1 min read General Cubs Information

The Cubs Way

By Tim Sheridan
February 23, 2012

Theo Epstein today

Right now one of the main points of emphasis in Cubs camp is on drills to improve the team’s overall defense. Yesterday Manager Dale Sveum started a team wide bunting competition that will take place this spring. Sure it sounds like a fun and useful team building exercise but it will also expose those who lack skill in this area. After watching Corey Patterson and some others come to spring training year after year and attempt to bunt, often with near comical results, this bunting competition is a breath of fresh air. It also speaks to what the Cubs organization is attempting to do in the larger picture and the new direction set forth by Theo Epstein and management. This new team ideology that will be implemented from the lowest minor league team all the way to Wrigley is detailed in a several hundred page manifesto known as – The Cubs Way. Don’t get hung up on the term The Cubs Way, I’m guessing it’s more of a working title at this point.

In talking with some of the hard-core Cubs fans at Fitch Park, I have heard a lot of opinions (Cubs fans are never short on those), some are skeptical (surprise), one claimed Theo is a Bill James parrot, but overall the feeling is very positive and supportive. People have asked me what I think of the new direction of the team, and I really haven’t blogged about that aspect much this spring. Instead I prefer to watch and see how spring 2012 unfolds and what the differences are between the current and previous managers and GM’s. However if you have been following this blog for a while you likely know exactly what I think from reading a post I wrote in August 2010 about the direction of the organization and what the Ricketts could do as the (then) new stewards of the Chicago Cubs Franchise.

Here are some of my photos from today ~