5 reasons Theo Epstein’s the greatest GM in sports history

These are five reasons why Cubs GM Theo Epstein is the greatest general manager of all time.

You might remember Theo Epstein for being one of the youngest general managers ever when the Boston Red Sox introduced him in 2004. Before that, Epstein was an assistant for the Baltimore Orioles; he also worked in public relations for the San Diego Padres. Looking even further back, Epstein was completing a law degree at the prestigious Ivy League university, Yale.

Epstein would eventually transfer his talents to baseball. By employing the New York-born scholar, the Boston Red Sox took one big step closer to a World Series title. During Epstein’s reign in Beantown, many of the star-studded cast members from the Red Sox — past and present — would join forces with Epstein. Then, in 2011, Epstein found a new calling, venturing to the Midwest to help out the North Side of Chicago.

Things didn’t pan out well in his first three seasons with the Cubs. In his first season alone, as President of Baseball Operations, Epstein’s Cubs recorded 101 losses. It wasn’t until a few seasons later that a sudden beam of hope reflected off the Chicago River. The Cubs would make their first postseason appearance since 2008 when, in 2015, they made it to the NLCS. Unfortunately for the Cubbies and their fanbase, a World Series title would be delayed until 2016.

With the 2015 NLCS sweep by the Mets behind them, Epstein recharged his troops for the 2016 season. With the good graces of a young, power hungry team, the 2016 Cubs finished the season with an MLB-best 103 wins and a World Series title. There’s no one else but Theo Epstein to thank for the transformation.

That said, here are five reasons why Theo Epstein is the greatest GM in sports history.

5. Theo’s a good scout (player development > sabermetrics)

Though Epstein has demonstrated his love for numbers in the past, it’s also worth noting he’s been willing to sideline them for a better approach where necessary. Back when Epstein started with Boston, Bill James was appointed advisor to the organization. James’ job was to gather statistical information to be used to his team’s advantage. The dawn of baseball’s new information age was, of course, made famous by Oakland GM Billy Beane, who resorted to stat tracking. This obsession was eventually transferred over to entertainment as Moneyball depicted Beane’s story.

Epstein loved the ideas behind moneyball and harnessed them rather well, but they weren’t the only factor in his scouting repertoire.

Epstein took an interest in the individual rather than what a scorecard had to say. In Epstein’s eyes, a player’s response to adversity was the biggest sign. If a baseball player — minor leaguer or seasoned pro — folded under pressure, then Epstein wanted very little to do with him. Conversely, if he respond positively and constructively to stress, then he caught Epstein’s attention.

If you were to ask Epstein himself about sabermetrics 15 years ago, he wouldn’t hesitate to show support for it. Fifteen years ago, though, stat tracking wasn’t mainstream. The only organizations that used it knew where to look and what to look for. Now the numbers movement is relatively old news, Epstein wishes to focus more on player development. He’s done just that with the Chicago Cubs current farm system.

With this management strategy in place, Epstein makes room for a flower bed of young talent. And “talent,” according to Epstein’s philosophy, is more than just having the best batting average. Talent requires a mental capacity that’s defined and refined over time. With that, the ingredient of mature young players results in a recipe for success. Just look at how Epstein’s handling one of MLB’s youngest rosters.