What does jumping over a car have to do with production on the diamond?
I don't know, either.
We are seven days away from Christmas and this offseason smells a lot like last offseason. Thankfully, The Hendry put a stop to the madness with Jake Peavy and announced it was over. Had that not happened, this would have been the Roberts redux.
Well, there may still be a Roberts redux, but you get the point.
So far this offseason has been a whirlwind of rumors and reports and speculation. The Cubs traded a coveted minor league closer for a guy one scout said was one pitch away from disaster. They let go of their closer and signed a guy with a .263 career average over five years, but in only 408 games.
The Gathright signing has people speculating that Felix Pie's time in Chicago is numbered. The most talked about prospect since C-Pat is most likely on his way out of town. I have an issue with this.
Felix Pie DID NOT get an opportunity. An opportunity, defined by me, is at least one-half of one season playing every day, if not an entire season. This never happened. This cannot be argued. You can argue with how I define opportunity, sure. But you cannot argue that he was given ample time to develop. This is your number one prospect. This should not happen.
And why did it happen? I do not know, but I have a sinking suspicion Lou Piniella had something to do with it. People think Pie was in Lou's doghouse. We all know that once you enter those undesirable accommodations, your career on the North Side is nearing its end.
I love Lou just as much as the next ardent fan, but I take issue with Lou "directing" Jim Hendry on a few issues. Lou is the manager. No other word meaning "not confined by specialization or careful limitation," comes before the word manager in Lou's title. However, it appears Sweet Lou has acted in this "general" manner a few times throughout his tenure.
Lou will be here for a few more years and then down to Tampa to live out the rest of a very successful life in baseball. Maybe he will be in the booth or maybe he will be on the beach. But, most likely, he will not be involved with the Cubs. Therefore, having his hand involved in the fate of the most hyped prospect is wrong and bad practice, especially when the fruits of his purported talents may not come to bear until Lou is long gone.
I am not arguing that Pie is better than Gathright or that the signing was a definite mistake. I am arguing that if this is the end of Felix Pie in blue pinstripes, I don't like it. I will argue that Felix Pie is a better option with a much larger upside so I do not understand the decision. I am not a general manager nor do I play one on TV, but this seems wrong.
Much like at the end of the awful sequel "Major League 2," if Joey Gathright jumps over the catcher and is safe at home to win the World Series, well then, I will eat my crow with a bunch of salt.
Call me crazy, but I just don't see it happening.
Feel free to contact me at brian@chicagocubsonline.com, and until next time ...
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Re Pie, I couldn't agree with you more. He hasn't been given a chance to succeed or fail as well as being moved all over the line-up in the minor leagues. They should hold off on moving him until this has happened.
I will feel cheated of seeing what he can
do if they move Pie now. He's great defensively and finally seems to be regaining his swing & confidence in winter ball. He IS out of options however. So they HAVE to play him or trade him.
Could Gathright been signed as another piece to offer in a trade...instead of Pie?
There's a trade coming...one way or the other...let's hope it is a good one...
Steve Stone reminds us that Gathright couldn't stick with the lowly Royals...
What is JH up to?
I heard that the Red Sox might be interested in Jake Peavy,however Jake Peavy do contol where he want to go. Pie, Angel Guzman and Rich Hill is also out of options, that is why I thimk a big trade will soon occur.
let's get trade a bunch of turds to the Pirates again and get McLouth...that one dude fills a bunch of needs for us.
I agree Pie was not given ample opportunity to develop at the major league level, and Gathright is not the answer either way...If Brian Roberts is still a possibility, I think the Cubs should pursue him again.
I'm still thinking the Gathright signing is just an insurance policy. If Pie is traded, we better be getting someone named Roberts or McLouth in return. I think JH is covering all the bases just in case. In fact, when they signed Gathright, it was stated that he will be "competing" for a bench spot....he may not even make the team. It also seemed like Lou was speaking of Pie more favorably towards the end of the season. JH and Lou are certainly aware of how valuable Felix Pie is, so I doubt they will give him away for nothing. However, something is DEFINITELY in the works....I just don't know what. Any thoughts?
Once again I disagree,
But I will start by saying that I'm not saying that he shouldn't get another chance, only that he doesn't "deserve"( as in they owe it to him) another shot. He was given the starting job in center(as a platoon player) the last two years and he didn't perform. I will admit that his chance was cut short because the Cubs were in the contention. But you cant blame Lou or the Cubs organization for cutting him off either year. When your trying to make the playoffs you can t have a .200 hitter sitting in centerfield.
I've heard the argument that they gave Theriot a chance but the difference is that Theriot produced so he stayed. Fontenot too.
He is more valuable as a trading piece with his potential then a player right now. If they give him another shot and he fails again, his value goes down even more.
Now if he has fixed the problems and has shown improvement in winter ball and in the minors last season(and before you start throwing up stats, I'm not talking about his numbers because its winter ball and minor-leagues. I'm talking about mechanics, hitch in his swing, patience, stuff like that) then they should give him another shot.
But, maybe thats why they wont too. Because he hasn't fixed these problems.
I don't hate the guy, I hope he does good, I want him to do good, but I'm not in love with him. From what I've seen he hasn't showed me much. I just argue the fact that he hasn't had a shot. Because he has had two.
I agree with you a lot. Pie didn't get too much opportunity. But, do we have the patients for him to mature in the major leagues? It was tough enough for us last year to see how bad Fukudome struggled after the all-star break. I don't think I could haddle Pie out there that long. I do think that Pie would be way better than Gathright as a bench player. But how does Pie get experience then? It is really tough to figure out with Pie and what Hendry is doing so far this offseason. Just giving up Ceda for Kevin Gregg was horrible. I guess Jim Hendry wants to go for it all these next 2 years and try and get a ring. If we don't win for a while after we do win it all...that is totally fine with me.
Lows,
Please see my post in the Community Blog section, regarding McLouth....it might just be a possibility
Hendry so far this season gets a F- from me. And I am a fan of Hendry. Giving up on your 5-tool top prospect when he is only 23 years old is absurd. If you look at other stars players carrer #'s you see that they put it all together when they are 24-25 years old. Or around 600 career AB's. Gathright can stay but Pie should be in CF all year with Johnson coming in against lefties and spot starts. Maybe Pie's struggles come from being throe=w all over the place in the lineup or fear of being demoted. They need to actually tell him he is in center and hitting 7th AND LEAVE HIM THERE.
The more I read on Gregg the more it pisses me off. Gregg will make us miss Howry.
NO THANKS to Milton Bradley. The guy just can't stay healthy. He is a DH
Jim,
Couldn't agree more, which is precisely why we all should be demanding for Hendry to be fired. Not only is he mortgaging our future, but he also is mortgaging the present...here's his moves thus far:
-trading Ceda for Gregg
-re-signing Dempster
-letting Wood, Howry, Edmonds, and Ward leave
-not protecting Veal and losing him to the Pirates
-working an entire month to complete the Peavy trade, and now it's off the table
-signing Gathright
Outside of letting Howry and Ward go, how the hell does this guy think he's improved the team...you gotta be out of our mind.
so, just to summarize...
-we got rid of our top pitching prospect for a guy that the Marlins didn't even want (think Howry for us)
-we gave a possible one-year wonder (Dempster) a monster deal, which doesn't even matter, because like the ARAM and Z contracts---we ALREADY had the damn players, so it doesn't improve your team---a concept that this moron (Hendry) doesn't grasp
-we let our saves leader go, that was very good in that role, and was complimented by perhaps the greatest set-up man we've ever had and now, our pen is actually weaker because of it.
-we let Veal go, a guy that still had trade value, when it appears that is the route Hendry wants to take to "improve" the team anyhow...so, by trading Ceda, and letting Veal go in the Rule 5,we just took 2 major hits in our trading chips
-working solely on the Peavy deal, much like the Robert deal last year, made Hendry to narrow-minded to think outside the box (McLouth trade, etc.)
-signing Gathright at 27 years old when we already know his limited production for twice the cost of our former top prospect at 23 years old when he can at least give us Gathright's production is absolutely LAUGHABLE...
There is no way to defend Hendry on any of these fronts, save for letting Wood walk when we couldn't pay $10 million per for him.
I end this bitch session by including a link and pasting the comments of Keith Law about the Gregg trade. It appears that the baseball world must think Hendry is a chump, and they can absolutely own him on trades.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3701477&name=law_keith
Getting Jose Ceda for one year of Kevin Gregg is a heist for Florida, and could really end up as a disaster for the Cubs, given how they intend to realign their pen.
The Cubs say they're going to move Carlos Marmol into the closer role, removing him from the seventh-eighth inning role where Lou Piniella was willing to stretch him out to get more than three outs in a single appearance. It also increases the chance that Marmol will be wasted in save situations where the Cubs have a three-run lead (that is, a relatively low-leverage save situation).
They may use Gregg in the setup role, even though there's not much reason to anticipate he'll be more than a middle reliever in performance. Gregg has an average arsenal, sinker-slider-split, and other than occasionally running the fastball up to 94 doesn't have a plus pitch. His control is below-average, with 72 unintentional walks over the last two years in 152 innings, and only a fluky-low home run rate in 2008 kept his ERA under 4. He's not quite Antonio Alfonseca redux, but he's no replacement for Kerry Wood, either.
The Marlins, meanwhile, have picked up another free arm for a player they simply didn't want or need for 2009, and this arm is very good. Ceda sits in the mid-90s with a sharp slider with hard diving action, and he has a good track record of missing bats in the minors, including 42 strikeouts in 30 AA innings this year. His stuff would play in the majors right now, and the Marlins aren't afraid to promote guys with big velocity quickly.
You don't give arms like Ceda away for one year of a middle reliever's time. Nothing is guaranteed with pitchers and especially not with pitching prospects, but I could see Gregg posting a 4.50 ERA and leaving as a free agent while Ceda becomes a star reliever in Florida for the next six years.
*****if you guys were pissed about the Pierre trade....you'll really be pissed about this one-year rental, especially when we already had Gregg on our roster--in the form of Howry---only, Gregg's career can't even compete with Howry's track record*******
Bravo Hendry...Thanks for setting this team back another 100 years with your stupidity!!! Go back to the Marlins, or work for your butt buddy MacFailed,as you seem to enjoy giving both those teams our top prospects for nothing.
For those of you that make the argument, "Hendry has done what no other GM in Cubs history has done----take the team to 3 playoffs in 8 years" Well, you're right, but get off the bandwagon, because then you'll realize that almost ANY GM given his resources, could take the team to heights never seen before...only, most GM's wouldn't have tolerated Baker and his players(Merker, etc.)and how they treated other employees like Caray and an icon like Stone. They also would try to get better value out of their top prospects than a Nate Spears, Juan Pierre, and Kevin freaking Gregg. They would't spend entire off-seasons focusing on one trade, and would opt for a "take it or leave it" scenario, and move on to another team. Other GM's would probably tell Piniella that they appreciate his knowledge of the game, but it's not in his, or the organization's best interest to make decisions for the GM---it's his job to coach what he has been given, and make the team sucessful.
Hendry's a great guy, and most in baseball probably like him....but I think this summarizes everything....nice guys almost always finish last, and that's the damn truth---it's sad, but true....You think guys will say, "Gee, Donald Trump sure is a nice guy...or Steinbrenner should win citizen of the year, or Epstein is a real friendly guy"
For crying out loud,Trump makes billions out of being an asshole, and getting the best of people (consider Trump Towers in Chicago and how he screwed people on their early deposits when he realized he could get more for them). Steinbrenner is the same way....so is Epstein. Epstein might be young, but that son of a bitch left arguably the greatest GM position in baseball for a short time when he wanted more money and control, and gave his slugger the finger when he traded him, and said, "good riddance"...same for Nomar. You think everyone thinks Epstein's a great guy?
Fact is, we need a hustler as a GM, and we'll get over the top. I recently read an article about how the Cubs are viewed by many as being "too soft". Well, it starts at the top my friend,and Hendry's been taken advantage of, and in theory, so have we...
Aaron...you and I typically are in the minority on our posts relative to Hendry and Pinella. A couple division titles and everyone just continues to drink that Kool-Aid.
I've been campaigning here for months on the need to get McLouth as off-season priority A1. Trade Marshall, Cedeno and Pie (three guys who are "major league ready"), and throw in a Hart or Wuertz if needed as well.
Then I'd trade Soriano's sorry ass of an offseason performer (and his contract), and restock the farm with top pitching prospects in exchange. McLouth will have us forget Soriano, stats are similar (if not better), he plays outstanding in the field, and there's your leadoff guy. Can you imagine our OF defense of Johnson, McLouth and Fukodome, with Derosa/Hoffpauer platooning out there?
We keep talking Roberts, but McLouth is truly the guy to get. He's a gamer.
In regards to Pinella, I guess I've been a basher for awhile. With all the budget and quality players he's had he really hasn't produced. C'mon, most of us here could pull the "strategy" moves he pulled in the last few regular seasons. I am just so tired of Lou's ego and hearing about his "experience" with some of the guys in the league (aka Ibanez, thank goodness he signed elsewhere) and how he'd like to have them. The guy hasn't won a WS in how many years??? Try that success rate in the corporate world.
Aaron,
While I agree with some of yout points about JH, I think you are also overlooking many of the good moves that he has made recently. Not too mention, for the first time in a 1000 years, the farm system has actually produced some impact players recently. (Marmol, Soto, Theriot, Z) You can't discount that.
Other good things he has done recently:
- Signing Lilly
- signing Derosa
- Getting Lee for nothing.
- Getting ARAM for nothing.
- Trading for Harden
- Getting Dempster for nothing
Now, having said that, he definitely has done some things that make you scratch your head at times. And I agree, this winter so far has been terrible. Other than re-signing Dempster (and yes, I know this could be a bust), I have disliked every move so far. The one thing I don't understand is his willingness to sign crap players with the hopes of them being better with the cubs, and yet 1 or 2 years after seeing them play everyday, he finally comes to the same conclusion that all us fans knew before he brought them on board...and that conclusion is that the player SUCKS! (case in point: Jacque Jones, Jeremoy Burnitz, Damian Miller, Latroy Hawkins, Juan Pierre, Soriano, etc)...I see Gaithright and Gregg being the next guys to add to that list.
And let's not forget Milton Bradley. I will be surprised if the cubs don't sign him. And yet, do they really think this guy will NOT create problems for them off the field ? c'mon. Greg Couch in sun-times had an article today about this. I couldn't agree more. They will regret signing this guy 1 year from now. There's a reason this guy has been on 5 teams in 5 years. That's not a coincidence. And just wait until the Bleacher bums in RF get all over this guy. LOOK OUT !!!!
There's an old expression: The definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and over and expecting a different result. Bradley is a nutjob, he ain't changing. But somehow the cubs think he will. Please.
And I also totally agree about Pie. He has never been given a chance, and now they are just going to give him away b/c Lou doesn't want to wait to develop a young player. That's just dumb and shortsighted.
Bradley is a nut case and he can't stay healthy. Perfect example was a couple of years ago he didn't like a call at first and lost it. The 1st base coach tried to subdue him and he blew out his knee and was done for the year. Hendry SAY NO TO BRADLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please don't bring up corporate success. There is no such thing. McClouth putting up Soriano #'s I don't think so. Mcclouth would be nice leading off but he can't replace Soriano.
The problem with the 97 win team was THEY DIDN'T PRODUCE IN THE PLAYOFFS. Thats was the problem. The #1 offense didn't show up for the playoffs that was the problem. I blame Lou for the shortcomings in the playoffs. Fukudome's only start should have come in game 3. The starting pitching staff should have been completly different. Fontenot and Johnson should have alot more playing time. Lou looked like he was beat after game 1.
I've heard it floated around the board a few times this off-season about McLouth... someone please tell me why Hendry deserves to be fired if he doesn't "think outside the box" and give the Pirates a few prospects for Nate McLouth?
If anyone should be fired, it would be the Pirates GM if he were to trade a guy that's already had this level of success making near the league minimum for salary in '08 ($425,000) and is under team control through 2011.
Yeah - I agree - the guy would look GREAT in Cubbie blue - but why in the name of all that is holy would the Bucs even consider trading their best player when he's making so little money?
Hendry's getting bashed (again) for putting so much energy into the Peavy trade with no results - and I'm glad he didn't pull the trigger on it frankly if the Padres were actually looking for SEVEN top prospects in return between all the teams involved - if he'd made the deal he'd be getting bashed about getting taken to the cleaners and being soft and about how the other GMs just look to take advantage of him etc etc etc
It just wears on me that he'll get bashed no matter what he does. He can't win.
...but that was a team in the Padres that was motivated to make a deal. It would be even more fruitless to chase after someone like McLouth where the controlling team has no interest or motivation in getting rid of the guy.
As for the Hendry/Pinella bashing - I get the frustration. Really I do.
But you're talking yourselves in circles.
By saying things like "any manager could have taken a team with this kind of payroll to the playoffs" and then saying "I can't believe they hired crusty old Lou instead of a guy with fire and the ability to teach young guys like Joe Girardi"..... well.... Girardi couldn't get the team with the highest payroll in the known universe to the playoffs last year.
Saying "Hendry deserves to be fired for assembling this crap load of a team" and then saying something like "any manager could have made the moves Lou did and succeed given the budget and QUALITY PLAYERS on the team"....
Come on fellas. You can't have it both ways.
Gary I agree with you but the fact is that Lou made bad mistakes against the dodgers. Hendry gets a F this off-season. Don't want them fired just stating the facts.
I'm with ya about the Dodgers series LOL - but I think the only problem I had with Lou this year in the playoffs was the Fukudome situation. The players gotta catch, pitch, hit, etc.... the only thing I disagreed with was using him in the starting lineup amidst his horrible finish to the season.
Well that and maybe leaving Dempster in a little too long. :-)
All in all it was a bad three games - and there was more than the manager to blame.
Ironically enough considering the conversations recently on the board, the only person I didn't think was to blame for the playoffs was the GM. I agree with Lou on that one. He made a comment saying basically it's up to the GM to put together a team that is good enough in the long term to get the team to the playoffs - and they did that.
It's up to the player to perform once they get there.
Oh - and by the way - I think we should petition that the opening series be 7 games instead of 5 - who's with me? :-)
I second that. A 7 game series would be nice but would put the WS deeper into bad weather. Hell because of the WBC the WS will go into Nov. this year.
Also Gary you are 1000% correct on McClouth. No Way the Pirates let him go. Unless they get a package that blows them away.
Well...guess I should respond to this Gary...
so I'll break down your points:
1)***McLouth and "thinking outside the box".*** If you would look at the Community post which I did, you'd see why that might be a valid "rumor" and would be in his best interest to at least kick the tires.
2)***Hendry getting bashed again, blah blah blah***...If that's what you really think the issue is with the Peavy trade, then you're sorely mistaken. The issue I, and a good amount of people have with him is that he took so much time figuring out that Towers was asking too much...much like he took too much time figuring it out last year with Roberts. When it came down to it, he'd focused so much time on it, that he ignored other things, and could've missed out on other opportunities---we're not arguing that it would've been mistake to make the deal, but we're arguing that his time management sucks ass!!!
3)***The Padres are motivated to make a deal, and the Pirates aren't***Well, just read my post, and the link from the Pittsburgh Gazette, or whatever the hell it was, and you'll see the possible motivation for them to make the deal. As I said, it's a sell high situation for them, much like it was with ARAM---if you'll recall, he was much like McLouth in many ways, especially the contract situation.
4)***hiring of Lou vs Girardi*** I stand by the fact that it was a mistake, and I would tell you that the Yankees brass is pretty pleased with Girardi. I know you probably didn't pay attention last year, but when the Yankees were struggling Hank and Hal stood by Girardi, and said that they knew ahead of time that 2008 would be a transition period for them with their young guys. They still thought they'd make the playoffs, but were realistic, because they knew it'd be near impossible with the loss of Wang and various other key players during the season to injury. If the same thing happened to Lou, I wouldn't blame him for not making the playoffs, and in the Yankees case, for the first time, Cashman wasn't forced by George to give up the farm to get to the playoffs. They knew that standing by their young guys would prove to be fruitful in future years, and I believe they will be correct in that assumption.
5)***blah blah blah...bunch of untrue bullsh*T that you claimed was said about any manager, blah blah blah***Well, you, Sir, are flat out WRONG. Nowhere did I mention that any manager could have taken the team...I said "almost any GENERAL MANAGER" could, so enough said there....
almost any GM, save for Ed Wade, Sabaen, Towers, and Riccardi could do it. Why do I say that? Well, all 4 have had big budgets, and simply haven't gotten it done. It is my belief that if you are looking for a new manager or GM for that matter, it would be best to look at who did more with less than any other candidate. With the Marlins, and how they finished, and the fact that they nearly made the playoffs too with such a limited payroll, I think speaks volumes to how good Girardi can be, and they're a case in point of how good he can be with a younger team, and I think you will see that with the Yankees, and I already listed the under 30 group for the Cubs that would've benefited from Girardi's direction. But it's all really a moot point, because it never happened. What we can say for certain is that perhaps no GM has done a better job of taking chances on people like Hendry has and hoping to turn crap into gold, other than, perhaps Walt Jocketty when he was with the Cardinals. But when you sign/trade for a bunch of guys like: Walker, Jones, Williamson, Dempster, Gathright, Edmonds, Johnson, Neifi, Kendall, Nomar, Barrett, Mabry, Nevin, Hairston, Womack, Izturis, Rusch, Wade Miller, Hollandsworth, Burnitz, Lawton, Grieve, Gerut, Grudzielanek, Karros, ARAM, Hawkins, Remlinger----you're bound to at least hit gold with guys like Dempster, Edmonds, Johnson, Barrett (early career with Cubs), Rusch, Grudz, Walker, Karros, ARAM, Hawkins and Remlinger (both early in career with Cubs).
These were all guys that were signed/traded for off the scrap heap, or were coming off a career year after several down years...He was hoping for gold on all of them.
You may praise him for Lilly and Dempster, but that was a stroke of luck, and judging by Lilly's up and down year, we might be better off trading him while his value is still high (though Hendry would never think of doing such a thing---because he doesn't want to seem like the bad guy). Others have praised him for his signings of Zambrano, ARAM, Dempster, and Lee...funny though...because we already had all of them in the fold. I don't get the lovefest with Hendry...I really don't. You can't possibly survive the dismal seasons like 2002, 2005, and 2006, while you oversee 3 managerial changes, and not be touched. I was just listening to ESPN this morning, and they were talking about all the coaching changes in the NBA, and Kevin McHale was brought up. They said sooner or later, the GM must answer for the teams failures, because every coach he fires is a direct indictment on him. How can Hendry and Rotchschild still be around after all that carnage?
That's the problem I have Gary----he's never held accountable for anything. He's made some HORRIBLE signings, and trades, and yet, we all come back to "but Hendry traded for ARAM, Lofon, Grudz, and Karros", or "Hendry found a way to get Nomar," or (insert excuse) "Hendry signed Lilly and re-signed Zambrano, ARAM,and Lee" blah blah blah. Or "Hendry signed Soriano"
well, this will obviously be redundant for me, but I'll respond to those common quotes from people on here:
1)Hendry got ARAM and Lofton as a salary dump from the Pirates. They didn't like ARAM's attitude and they didn't like Lofton's either, nor his salary. As for Karros and Grudz, that was a pure exchange of bad salaries and nothing more...Hundley crashed and burned while those 2 were great for us...stroke of luck, but by no means was he a master strategist there.
2)Boston's management hated Nomar, and believe it or not, they actually hated him more than Manny. Thus, they were willing to trade him as they saw him as a clubhouse cancer for not much. Hendry was pulled into the deal to make it work, rather than a primary destination as most people thought. Remember, this deal included the Expos and Twins as well. The Twins and Expos both needed to shed salary. Neither would be willing to take on Nomar, so that brought in the Cubs. Epstein and Lucchino were upfront with the Cubs about the situation, as well as Nomar's medical records, but the Cubs went into it wide-eyed because they were making a "splash" by getting a big name. The Red Sox came out the biggest winners as they got rid of a distraction, and netted two Gold Glovers---Cabrera (whom the Cubs originally wanted) and Doug Mientkiewicz. We gave up Justin Jones, Brendan Harris, and Francis Beltran. Originally, the Cubs wanted Derek Lowe, but backed off when they asked for Clement...LOL, my oh my...
3 and 4)Regarding Lilly, ARAM, Soriano, etc...here's how it shook out. Lilly was NOT the Cubs first choice, nor was he the second or third. He was a fall-back, and you should remember that, because Hendry even said they had to move onto "plan C" as he called it at the time. ARAM, Z, Lee, Dempster were all with us, so that's not improving the team. Finally, Soriano was coming off a career year---a red flag for any sane GM, and yet, Hendry outbid everyone by a large margin to get him, and now we're stuck with his albatross contract.
Aaron -
5)***blah blah blah...bunch of untrue bullsh*T that you claimed was said about any manager, blah blah blah***
That was said by Bryan in his post agreeing with you - so if you took that me as shooting directly at you - sorry about that.
As for "They still thought they'd make the playoffs, but were realistic, because they knew it'd be near impossible with the loss of Wang and various other key players during the season to injury. If the same thing happened to Lou, I wouldn't blame him for not making the playoffs"
...yet you're holding Hendry accountable for the disaster of 2006 - but that was a year where the Cubs got decimated.
And he's always wanting to appear to be the nice guy - yet he let Wood go? I know you think that was a mistake - but Marmol is ready to step into the closer role and it was frankly the right business move to make for the team. It wasn't the popular move - and heck I would have LOVED to have Woody back - been a fan since he came up - but if he'd kept him you'd just be bashing him for getting credit for holding on to his own players.
I'm not saying the guy hasn't made mistakes... but you're going beyond that to the point where you're just short of burning the guy in effigy on your front lawn.
The only reason I've been sticking up for him as much as I have frankly is that even though I don't think he's destined for sainthood or anything for his work as a GM, I also don't think he's the raging incompetent that you're portraying him as. That's all.
Nothing personal Aaron.
yeah, I kind of over-reacted a little bit probably...and I apologize for taking it personal...I take everything Hendry does personally too, because I live, eat, sleep, drink Cubs baseball, so it's tough...it'll be especially tough when I start work for the Giants early next year.
I think Hendry is vastly over-rated, for many reasons that I've already stated. I don't believe the guy has the killer instinct as a GM to take advantage of other teams liek they do him...they honestly think he's a sucker, and even guys at the Winter Meetings said as much. He's not respected in as much as he's just considered a nice guy---which, as mentioned is a huge problem. If you want to get to the top, you have to draw the line. Who knows, maybe we saw it with the Peavy trade, and him turning it down. However, history would show that Hendry will probably get suckered into it, just as he was led on the entire offseason last year with Roberts...Remember, we kept hearing, "deal is off the table, and won't be re-visited", then we'd hear "talks back on"...We'll see the same thing this year, I'm sure of it.
Ceda for Gregg was unforgiveable, it really was...signing Gathright, and forcing our hand with Pie in a trade, or perhaps even release during the spring doesn't help his legacy either as GM. He continually backs himself into this corner, where other teams can figure out what he's going to do, and he's done this time and again, especially with the OF in the past---how ironic is that?
Consider this, the Cubs want to make a trade with the Orioles:
Cubs: "We want to trade for Roberts"
O's: "We want Marshall, Cedeno, Atkins, Colvin, Fontenot, and Pie"
Cubs: "How about Marshall, Cedeno, and Pie?"
O's: "well, Pie was just a throw-in with our original proposal. You guys have Soriano, Johnson, Gathright, Hoffpauir, and Fukudome for your OF...Obviously you won't keep 6 guys, and most teams carry 2 OFers, 2 IFers and a back-up catcher on the 25-man, so looks like you're going to either cut him during Spring Training, or trade him now...either way, we're going to get him, so he really holds no value to us knowing what we know about your situation"
Cubs:"No, we're holding a competition in CF in Spring Training."
O's: "yeah, and we're competing for a World Series this year...that's a good one...nice try"
Cubs: "No, really, this time we're opening it up."
O's: "dude was a former top prospect of yours, and has only played 130 games and 260 AB's over 2 freaking years...you guys seem to do this a lot to your top prospects. You must be kidding yourself when you say you'll give him a legitimate chance...Look, just give him to us in the trade, or we'll claim him anyway when you try to pass him through waivers"
Honestly, that's probably not a far off view of what many GM's have of our situation right now. He did the same with Corey Patterson, backing himself into a corner, and not being able to ask for much, because they knew he'd be DFA'd anyway, and they'd given up on him.
He is the ultimate destroyer of prospect value. Keep in mind, it is NOT the manager that options players back and forth...while he has some say, it is ultimately up to the GM. The manager can only hire/fire his coaching staff and make the calls during games. He can't even choose the 25-man roster by himself out of Spring Training. The GM, in conjunction with the manager and some coaches will make that final call, and in those meetings, they will discuss player options, etc., and discuss any waiver wire pick-ups that other teams have cut, and gauge interest. But please, keep in mind, that the GM is the ultimate architect of the team, from player development, to signing free agents, to hiring a manager, etc. In some cases, he doesn't have direct involvement, but he oversees certain departments and has the ultimate decision-making ability in most situations.
I'm not saying he's the worst GM, but I do believe he's made a series of decisions that he should be removed from his position for.
Keith Law was absolutely right...we traded 6 years of Ceda with HUGE upside for one year of Gregg with DOWNSIDE.
If he lands Peavy without giving up the farm, or lands a player like Roberts, Figgins, or McLouth in a similar fashion, and signs one of Randy Johnson, Adam Dunn, Hudson, or either Abreu or Bradley (but as long as it's reasonable with either of those 2 guys)
That's the beauty of this site. Everyone has an opportunity for an opinion, whether it's in the majority of views or not.
Pie just can't hit left-handed pitchers. How long can you platoon him? The only major upside I saw at the big league level is that Soriano loves him and plays better when Pie's in the lineup. Too bad Soriano hogs the lead-off spot, because that's ultimately where Pie should thrive.
Yes, it's a great site. If you check out MLB.com the Pirates are trying to lock
up McClouth to a multi-year contract...but not having much luck at THIS point.
Every action has a reaction...are we a better team this year then we were last?
NO. But let's see what happens.
Gary,
I will echo that on JH. Overall, I like him as a GM. I think he's done way way way more good than bad. Just sometimes he makes you scratch your head. And I also think that no one wants to win as much as he does, and I give him credit for working his tail off (i.e. signing Lilly while hooked up to machines at the hospital).
And saying no to Peavy deal was his best move this winter. Giving up 5 or 6 guys and tons of $$$ for this guy was just
stupid. I've been saying that all winter.
And McLouth ? Yes, Yes, Yes !!! I've been on that bandwagon too. But realistically, as someone else said, why would pirates trade their best player who is making nothing. That's a tough nut to crack. I guess you would have to just overwhelm with a package of players. But to be honest, I would rather see that than signing Bradley or Abreu. They both have too much baggage.
Maybe the Cubs should revisit the Padres.....the Cubs have gained a bit of leverage in the past week....
First the owner, John Moores, officially announces he is looking into selling the team.
Next, Peavy announces he is pissed off at the Padres for the way they handled the situation.
This just in, now the Padres want nothing to do with Brian Giles and want to get rid of him. This one is a fiasco. His ex-gf slapped him with a lawsuit in part alleging domestic violence....then releases some video tape appearently showing Giles hitting her. Now the Padres today release a statement that while they won't comment specifically on the case, they will not condone such behavior by any person with the team.
Soooo......the Padres are a mess...and JH should work that to his advantage. No criminal charges are filed against Giles, it's all civil. So, put together a trade for Peavy and Giles. There's an ace pitcher and a solid lefthanded hitting RF with a great OBP for the three hole.
No Thanks on Giles. Brian Giles loves Brian Giles way to much. And why would the Cubs want a guy that beats up women??
Jim...100% agreed on Brian Giles. Beside the fact Bruce Levine has reported several times this winter that Giles blocked a trade to the Cubs last summer.
Leave him in San Diego.
I wonder if the people who are so critical of Hendry's performance actually have any idea of what it takes to be a baseball GM. It's easy to be an arm-chair GM and wheel and deal with creative trades that clubs would certainly make in their GM fantasy land. And it's easy to oversee a budget of say $150 million or so. I'm sure it's easy. Perhaps some of us would look at things differently if we had any real idea of what it takes. Perhaps.
You know what's kind of interesting ? We all want the cubs to win the WS so badly and we all know how long its been, and we were all heart broken and sick after the playoffs this year, but take a step back and look at what this team is now compared to yesteryear. Time makes us forget those sort of things, but think back to how bad this team was in the 70's, most of the 80's, and 90's ??? And it was every single stinkin year !! Losing 90+ every year was expected.
And the old-timers will validate this, but I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say that if the cubs finished at or .500 it was a HUGE deal. I mean that was such a huge accomplishment. Remember the 0-14 start in 1997 ? OMG we had some bad teams. I know that our standards have been raised, and that's a good thing, but I find it somewhat interesting how things have changed soooooo much in thge last 5 years. Here we are in 2008, after a wonderful regular season where the cubs won 97 games and had the best record in NL for basically the whole year, and yet you would think the sky is falling. Folks, this is still a really good team. And please, I know the playoffs were a HUGE disappointment. (you don't have to tell me) But I was just stepping back to gain some perspective and look at bigger picture, and it's just amazing at how much has changed. And mostly for the better.
Back in the 70's, if you would have told me the cubs were going to win 97 games, you would have been laughed at and sent to the funny farm, now we just expect it.
I am not trying to make excuses or anything, I just had one of those "hmmmm" moments.
:-)
That's all. Go Cubs.
Great points. I'm still pissed about Wood putting that Indians jersey on.
Sorry Brian, but if Pie is such a "number one prospect", how come it seems like no other team is chomping at the bit to take him off our hands? I haven't really heard his name lighting up the rumor mill.
Hendry is a bad GM?
- He snagged Reed Johnson on the cheap
- He stole Jim Edmonds from the trash heap
- He stayed on board with Dempster as a starter
- He got Wood to re-sign a crazy cheap contract last year (did we have the cheapest closer last year)
- He got Hardin for Murton and E-Pat!
... and all of those examples are from last year.
Don't forget getting DeRo before that.
Yeah the Cede thing doesn't make sense, and I don't understand the Veal thing either. Pie? No, he never got enough of a chance - but the good still out weighs the bad.
In the infantry, there is the saying, "He is a soldier that you want with you on a long patrol." Re. the posters' patrol today, I would want Gary J. (And a couple of others.) To send JH to the manure pile on the basis of the Greg and Gathright deals and the Peavy discussions, etc., is long on emotion and short on perspective.
Gregg for Ceda will be measured by what they both do in the major leagues. Time will be the definitive judge on the deal. Now, Gregg for Samardzjia would have warrented the rage expressed above. If Gathright is JH's idea of the needed lefty bat, JH deserves even more stink dippings. But, if JH gets Bradley or Abreu or does something yet to help the team in an important way, then it will be time to say ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have weighed the evidence....
JH didn't obsess with Peavy for a month. "Tampering" Towers did. JH is able to walk and chew Wrigley at the same time--and we'll likely see some additional evidence that he had more than Towers' name in his address file. It's said that JH was blessed with dumb luck in all of the half dozen or so deals that worked out well--so I'm projecting more dumb luck. He does still have his lucky Susan B. Anthony dollar coin in his pocket.
I'm all for anyone who can trade the likes of Marshall, Cedeno, Pie and Hart for McLouth. While anyone is doing that, also please do a deal of Colvin, Cashner, Caridad, Castillo and Carpenter for Lincecum, too. Do you C what I'm trying to say. I'm expecting the Pie's Hart's, and guys like Fox, to get us a role player like lefty reliever, Cesar Jiminez, and alternative AAAA guys like Seth Smith who can play positions where we have need and could be good. Or at least, we trade guys like those of ours mentioned who have some talent for some younger prospects.
Thaks JimK - if you ever need a guy for long patrol... or just to watch a game with just give me a call :-)
Guys,
I know I might be annoying some with this...but you HAVE to see this:
http://www.baseballdigestdaily.com/blogs/2008/12/17/but-but-hes-really-fast/
Please visit the site...and please, pay attention to Hendry's comments. It truly shows that this guy is an idiot, and has no clue how to get this team to the World Series. PERIOD!!
Aaron....JH said, "We've been looking for a guy like that." Nothing wrong with that--for a minor, role playing guy who can steal a base, lay down a bunt, score on a short fly ball and catch one. I'm wondering if you think JH said the sentence that followed: "There hasn't been a guy like that for 50 years." That sentence was said by the writer, Geoff Young--as a derisive statement.
Young also documents that Gathright has more speed and a higher OBP in the minors than Pie.
If Gathright sticks, the feeling has to be that he won't play much-but that he will use his speed (and savvy) to make a difference in maybe 15 games. Pie wouldn't play much either, partly because Lou may not want him to play much. The inexperienced Pie isn't likely to be as effetive in pinch running and getting a bunt down in limited opportunities. Pie has more potential but he needs a situation where he can play most of the time--to see if he can deliver on his potential.