Plan: Epstein, Maddon, and the Audacious Blueprint for a Cubs Dynasty by David KaplanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A strange, little book, aimed squarely at Cubs fans. While you might think this is all about the players and the front office machinations to put together this Series-winning team and begin a dynasty, there is a good percentage of ink, say half, focused on the Ricketts and their buying, then building of the team. Given the title of this book, I found it surprising, and a bit disappointing, that the story that gets the most interest from the author is about the contracts between the Cubs and the owners of the rooftops. This contract, unbeknownst to the owners, allowed the Cubs to add a site-blocking video board, limiting the value of those properties. Kaplan writes this story as though he were a gloating victorious lawyer. He didn’t write at length about the other contracts the Cubs were involved in that had a more direct impact on the club’s plan on building a dynasty, including the players contract that allowed the Cubs to delay Bryant’s introduction to the team for a few days into the season to ensure an extra year of contract life. The writing needed editing. There were many stories repeated. I’m a Cub fan that doesn’t always pay attention to the team every season. I read a few things I didn’t know. I found bits of this interesting, but it was a bit repetitive.
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