Theo Epstein - HOF?

[MacDice]

If the Cubs win the World Series, does that make Theo Epstein a lock for the HOF? He will have won World Series rings with two of the most storied franchises in baseball.

[djson1]

Nope. I'd give him credit for the Red Sox, but I think it was largely luck/chance with the Cubs.

[packs]

To me, an Exec has to be an Exec for something like 50 years and do something significant for baseball to get in. Branch Rickey doesn't have a lot in common with Theo Epstein, for example.

[pariah1107]

While Epstein is no Branch Rickey, he (and perhaps Billy Beane) represents a new paradigm in baseball philosophy, sabermetrics. I see him in the same light as Larry MacPhail, a GM for a little more than ten years who revived two moribund franchises in the Depression and co-owned the Yankees during WW2. If MacPhail is in, than Theo Epstein should be a lock with his resume but only IF the Cubs win the World Series. That's two franchises with nearly 200 years of futility without him at the helm.

[RTK]

While Epstein is no Branch Rickey, he (and perhaps Billy Beane) represents a new paradigm in baseball philosophy, sabermetrics. I see him in the same light as Larry MacPhail, a GM for a little more than ten years who revived two moribund franchises in the Depression and co-owned the Yankees during WW2. If MacPhail is in, than Theo Epstein should be a lock with his resume but only IF the Cubs win the World Series. That's two franchises with nearly 200 years of futility without him at the helm.

I tend to agree. If it's seen somewhere down the road that he altered the way the game is "GM'd" leading to a better chance of winning and staying competitive, then he should be in.

[itjclarke]

Yep, if Cubs win, I think he's in. Also, now that I'm older, that fact he took the Sox job at like 26-27 is absolutely amazing looking back on it. Not that that factors to HOF, but is nuts!!