Theo Epstein

It took me coming to the Midwest to realize I was the jerk. People are so nice here. They're so grounded.

— Theo Epstein

Be intentional about the spaces you create but not at the cost of compromising other elements.

— Theo Epstein

It stinks to give up a good player. But if you think that way, you'll never make any trades. You have to…

— Theo Epstein

If multiple starting pitchers underperform at the same time, it's always going to leave you in a stretch where it's hard to…

— Theo Epstein

Even idiots can grow up a little bit. It should be a bit more subdued. ... The first celebration should be subdued,…

— Theo Epstein

Failure happens to everyone in this game. It's not something worth harping on. What is worth focusing on is how you respond…

— Theo Epstein

I work for the Chicago Cubs, a team with a following so loyal and adoring and a history so forlorn that we…

— Theo Epstein

No one is immune to needing to sit or needing to go down at the right time, and you want to give…

— Theo Epstein

You don't want to make a living or habit out of trying to solve your problems with high-price pitching free agents because…

— Theo Epstein

There are certainly times when baseball is much more than bread and circus, times when baseball resonates deeply and meaningfully with many,…

— Theo Epstein

Ten years from now I think people are going to look back and say Willis Reed pulled a Curt Schilling...Willis Reed scored…

— Theo Epstein

If you reach a point where your entire farm system is in the big leagues, you've traded a couple guys for players…

— Theo Epstein

Tolerance is important, especially in a democracy. The ability to have honest conversations, even if you come from a different place, a…

— Theo Epstein

When people do things they weren't even sure they were capable of, I think it comes back to connection. Connection with teammates.…

— Theo Epstein

I still wake up thinking about draft choices we should have made that would have impacted the franchise for a long time,…

— Theo Epstein

The 2011 Cubs were the oldest team in the division, the most expensive team in the division, and the worst team in…

— Theo Epstein

It's a human phenomenon that there has to be a reason for everything. There almost never is.

— Theo Epstein

I think people want the Cubs to succeed, and by extension, they want people associated with the Cubs to succeed.

— Theo Epstein

The leadoff-hitter thing, I think, it's always nice to have an established leadoff hitter and to have someone who can really get…

— Theo Epstein

There are a lot of ways to make a positive impact on the community without necessarily being a politician.

— Theo Epstein

The only time I think about my contract is when I'm asked about it by the media.

— Theo Epstein

I'm not going to try to deny that I'm a Red Sox fan. I grew up a Red Sox fan, had a…

— Theo Epstein

If you want to continue to be good and perform at a high level and be deep in all areas, you still…

— Theo Epstein

If we think a playoff spot's not in the cards, there will be no concern for appearances or cosmetics whatsoever. We'll continue…

— Theo Epstein

I don't know if I could go to another run-of-the-mill baseball department and work because it would probably feel like work. In…

— Theo Epstein

The goals is to create a really high 'floor' for this organization, where the 'off' years are years where you might win…

— Theo Epstein

It's a natural push and pull that exists in any sports organization. When you are in a big market and then you…

— Theo Epstein

Every opportunity to win is sacred. It's sacred to us inside the organization, and it should be sacred to the fans as…

— Theo Epstein

When I was writing or competing in individual sports, it felt unfulfilling and lonely. When I was able to find a group…

— Theo Epstein

When something goes wrong on the field, we expect our players to take the blame, step up, and proactively assume the blame…

— Theo Epstein

I just saw over the years that the times that we did remarkable things, it was always because players didn't want to…

— Theo Epstein

Even over time, with a stable coaching staff and one manager who is fantastic and been in place for a long time,…

— Theo Epstein

I love being in a city that's playing October baseball, where you can just feel everyone captivated by the ball club, everyone…

— Theo Epstein

I don't think facing one of your own active pitchers would be a good idea, unless I got super lucky and hit…

— Theo Epstein

Typically, it takes young players years to adjust to life in the big leagues and to start performing up to their capabilities.…

— Theo Epstein

You're not always going to get the outcomes you feel like your talent deserves, that you feel like the big picture deserves.…

— Theo Epstein

I believe in our players. That's why they're here. I also know slumping is part of baseball. What's surprising is sometimes when…

— Theo Epstein

It's always different when a guy gets drafted and developed and comes up in his first organization and makes an impact. There's…

— Theo Epstein

Having a relentless lineup full of professional hitters works on so many levels. It works in terms of pure baseball reasons: if…

— Theo Epstein

If you're trying to avoid one move that you don't think is going to work out, don't then settle for a different…

— Theo Epstein