my favorite guys that I've ever coached, but that's just not going to happen. We have a first baseman in Bryan LaHair and (prospect Anthony) Rizzo waiting in the wings as well. We're doing OK with big power, left-handed hitters right now."

They're OK in their fans' eyes, too.

There's a big sense of optimism surrounding the Cubs as they try to break a championship drought that dates to 1908. Long-suffering fans are hopeful that Epstein along with new general manager Jed Hoyer can turn things around and help bring home that elusive title, just as they did in Boston.

They see a plan. They see a roster getting overhauled. They see reason to have hope, and right there with them are the owners, the Ricketts family.

Chairman Tom Ricketts said, "2011 wasn't what we wanted it to be on the field, but off the field, we've added some people that I think will get the organization going in the right direction. And I think we have a bright future."

He said president Crane Kenney was the one who actually requested permission from Boston to speak to Epstein, and after negotiations began, they flew him in for a clandestine meeting in Chicago. The secret got out when a fan spotted Epstein at a Starbucks and told the Chicago Tribune.

"We were so secret," Ricketts said. "We flew him in secretly, we picked him up secretly, all these things. And then he hops out of the car to get an iced coffee. If you're going to go to Starbucks, why didn't you just fly in on United and put up a billboard?"

That misstep aside, Ricketts knew he was the man for the job. The task is no small one.

Management has already started gutting the roster, with Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Pena and Carlos Zambrano gone. The Cubs have been stocking up on prospects along with young and inexpensive players with major league experience, beefing up the farm system while hoping low-risk investments pay big dividends.

"We'll be scratching and clawing, trying to acquire as many assets as we can," Epstein said. "Very bluntly, we don't have enough of them. We don't have enough good players. We don't have enough young players. We don't have enough players whose contributions on the field exceed or match their salary, so we're going to be scrapping and clawing to acquire those guys as we feel that they can maximize our competitiveness now and create that foundation for long-term success."

The Cubs have made a big commitment to their minor league system and scouting. They have an academy in the Dominican Republic in the works, hoping to tap into a fertile market, and although Epstein said the system is deeper than he expected, it is a bit thin at the higher levels.

"There aren't necessarily a lot of high-impact players that are close to the big leagues," Epstein said. "If there were, it would be one of the best systems in baseball. We're not. There's a lot of room for improvement, a lot of work to do to get where we want to be, but there are a number of interesting players. ... We do have a lot of depth, albeit at the lower levels. I think with a few more acquisitions and prospects and a solid draft, you're going to see our system start to creep up into the upper third ? which is a nice place to be."

NOTES: Tom Ricketts had little to say about a sexual assault allegation against star shortstop Starlin Castro, other than he hopes it gets resolved quickly. ... The Cubs announced they are adding the "Budweiser Patio" in the right-field bleacher section for the upcoming season. The plan calls for a 75-foot long LED board that will show information such as the pitch count along with a player's picture and statistics. The patio will accommodate groups of 50, 100 or 150 guests with seats and standing-room only tickets that will include all-inclusive food and beverage packages. ... Kenney, the president of business operations, also said the Cubs remain committed to renovating Wrigley Field rather than building a new ballpark. "We're here for good," he said.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45998084/ns/sports-baseball/

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