Has anyone ever seen Theo and Stan in the same room at the same time?

Look, I abhor baseball. Played it growing up and through high school, but it's worse than watching golf. That said, Theo did something that no one was able to do for over 100 years (not to mention he was able to win two with Boston after 85 years). That puts you in some really good company. To call him overrated is quite short sighted.
- Chunk

when baseball capped the international signing amount....theo lost a lot of steam.

I believe he's overrated.....

1. He didn't draft all those players that contributed
2. Maddon gets as much, if not MORE, credit for them winning in 2016 by navigating the day to day pressure of what you mentioned. Something Baker and Sweet Lou couldn't do.
3. Those cubs will IMO always be compared to the Ditka Bears....tons of talent, but only once....great, but should have won multiple times like Jordan's Bulls and Toews/Kane Hawks did.
4.Just like in Boston he jumped off the ship earlier knowing it was going down. Left Jed Hoyer to do this dirty work.

For the fact that so many think he walks on water, yeah....he is overrated. Agree to disagree.

Rockford signed Ryan Stanton who instantly becomes the best d-man on the team.

or because he didn't want to explain how having the 3rd highest payroll in the league wasn't enough for the world's greatest baseball executive to win. And because he didn't want to explain his complete failure to build a farm system that could sustain success.
- mohel

Didn't develop one pitcher in 9 years. Not one starter drafting high a few years. That's hard to do. Nearly impossible. A blindfolded monkey throwing darts would hit on something. Mark Burhle was a 40th round pick or something like that? Should have signed Castellanos cheap so obvious he was their best hitter and let somebody else go last year. Bad moves after bad moves. Hoyer left to be the fall guy. Make no mistake, Epstein was calling the shots.

Didn't develop one pitcher in 9 years. Not one starter drafting high a few years. That's hard to do. Nearly impossible. A blindfolded monkey throwing darts would hit on something. Mark Burhle was a 40th round pick or something like that? Should have signed Castellanos cheap so obvious he was their best hitter and let somebody else go last year. Bad moves after bad moves. Hoyer left to be the fall guy. Make no mistake, Epstein was calling the shots.
- rpeters01

well they did have Dylan Cease at one point...........

he is one of the most overrated executives in all of sports. all his guys hit at once in 2016.....and then.....he just made asinine trades and signings after that.

Jason Heyward (pre 2016)
Tyler Chatwood
Jose Quintana

Awful.
- SteveRain

A lot of teams were going after Heyward who'd a thunk he'd forget how to hit. Hard to blame Theo for that one. But, Chatwood was already a budget reclamation project because Theo had spent too much buying pitchers because he failed to develop them. Quintana came because of that failure as well.

well they did have Dylan Cease at one point...........
- SteveRain

One guy in 10 year's who hasn't established himself yet.

A lot of teams were going after Heyward who'd a thunk he'd forget how to hit. Hard to blame Theo for that one. But, Chatwood was already a budget reclamation project because Theo had spent too much buying pitchers because he failed to develop them. Quintana came because of that failure as well.
- rpeters01

he also came because Theo panicked and thought he was going to Milwaukee and overpaid. Cease and Jiminez.

This is a hockey blog so I will say Bobby Hull was the Mickey Mantle of 🏒 hockey.

This is a hockey blog so I will say Bobby Hull was the Mickey Mantle of 🏒 hockey.
- rpeters01

Bobby Orr was. They both were incredible players on one leg for much of their careers.

Rockford signed Ryan Stanton who instantly becomes the best d-man on the team.
- DarthKane

Gotta give him credit. He is still earning a paycheck.

Hull was once clocked a bit over 29MPH on those tube skates. Imagine what he would do with this equipment.
- Elbows15

Does anybody remember the sports competition they had on ABC in the 70's? Athlete's from every sport? Hull in his 30's came in 2nd to OJ Simpson in the 100 yard dash. He beat all the other fast football and baseball players.

What did you think of Ray Bourque? I never got to see Orr play, but I've always held Bourque up as the gold standard for D-men (that I've seen).
- Chunk

Bourque was good Chunk, probably the top defenseman in the 80’s, but not close to Orr.

Bobby Orr was. They both were incredible players on one leg for much of their careers.
- Elbows15

Orr was finesse like DiMaggio. Hull and Mantle were pure speed and power until Mantle got drunk and wrecked his knee. With today's orthopedics Mantle's career would have been longer.

strome is a RFA and Domi is a UFA after this year. I would do Connelly for Domi 33% retained to make the money the same.
- kmw4631

If they are going trade Strome at least make it for someone who is better or draft picks

One guy in 10 year's who hasn't established himself yet.
- rpeters01

Cease was thought to be mentally weak, that’s why he was included in the trade, and at my current age I could probably play a better left field than Jimenez, there’s no way he could play in the NL, good hitter, he needs to be a DH. Now back to hockey, and no more NBA talk please(not directed at you).

Both Orr and Gretsky benefited from a watered down league and being on big powerhouse teams.

Gordie was Gordie with five teams.

Same with the Rocket but he benefitted from a dynasty filled with almost very terrific Quebec providence player due to their exclusive "farm providence ownership."

It is tough to talk apples and oranges.

The hockey in the last two years is faster and more skilled than I have every seen.
I gotta think many players right now are as good as golden age stars...
- wiz1901

When a defenseman wins the scoring title, can single handedly kill a penalty, can outskate every player in the league, can hit, can fight and is above average defensively I’ll take your word for it. Until then Bobby Orr was the best player of all time.

When a defenseman wins the scoring title, can single handedly kill a penalty, can outskate every player in the league, can hit, can fight and is above average defensively I’ll take your word for it. Until then Bobby Orr was the best player of all time.
- paulr

scoring race....I agree.

Rest.....in today's game the gape between skill set of the best vs worst is a lot closer than it was in 50-60 years ago. that's my point to this. McDavid can fly....do we think he can skate around by himself with the puck and kill an entire penalty? Doubtful.

Just like I don't think Gretzky could come close to hitting 92 goals in today's game...why? Players and goalies are better.

Now if we put McDavid or McKinnon or makar or Ovechkin or Crosby back in the 70s or 80s do they produce at a higher clip? I bet they do.

Does anybody remember the sports competition they had on ABC in the 70's? Athlete's from every sport? Hull in his 30's came in 2nd to OJ Simpson in the 100 yard dash. He beat all the other fast football and baseball players.
- rpeters01

Also competed in rowing and weight lifting.
https://images.app.goo.gl/SUf4HVLepq72qpDb7

scoring race....I agree.

Rest.....in today's game the gape between skill set of the best vs worst is a lot closer than it was in 50-60 years ago. that's my point to this. McDavid can fly....do we think he can skate around by himself with the puck and kill an entire penalty? Doubtful.

Just like I don't think Gretzky could come close to hitting 92 goals in today's game...why? Players and goalies are better.

Now if we put McDavid or McKinnon or makar or Ovechkin or Crosby back in the 70s or 80s do they produce at a higher clip? I bet they do.
- SteveRain

While I fully agree with you and Wiz about the vast improvement in talent and skill I’ve never seen anyone dominate like Orr.

Could McDavid or Ovechkin or choose your player consistently stop Orr? Could Orr consistently stop them? I say not a chance and yes.

While I fully agree with you and Wiz about the vast improvement in talent and skill I’ve never seen anyone dominate like Orr.

Could McDavid or Ovechkin or choose your player consistently stop Orr? Could Orr consistently stop them? I say not a chance and yes.
- paulr

Fair enough....never saw him play live. Just through old videos. Didn't he blow out his knee and then sign with the Hawks for a year or so? Something like that?

Fair enough....never saw him play live. Just through old videos. Didn't he blow out his knee and then sign with the Hawks for a year or so? Something like that?
- SteveRain

He basically played his whole career with a bad left knee. But when Boston didn’t sign him Chicago did but he had only a small fraction of his skating ability left.

Orr was finesse like DiMaggio. Hull and Mantle were pure speed and power until Mantle got drunk and wrecked his knee. With today's orthopedics Mantle's career would have been longer.
- rpeters01

Orr was power and speed. There was very little finesse to Orr's game. He just skated through everyone.

scoring race....I agree.

Rest.....in today's game the gape between skill set of the best vs worst is a lot closer than it was in 50-60 years ago. that's my point to this. McDavid can fly....do we think he can skate around by himself with the puck and kill an entire penalty? Doubtful.

Just like I don't think Gretzky could come close to hitting 92 goals in today's game...why? Players and goalies are better.

Now if we put McDavid or McKinnon or makar or Ovechkin or Crosby back in the 70s or 80s do they produce at a higher clip? I bet they do.
- SteveRain

Are they using the same equipment and training as they did back in those days because then it would be comparable.

However, I firmly believe that great players would always be great players no matter what era you put them.

He basically played his whole career with a bad left knee. But when Boston didn’t sign him Chicago did but he had only a small fraction of his skating ability left.
- paulr

Injured at a charity event the first time.

Cease was thought to be mentally weak, that’s why he was included in the trade, and at my current age I could probably play a better left field than Jimenez, there’s no way he could play in the NL, good hitter, he needs to be a DH. Now back to hockey, and no more NBA talk please(not directed at you).
- Angotti

Quintana is mentally weak.