ChicagoDawg1991
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via Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune reporter
WASHINGTON — It took the Nationals four years to go from 103 losses to the best record in baseball.
Whether Theo Epstein can do the same on the North Side may seem like a pipe dream now, but Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo believes the Cubs' president is on the right track.
"You have to have a firm philosophy, a firm plan, and the stomach to adhere to that plan and stay with it," Rizzo said Wednesday before the Cubs-Nationals game.
"I've known Theo for a long time. He's a guy who has that conviction. He has done it before with the Red Sox, and built them into a world champion. … Certainly it doesn't happen overnight. When you start … trying to change the plan in mid-course, get impatient and grab a couple of free agents because you have some money left over, then it really throws everything out of kilter.
"You have a very competent guy at the top in Theo, and the people underneath him because he always has brought in good guys."
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts is known to admire the way the Lerner family has produced a winner in Washington — through the draft and some deft trades. The Nationals won 59 games in 2009, the year they drafted Stephen Strasburg, improved to 69 victories in 2010 and 80 last season when Rizzo brought in Davey Johnson to manager after Jim Riggleman quit in June.
The Nationals began Tuesday's game with an 83-52 record and could give the nation's capital its first World Series appearance since the Senators in 1933.
Rizzo had his early doubters, and still is taking his share of lumps, particularly from those who believe he will damaging the Nationals' title hopes when Strasburg is shut down after two more starts. He said you have to have the "intestinal fortitude" to shut out the criticism and do what you believe is right.
"I take my beatings," Rizzo said. "But I'm a thick-skinned Italian from the city of Chicago, so that stuff doesn't bother me. You take it because in the end you can say 'I did it my way, and I did it right.' The easiest thing I could do is say: 'Take the ball and lead us to the promised land.'
"But I wouldn't be doing the plan justice, and I'd be doing a disservice to Stephen and the Nationals."
The son of veteran scout Phil Rizzo, who is now his assistant GM, Mike said he understands what Cubs fans are going through during the first season of Epstein's rebuild.
"I grew up down the street, so I know the fan base," he said. "I was in that fan base. They have to see progress, and the educated fans, when they see progress and that the team going in the right direction, they'll be patient enough.
"Fan bases have the right to question the front office when you say you have a plan and veer off in a year or two when it becomes inconvenient — or too hard — to adhere to the plan. I don't see that being the case with the Cubs."
Thoughts Cubbie fans??
WASHINGTON — It took the Nationals four years to go from 103 losses to the best record in baseball.
Whether Theo Epstein can do the same on the North Side may seem like a pipe dream now, but Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo believes the Cubs' president is on the right track.
"You have to have a firm philosophy, a firm plan, and the stomach to adhere to that plan and stay with it," Rizzo said Wednesday before the Cubs-Nationals game.
"I've known Theo for a long time. He's a guy who has that conviction. He has done it before with the Red Sox, and built them into a world champion. … Certainly it doesn't happen overnight. When you start … trying to change the plan in mid-course, get impatient and grab a couple of free agents because you have some money left over, then it really throws everything out of kilter.
"You have a very competent guy at the top in Theo, and the people underneath him because he always has brought in good guys."
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts is known to admire the way the Lerner family has produced a winner in Washington — through the draft and some deft trades. The Nationals won 59 games in 2009, the year they drafted Stephen Strasburg, improved to 69 victories in 2010 and 80 last season when Rizzo brought in Davey Johnson to manager after Jim Riggleman quit in June.
The Nationals began Tuesday's game with an 83-52 record and could give the nation's capital its first World Series appearance since the Senators in 1933.
Rizzo had his early doubters, and still is taking his share of lumps, particularly from those who believe he will damaging the Nationals' title hopes when Strasburg is shut down after two more starts. He said you have to have the "intestinal fortitude" to shut out the criticism and do what you believe is right.
"I take my beatings," Rizzo said. "But I'm a thick-skinned Italian from the city of Chicago, so that stuff doesn't bother me. You take it because in the end you can say 'I did it my way, and I did it right.' The easiest thing I could do is say: 'Take the ball and lead us to the promised land.'
"But I wouldn't be doing the plan justice, and I'd be doing a disservice to Stephen and the Nationals."
The son of veteran scout Phil Rizzo, who is now his assistant GM, Mike said he understands what Cubs fans are going through during the first season of Epstein's rebuild.
"I grew up down the street, so I know the fan base," he said. "I was in that fan base. They have to see progress, and the educated fans, when they see progress and that the team going in the right direction, they'll be patient enough.
"Fan bases have the right to question the front office when you say you have a plan and veer off in a year or two when it becomes inconvenient — or too hard — to adhere to the plan. I don't see that being the case with the Cubs."
Thoughts Cubbie fans??
