Can someone please explain to me WHY Lou wouldn't put on the squeeze play with runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs?

Has anyone on here ever played "Out of the Park Baseball?" I have been playing it for a couple of weeks ... it's fun trying to wiggle your way out of all of Hendry's ridiculous contracts. But I knew I was far from reality the other day when Soriano announced his retirement following the 2011 season! LOL

I predict that Lilly will be traded soon and we'll all be underwhelmed with what Hendry manages to get in return. By the way, I'm down here in Tx Rangers country (so thankfully I do get to watch "good" baseball every day) and saw a local report that said Rangers were not that interested anymore in X Nady...little wonder.

can you blame them ? I thought Nady was a great signing at the time, but boy oh boy has he been brutal.

If I had a dime for every time he hit a weak grounder to the SS for a DP, I would be retiring tomorrow.

And I know there's nothing you can do about Soriano and Zambrano

At this point I'll take anything and everything that Hendry can get for as many people on the roster as possible. If the Cubs go into 2011 with the same cast of characters we have been watching for 8 years, I think I'm going to throw up

And I'll throw up right along with you, Jeff. I saw a couple of Iowa Cubs games this past weekend...left unsure about who might help and who probably won't. Sandburg might!!

Well, at least Lilly pitched good for the scouts. Should raise his stock a little.

Let the trades begin!!!

or not

Colvin is due

Isn't that just like this ill-fated Cubs team. Now they score a couple, too little, too late. They really know how to disappoint!

SOTO! #13

Wrigley cleared out pretty quick.

Take a mental note Mr. Ricketts, it'll look worse next summer cuz the season ticket holders are going to drop.

no, it won't.

There's a waiting list for season tix that's longer than the Great Wall of China.

jerljr,

I respect you for standing to your belief. I hope you won't worn out, because the season is still long (yet not enough for the teams catching up from 10 and a half game behind).

I never considered Hendry a "bad" GM. There are worse ones out there. Ed Wade, Omar Minayar, and even the Shapiro, who tried to get Cleveland back to contention but ended up eating up big contracts just wasn't worth it to start with. It's Cleveland. I mean, it's the Cubs, too.

I've been giving Hendry a score of "80" for being an average, mediocre GM. That's what I got when I was in college, a "B-", roughly between 80-82. I wasn't a bad student, nor a weak man, but I wasn't the top.

And I believe if all fans are like you, who won't point the finger at the executives, then the world would be a better place.

Unfortunately, not all fans think like you. People still want to see a winning team, and rid of the mediocracy that ruled Cubs Nation for almost 65 years.

1945, the last year of the Cubs appearance in the World Series, the year of the draftees when men must fight in WWII. In fact, it was the last Cubs championship ever (we don't usually call pennants champs, yeah?).

Does GM Hendry have control over player performances? No. But the GM has the say and the vision of what players he should sign.

Not what he might sign or what he could sign, but that guy he SHOULD sign.

He should be the man whom the GM has a clear picture of what to expect, and how the man should fit in the club's goal and system.

If the club is looking for rebuilding, then he should be a good prospect or a young player who will be under team control for years to come.

If the club is going for a race to the pennant, then he should be a productive, proven veteran ready to serve as many games as he will be needed the rest of the year.

In another word, the GM must know exactly what players he should sign. Whether he should sign the man or not, well, involves a bit of science, some risk control, some management skill of human relationship, some luck, and most importantly, a better vision that will build the team from now and then.

Is GM Hendry the right guy for the Cubs? I would say yes, if the Cubs Nation all think that mediocracy can satisfy them.

That's all. Life is full of expectations. Where there's demand, there must be supply.

Cubs remind us all not to get any big hopes up for a real move upward. They are a sorry ballclub and show it. I heard that Hendry said this club is not now and will not be in a "rebuilding" mode. What the hell kind of mode are they in?

Whatever.......

Well ... so much for that. Three runs for the Astros with two outs in the 12th

Stevens to the rescue...well someone had to lose it and the Cubs were just asking for a defeat. Ask and they receive.

And that's all she wrote...Jason Micheals with RBIs number 3 and 4 !!!!!

Howry does it again!

Cubs have stranded seven runners in the 9th - 11th innings

Amazing, eh?

...and Sanchez with his 4th RBI of the season.

Enough of these close calls for a victory...Howry on to see that the Astros have their chance to win....think they will pass up the chance? They aren't very good either but a team giving up all those chances to win is asking for a defeat (and one is likely on the way).

The difference between winning teams and losing teams is very simple.

The losing teams don't get the run in from 3rd base w/ less than 2 outs, 2 innings in a row, when the game is on the line. The 2 culprits = Soriano and Fukudome.

How many times have we seen it ?

Even if they can't dump Fuk, the bench is the right spot for him. One of these years coming up, I would hope they do the same with Soriano, reagrdless of the money.

Howry's only 2 strike out pitch is the one where the batter accidentally hits it to a fielder.

The Cubs' punishment for wasting so many chances is now it's Howry time.

Can the third time be the charm????

nope

THE RIOT..... Nice bunt

Theriot with a bunt single

good job Berg

You want to talk about what has hurt us this year????

Stuff like that. Not getting the clutch hit.

And the General manager and the manager dont control that.

Astros keep giving Cubs plenty of chances to win this game but Cubs say no thanks, you can have it. Disgusting but oh so typical of the 2010 Cubs!

wow, that's pretty bad. Strand the leadoff double.

Wasted another chance ...

Shouldn't D Lee bunt here?

Castro with a double!

Golden oppurtunity wasted! ARG!

Hill must get the bunt down ... oh, well.

Come on Ramirez you're due!!!

Can someone please help me to understand why Lilly was brought out in the 8th? He pitched 7 strong innings and was at 100 pitches. Plus, the team should be trying to preserve him as the most valuable trading chip. Marshal was rested and ready to pitch his usual full inning then it would have been Marmol's time. Lou is such an ass sometimes.

Didn't seem to make a lot of sense, did it Gary. Coupled with the fact that he came to the plate in 7th in a one run game it really seems like an odd call.

Hind sight is 20/20, but I think we will agree....... most of us would have used Marshall in the 8th & Marmol in the 9th???

Whoops, meant Sean!

Come on Shawn!!!

Lilly deserved better once again

shit.

Lilly is coming out for the 8th inning.

Well, one we'll take!

Man, our bottom half of the lineup is really weak today!

Gotta get Ted some runs!

I'm gonna miss Theodore Lilly when he's gone.

Such a gamer.

I would love to see Girardi at Wrigley next year, and I'm still disappointed that wasn't the case three years ago when we seemed to have a chance to get him.

It seems to me that the mistakes Hendry has made have as much to do with the nature of the market in the 2000's than his failings as GM. Inflated prices, no-trade clauses, and the like would have also been available from other clubs, right? I'm not well-versed in this stuff, but it just doesn't seem like there are a significant number of experienced GMs out there looking for jobs that could be trusted to absolutely do a better job than Hendry. But alright, that being said, Soriano's contract is definitely breaking my heart.

Would it be possible for the Cubs to reacquire Lilly when he's an FA after the season is over? Maybe he could pick up some top notch postseason experience and be back again next year?

I'm sorry,

I understand you guys are pissed that this season hasn't gone good. I get that but this has been one of the better runs teh Cubs have had even without a WS appearance.

Over the past months, even before I started posting again. I've heard every excuse and reason for Lou and Hendry to be fired.

Some reasons were reasonable, even if I dont completely agree, I will say that some are reasonable. But most are so petty and just over reactions.

3 out of 4 winning seasons.

I'm glad your content with a winning season but it's all waste if you don't make the play-offs and win in the play-offs. Teams don't play a 162 game season just for a winning season they play for a championship (except maybe the pirates or royals). A winning season doesn't mean anything unless you make a good run in the post season and getting swept two years in a row isn't it.

well they made the playoffs in those years too. By that reasoning every manager and general manager other than the 8 that make the playoffs. should be fired every year.

there are alot of teams that would wish to have 3 out 4 winning seasons. Even if you dont agree with that. you would have to agree that you cant say that a general manager that has had a 3 out of 4 winning seasons sucks or is an idiot or dont know what he is doing.

Plus, jsut because a team is losing you cant just automatically blame the manager and general manager. The way the player perform has a lot to do with that too.

So your saying that if the Reds win the division and the Cardinals dont make the playoffs, then the Cardinals should try to keep Tony Larussa. Same with the Dodgers and Joe Torre, or Leland in Detroit.

Has every move been great, no. Is he the best general manager, no. But to say he dont know what he is doing and that he sucks is unwarranted. Same goes with Lou I do think is one of the Best managers. Not the best. But one of them.

dude, are you Jim Hendry posting anonymously?

I know you guys don't care that that Henrdry's run is the most successful 4 year span, even with this season, since the 190? time, becuase you guys are narrow minded like that. That doesn't matter. That's what scary. RESULTS DONT MATTER at all just the fact that they didn't do exactly what you would of done. Maybe he should hire one of you guys.

Like I said, you guys will never be happy.

So answer me this, who would you hire that would do a better job????? this should be good.

Narrow-minded!?

Results don't matter!? You mean results like the 145 MILLION DOLLAR team that is currently 10 games out of first place in a shit division?

Don't give me this crap about players having bad years and that isn't Hendry's fault.

Go ahead, point to the Aramis trade and Lee, and the Lilly signing. SO WHAT? Yeah those where good deals, but are they that good? Good enough to negate DeRosa for Bradley, letting Woody walk, letting Harden walk, Steve Trachsel, 18M$ for 8 flipping years to a 30+ year old Soriano, 14M$ for 4 years to a guy that NEVER even had an MLB at bat, John Grabow for 2 years and 8M$! Shall I go on?

Get Real! For every good to great to decent move Hendry has made he has made equally bad moves! You act like getting Aramis and Lee where some kind of stroke of genius. The fact is the Marlins where having a firesale and the Pirates just plain suck. They were good moves, yes! Was the extension to Lee based on his community stature while ignoring his bad back and neck issues, his age, the amount of money it would take, a good move? The structuring of Aramis' contract to basically give him all the control and make him untradeable if he struggled this year (OPPS!) a very smart way to look at the future?

Ugh. You know, jerl, this is the last time I respond to anything you write. It's just not worth it.

Don't forget the Nolasco/Mitre/Pinto for Juan Pierre

How could I!?

JC

I agree Sori, Bradley & Grabow were bad signings.... Sori because it was to long.

But DeRosa, Woody, Harden & Trachsel never did much after they left.

But I think you will agree its better to let them go a year to early than a year to late?

Scott, the irony with DeRosa was that it would have been one of the first times the Hendry actually traded a player after a career year. I say WOULD have been because he didn't even maximize the truly great season DeRosa was coming off, and to rub salt into it, he did the exact opposite by paying exorbitantly for Bradley's career year. I'll even go so far as to say it was a worthy experiment to bring Bradley in - if it would have been a one year agreement with an option. But no, what made the entire thing so ridiculous, and absolutely BAD (and no one here can deny that it), was the 3 guaranteed years to a guy that hadn't played for the same team in like 6 seasons AND no one else even wanted.

At least other teams were offering Fukudome the same years, even though I thought then and do still today that it was a bad gamble for the money and years.

With Woody I just mean that he was a leader, a CUB, and would have stayed for less and probably accepted a role to mentor Marmol as a closer. But what did Hendry do instead? Signed a 30 year old Kevin Gregg coming off a career year, a guy who was never dominant or better than Wood.

As to the Harden comment, I was referring to Hendry's inability to make a wise, big picture decision last season and trade Harden for anyone when he had the chance. Rather he just walked away.

Oh and I guess you predicted that Ramirez was going to injure his wrist this year and struggle at the start of the season.

Did you do that?????

What did you predict Aram number would be this year?????

You are full of it.

THREE out of FOUR winning seasons!!!!!!!!!

Derosa trade was the only real move I didn't agree with. But he didn't really have a place but I would of found him a place. Harden I'm on the fence. Wood???? are you kidding.

Soriano say what you will about his a defense but he has been probably the bets offensive palyer on the team since he has been on the team. Arguably.

He was coming off of a 40-40 season. That was what it took to sign him. He was the top free agent that year.

Plus that was the Tribune. They didn't care becuase they knew it would add value to the team and they would have to pay most of that.

Do you know how rare a 40-40 season is.

Prime of his career.

Oh yeah and he is still producing. Horrible defense.

Yes the same one that gave us three out of four winning seasons.

"Rickets seems to be a die-hard cub fan, that wants to win, but doesnt know how and is surrounding himself with people that kiss has ass. Jim Hendry is the worst."

--------------------

Agreed.

But what's even worse, and much more depressing, is that Ricketts can't be traded, DFA'd, or fired!

The Cub fans worst nightmare has occurred my friends; a new owner who has given every early indication that he is WORSE than the suits at the Tribune.

All I can say is, I now believe in curses.

good article by morrissey. He's right on. Crane and Hendry should be out the door, but Rickets is still a novice at running a baseball team and wants to stick with them based on the fact they are blaming the Tribune for all the bad contracts and trying to rewrite history and building through the farm system. I'm sure hendry wants to build through the farm system, but can he evaulate talent? I spoke to Crane Kenney (at Season tix appreciation day) and he was quite annoyed when i questioned all the of the talent evaulation mistakes Hendry has made. Blamed Soriano on McDounough. Every pre-wilken draft on the old scouting director. Crane is the definition of an empty suit, that Rickets is comfortable with, because if he was gone, he could be lost from a baseball organization perspective, including some of the Wrigley Renovation ideas that are underway. Rickets seems to be a die-hard cub fan, that wants to win, but doesnt know how and is surrounding himself with people that kiss has ass. Jim Hendry is the worst.

good article by morrissey. He's right on. Crane and Hendry should be out the door, but Rickets is still a novice at running a baseball team and wants to stick with them based on the fact they are blaming the Tribune for all the bad contracts and trying to rewrite history and building through the farm system. I'm sure hendry wants to build through the farm system, but can he evaulate talent? I spoke to Crane Kenney (at Season tix appreciation day) and he was quite annoyed when i questioned all the of the talent evaulation mistakes Hendry has made. Blamed Soriano on McDounough. Every pre-wilken draft on the old scouting director. Crane is the definition of an empty suit, that Rickets is comfortable with, because if he was gone, he could be lost from a baseball organization perspective, including some of the Wrigley Renovation ideas that are underway. Rickets seems to be a die-hard cub fan, that wants to win, but doesnt know how and is surrounding himself with people that kiss has ass. Jim Hendry is the worst.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/morrissey/2518016,CST-SPT-morrissey21.article

....scary indeed....another article for you guys to ponder while we wait for "there's always next year"

I can barely read Morrissey. He and Rogers are both so annoying. But I'll give this one a shot.

Finally some consistency in the lineup. Does anyone doubt that it makes a difference - particularly with the youngsters?

I would still like to see Byrd in the 3 hole followed by the white-hot Aramis and then Lee....and whoever. Lee has been a lot better, hitting .280+ over the last month but the power is just gone. He should be dropped...but who really cares anymore?

Theriot and Lilly heading to Detroit together? Any speculation on return? Anyway the could they get Porcello? I know they said they didn't want to trade him, but for Lilly...Austin Jackson would be nice, but know I'm just dreaming...

Pesonally I would rather see Colvin batting second with Castro leading off to get a stolen base threat at the top but Castro is not quite ready yet. If he continues his hot pace though it should be considered.

I agree with you that Byrd should probably bat third with DLee dropped to 5th but that won't happen given DLee's seniority and the fact that even during his struggles Lou did not do it.

nobody cares anymore, and that's the sad thing.

Hardly anyone, but the players we shouldn't trade (Marmol, Marshall, Cashner, Castro, Byrd, Gorzelanny, or Colvin) has any real value. Lilly, Silva, and Dempster have ruined theirs in recent starts. ARAM ruined his early this season. But Nady, Lee, Fukudome, Soriano, Wells, Howry, Theriot, Fontenot, etc. all have no value whatsoever. In fact, teams look at most of our starters as bench players, and that's NO exaggeration.

Getting Austin Jackson is a pipe dream, and would cost us a player like Castro or Colvin and then some. Ditto Porcello.

We'd probably be looking at players like Jeff Larish, or Scott Sizemore that haven't done much in limited opportunities, and don't exactly have stellar minor league stats, but were once very hyped prospects.

Had Lilly maintained his excellent start, I would've thought we could've asked for a Jesus Montero type of player from the Yankees, but that's a pipe dream now.

I disagree on Ramirez's value.

I think if the Cubs offered him up right now they could good very good value.

His struggles at the start of the year was him playing through injury. Plus that part of the season is over.

He is hot right now and even though other teams would probably try to use the start of the season as reason to give up less. It wouldn't work.

But I dont think the Cubs are going to offer him up because they dont have a future replacement ready.

A-Ram has a $16 mil option in 2012 that becomes guaranteed if he is traded

For this reason, he will NOT be traded

Not sure why this fact is not known, because he keeps coming up like we can trade him

Thanks for the reminder, Zonk. That is what I was referring to when lamenting the curious structuring of that contract by Hendry. It just isn't a smart clause, for the team.

Call me a pessimist if you like, but I just don't think JH will maximize any trade value with the Tigers because he'll be dealing with an old buddy. He'll just be looking for the "fair" trade for both teams and that shouldn't be the case for these deadlines deals. The buyers should be overpaying since you have something they want and a short window exists to acquire it. Plus, the Tigers GM doesn't usually get fleece, even when it looks like it at the time of the deal.

where is this source on Colvin playing 1B?

Sorry, no hard link. Levine was the latest to discuss. George Ofman, Dave Kaplan and Jim Memelo have all discussed as well.

I will not pass on rumors from unreliable sources.

I know you're more or less asking Neil, but I thought I'd weigh in here...The rumors have been out there all year, so you can't really nail one down, and say that's the true source. Fact is, he played 1B in high school and college, and evidently was a pretty damn good one at that, but Clemson utilized him in the OF, because of his athleticism later on.

I guess from the Cubs perspective, they have to look at it like this...they have Soriano locked up for 4 more years after this year, and he isn't going anywhere unfortunately, unless they sit a guy making $19 million on the bench. Byrd is locked up for 2 more years after this one, and they have a fellow named Brett Jackson coming on strong through the system.

I'd be willing to bet they're looking at a potential OF of: Soriano, Byrd, B Jackson with Campana and Snyder on the bench for next season. And that, of course, is assuming that they can unload Fukudome. The only other decision they have to make is whether or not they believe LaHair can play, as he's the only other option for us at 1B for next year internally, especially with Hoffpauir's horrendous season. Guyer, Wright, and Spencer probably could use another year in the minors, so they don't appear to be in the mix for the OF.

If Hendry doesn't get off his ass and make some trades, we might just see the future in September anyhow, especially if we're still about 10 games back.

Here's the likely roster in September if we maintain status quo (which looks likelier by the minute):

ROTATION-Dempster, Z, Lilly, Wells, Gorzelanny, Silva, Samardzija, Jay Jackson (requires 40-man move, Gray likely DFA), Diamond (requires 40-man move, Schlitter likely DFA)

**8 guys for the rotation in September (3 more than normal)

PEN-Grabow, Russell, Marshall, Parker, Howry, Berg, Mateo, Cashner, Marmol

**9 guys for the pen (2 more than normal)

POSITION PLAYERS-Hill, Soto, W. Castillo, Lee, LaHair (requires 40-man move, Hoffpauir likely DFA), Theriot, Fontenot, Baker, Castro, ARAM, M. Smith (requires 40-man move, Fuld likely DFA), Soriano, Snyder (requires 40-man move, Adduci likely DFA), Byrd, Campana (requires 40-man move, Nady likely dumped), Fukudome, Colvin

**17 guys (4 more than normal)

That'd be 34 guys up in September on this roster, which is fairly typical or slightly more than normal. I think the guys they really want to get a long look at are Snyder, LaHair, Castillo, Jay Jackson, Diamond, and Samardzija, as they need to see what they have with them going into next season.

But, given Ricketts' comments, I have absolutely NO faith in this organization whatsoever anymore. Tommy Boy lost all of my respect (which was diminished anyhow of late) when he said Hendry was returning next year. Why?!? How?!? Based on what, exactly?!?

So, I guess if Hendry's not given a blank check to cover his mistakes in free agency, he's a pretty poor GM...Isn't that a fair statement? Because in the last 2 years, he hasn't been given a blank check to do just that. How is this guy still a GM in the major leagues?!? If you take away 2007 and 2008, because he was given blank checks at the time, then the only playoff team he's constructed was 2003.

I think it's fairly safe to say that just about anyone in Cubs Nation, if they were given blank checks in 2007 and 2008, would've been able to construct a playoff team (actually, most of us would've been able to construct BETTER teams than Hendry did with that kind of money...and we even could've last year with the same money)....This is just disgusting. To entrust the team's future to a guy that's nearly destroyed it is ludicrous...

Way to go Tommy Boy...You have just proven that like Hendry and Piniella as well, you're completely asleep at the wheel

If Theriot AND Baker AND Fontenot are all still on the roster in September something will have gone really really wrong! I know, we're talking about the twenty-ten Cubs, but I mean REALLY wrong.

I am beginning to think that both Lilly and Theriot could end up in a package deal.

Both fill many teams needs given several clubs could use both a backup middle infielder and starting pitcher.

A package deal could also at least land us some decent prospects versus trying to trade both separately.

We will just have to wait and see.

Today's lineup:

Colvin - LF

Castro - SS

Lee - 1B

Ramirez - 3B

Byrd - CF

Fukudome - RF

Hill - C

Theriot - 2B

Lilly - P