Epstein Speaks On Shedding “Lovable Losers” Title

At a charity event in Boston hosted at Fenway Park, Theo Epstein had the chance to address media questions which were mostly Boston oriented, but there’s some Cubs content too.

June 15, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Sure… the Cubs’ first season wasn’t exactly a full blown success, but progress has been made and fans are still coming to the stadium to watch the Cubs play. A lot of clubs would consider having 2.9 million fans come to games last season a success, but for Epstein, it’s all about changing Cubs baseball culture through winning.

"I think we all recognized we had a building process. We’ve been transparent about that. At the same time, we realize that every season is precious. Everyone wants to win. It kind of reminds me of my first year in Boston. … When we first got here, there was the burden of the ‘curse."

Curses aside, Epstein and his staff have been making good moves in order to progress towards eliminating that pesky title the Cubs have. Epstein’s leadership shines through.

"I think that’s also an opportunity: I tell the players, ‘Right now, we’re called ‘lovable losers. What do you want to stand for? I guarantee you if you ask the guys, they don’t want to be known as lovable losers three or four years from now."

Building a relationship with players is important from a management standpoint, and Epstein is doing just that. It allows you to bridge the gaps between “pencil pushers” and “bat swingers” and that can make players want to stay in Chicago. They’re more likely to play hard for a team they feel engaged by as they can take pride in their eventual successes.

Sure, a quote from Epstein won’t win the World Series, but it’s still showing signs of progress.