Why all the Hendry bashing?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I have no interest in working for peanuts for a decade so that I *might* someday have the opportunity to run a big league club. And I'm quite content in my current job, than you.

 

In any case, whether I actually seek to become Cub GM is irrelevant to whether I could do a better job that Hendry. It isn't rocket science.

 

You really must think it's like it is in the video games. As for the bold part - I don't even know what that means. If that's an attack on my job - then you really are ignorant. My job's pretty nice - not that you'd even know. I'd have a hard time believing you've reached college yet - other than you're reference to an obscure baseball name from the 70's/80's in your moniker.

 

Take it easy. I'm pretty sure he just left the k off of thank you on accidentally.

[hawkeyecub]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

[badger1679666666]

I have no interest in working for peanuts for a decade so that I *might* someday have the opportunity to run a big league club. And I'm quite content in my current job, than you.

 

In any case, whether I actually seek to become Cub GM is irrelevant to whether I could do a better job that Hendry. It isn't rocket science.

 

keep the laughs coming, this is good stuff.

 

:lol: :lol:

 

I'm still waiting for any substantive reason why Jim Hendry is somehow eminently more qualified that me to be the Cub GM. First, you know nothing about me, so you can't even subjectively compare our qualifications for the job. Moreover, you haven't even identified any job responsibilities that only a "long time baseball guy" can fulfill.

 

I don't think "only a long-time baseball guy" can be GM, but I think people underestimate the difficulty of the position. The easy stuff is budget/rules of transactions/ etc.

 

Having to work with management above you, work with other teams effectively, evaluate player talent and project that talent much into the future is all very difficult stuff. It's one thing to say you want OBP, it's another to work with teams and not get fleeced, or work with agents and get what you want etc.

 

But go ahead if it makes you feel better. I'm sure you'd make a wonderful GM. No one can prove otherwise since you aren't actually gonna try. I can make non-falsfiable declarative statements as well and ask people to prove me wrong - but hence the definition of non-falfiable, those statements can't be proven wrong.

 

I would make a great SP, better than Roger Clemens. I just don't feel like spending the 10 years working my butt off to lift weights, train, and get good. But I could if I wanted to, prove me wrong.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

Yes, I'm sure that people are coming to these conclusions entirely based off of video games and fantasy sports.

[ThePenguin11]

I have no interest in working for peanuts for a decade so that I *might* someday have the opportunity to run a big league club. And I'm quite content in my current job, than you.

 

In any case, whether I actually seek to become Cub GM is irrelevant to whether I could do a better job that Hendry. It isn't rocket science.

 

You really must think it's like it is in the video games. As for the bold part - I don't even know what that means. If that's an attack on my job - then you really are ignorant. My job's pretty nice - not that you'd even know. I'd have a hard time believing you've reached college yet - other than you're reference to an obscure baseball name from the 70's/80's in your moniker.

 

Take it easy. I'm pretty sure he just left the k off of thank you on accidentally.

 

I just caught that and edited my remarks.

[Warren Brusstar]

In short:

 

You can't judge a GM on a deal by deal basis. You have to take into account the hole team's performance. The Cubs have won 88, 89 and 79 games under Jim's watch as GM. And it's not like he came into this team blind, having been asst GM for a while and working elsewhere in the organization prior to that gig. He has had a top 5 payroll throughout his time as well, so the sub par finishes are inexcusable.

 

The Cubs have had consistent problems holdings this team back for several years, primarily, the hitters don't take walks, which keeps down their OBP, which keeps down their runs scored, which keeps down their win totals. And Jim hasn't done much to improve that glaring weakness.

 

Also, he's focused on positions that are not glaring holes, while seemingly ignoring the one position on the team that does not currently have 1 potential in house candidate to fill the spot and possibly provide adaquate production, RF.

 

I don't like Jim's methods or results. This team is terribly inefficient.

 

You've really convinced yourself that you'd make a better GM, haven't you?

 

I would make a better GM. And I am absolutely sure of it.

 

I hope you're kidding. There's more to being a GM than the trades and free agent pickups. That is like saying, "I could run Ford Motor Co. better than Bill Ford because I know alot about how car's work." That's so ignorant, it's ridiculous.

 

And if you're that sure you could do it better, you'd better start sending you're resume out to some minor league teams. That's where you have to start. Then qualified applicants with real experience in professional sports get a sniff.

 

I have no interest in working for peanuts for a decade so that I *might* someday have the opportunity to run a big league club. And I'm quite content in my current job, than you.

 

In any case, whether I actually seek to become Cub GM is irrelevant to whether I could do a better job that Hendry. It isn't rocket science.

 

You really must think it's like it is in the video games. As for the bold part - I don't even know what that means. If that's an attack on my job - then you really are ignorant. My job's pretty nice - not that you'd even know. I'd have a hard time believing you've reached college yet - other than you're reference to an obscure baseball name from the 70's/80's in your moniker.

 

1. I don't see any way to reasonably construe my comments as an "attack on your job." I know nothing about you. Of course, that hasn't stopped you from making assumptions about me, someone you know nothing about.

 

2. It means exactly what it said. As I stated in my original post, I have no desire to work for peanuts for the very remote chance of someday running a big league club. That is especially true in light of my current job, which I have no desire to leave.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

My claim that I would be a better GM is based solely on the fact that I would have convinced those signing the paychecks to pony up enough to get Tejada. Other than that, I got nothing...

[hawkeyecub]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

Yes, I'm sure that people are coming to these conclusions entirely based off of video games and fantasy sports.

 

If you don't acknowledge that part of that is the problem, then you aren't paying attention. Some of you are just not old enough to remember what sports were like before video games and fantasy sports. That's not a knock, it's just the way it is.

 

I'm only in my thirties, but things just weren't scrutinized 15-20 years ago to the level they are today. Of course there was second-guessing, but the internet, video games, fantasy sports, talk sports radio and constant access through television have made everyone an expert.

Every coach or GM is an idiot today and every high school/college kid, or joe schmoe could do much better. It doesn't matter if they never played the game or have never had to deal with any of these people.

[ThePenguin11]

You do realize you sound like Latroy Hawkins when you say "I can do your job better than you can." Don't you? It's no less ignorant when you say it.

[ThePenguin11]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

Yes, I'm sure that people are coming to these conclusions entirely based off of video games and fantasy sports.

 

If you don't acknowledge that part of that is the problem, then you aren't paying attention. Some of you are just not old enough to remember what sports were like before video games and fantasy sports. That's not a knock, it's just the way it is.

 

I'm only in my thirties, but things just weren't scrutinized 15-20 years ago to the level they are today. Of course there was second-guessing, but the internet, video games, fantasy sports, talk sports radio and constant access through television have made everyone an expert.

Every coach or GM is an idiot today and every high school/college kid, or joe schmoe could do much better. It doesn't matter if they never played the game or have never had to deal with any of these people.

 

Amen.

[goonys evil twin]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

I think any reasonably intelligent person with a firm grasp of logic, reasoning, economics and the game of baseball could be turned into at least an average GM given 5 good years working in a front office. Nobody is going to come off the street with no background and be great, just like you couldn't find somebody with no experience in the field to successfully manage a restaurant right off the street. But managing a restaurant isn't surgery, neither is running a baseball team. Your biggest obstacle would probably be all the jealous lifers who think they are somehow entitled to the position because they put in the time with the good ole boys and no the ins and outs of the conventional wisdom of baseball. Being field manager would be much different, of course, and I wouldn't even think about trying it.

 

But if I didn't need my current paycheck, I'd be very confident that after taking a job with a well run front office for the next half decade, working 15 hours a day, being exposed to all aspects of the organization, I could take on a GM role somewhere with an above average team and as good a job as many GMs who have been in the game in recent years. Unfortunately, baseball prides itself on its ability to pay new guys crap, and I'm not in a position to accept that.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

Yes, I'm sure that people are coming to these conclusions entirely based off of video games and fantasy sports.

 

If you don't acknowledge that part of that is the problem, then you aren't paying attention. Some of you are just not old enough to remember what sports were like before video games and fantasy sports. That's not a knock, it's just the way it is.

 

I'm only in my thirties, but things just weren't scrutinized 15-20 years ago to the level they are today. Of course there was second-guessing, but the internet, video games, fantasy sports, talk sports radio and constant access through television have made everyone an expert.

Every coach or GM is an idiot today and every high school/college kid, or joe schmoe could do much better. It doesn't matter if they never played the game or have never had to deal with any of these people.

 

And again, you assume that this conclusion is based off of fantasy sports and video games. It's a ridiculous conclusion.

[goonys evil twin]

I would make a great SP, better than Roger Clemens. I just don't feel like spending the 10 years working my butt off to lift weights, train, and get good. But I could if I wanted to, prove me wrong.

 

Entirely different and pointless comparison. Being a Hall of Fame pitcher takes an extremely rare god given ability.

 

Being a decent GM does not.

[ThePenguin11]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

I think any reasonably intelligent person with a firm grasp of logic, reasoning, economics and the game of baseball could be turned into at least an average GM given 5 good years working in a front office. Nobody is going to come off the street with no background and be great, just like you couldn't find somebody with no experience in the field to successfully manage a restaurant right off the street. But managing a restaurant isn't surgery, neither is running a baseball team. Your biggest obstacle would probably be all the jealous lifers who think they are somehow entitled to the position because they put in the time with the good ole boys and no the ins and outs of the conventional wisdom of baseball. Being field manager would be much different, of course, and I wouldn't even think about trying it.

 

But if I didn't need my current paycheck, I'd be very confident that after taking a job with a well run front office for the next half decade, working 15 hours a day, being exposed to all aspects of the organization, I could take on a GM role somewhere with an above average team and as good a job as many GMs who have been in the game in recent years. Unfortunately, baseball prides itself on its ability to pay new guys crap, and I'm not in a position to accept that.

 

Gee, that sounds easy enough. Anyone can do that.

[ThePenguin11]

I would make a great SP, better than Roger Clemens. I just don't feel like spending the 10 years working my butt off to lift weights, train, and get good. But I could if I wanted to, prove me wrong.

 

Entirely different and pointless comparison. Being a Hall of Fame pitcher takes an extremely rare god given ability.

Being a decent GM does not.

 

How could you begin to even know that? Do you work in major sports? Have you researched it? Is it your best guess based on 'a lot of stuff you've heard over the years'?

[hawkeyecub]

Wow, at least this is good for a laugh.

 

Ah the wonders of the video game, sports-talk radio, message board generations. "Hey I won it all on Madden, I could be a better NFL head coach than _____." "I put together a team on MVP that won the World Series, clearly I would be a better GM than Hendry."

 

Brilliant!

 

I think any reasonably intelligent person with a firm grasp of logic, reasoning, economics and the game of baseball could be turned into at least an average GM given 5 good years working in a front office. Nobody is going to come off the street with no background and be great, just like you couldn't find somebody with no experience in the field to successfully manage a restaurant right off the street. But managing a restaurant isn't surgery, neither is running a baseball team. Your biggest obstacle would probably be all the jealous lifers who think they are somehow entitled to the position because they put in the time with the good ole boys and no the ins and outs of the conventional wisdom of baseball. Being field manager would be much different, of course, and I wouldn't even think about trying it.

 

But if I didn't need my current paycheck, I'd be very confident that after taking a job with a well run front office for the next half decade, working 15 hours a day, being exposed to all aspects of the organization, I could take on a GM role somewhere with an above average team and as good a job as many GMs who have been in the game in recent years. Unfortunately, baseball prides itself on its ability to pay new guys crap, and I'm not in a position to accept that.

 

Now that I can live with. At least you broke it down and admitted some of the difficulties that would exist and what you would have to do to be successful. Your second paragraph is similar to what Theo did.

Listen, I'm not saying that the only people capable of being competent GM's are the people working in those positions currently. But being a GM simply isn't deciding what free agents you want, who you want to trade for and doing it like some tend to think.

 

It's like the people who think they could be a better manager than Dusty because they think they could fill out a lineup card better. While that may be true in some cases, it's not quite that simple.

[goonys evil twin]

If you don't acknowledge that part of that is the problem, then you aren't paying attention.

 

What exactly is the problem you speak of? That some people in the younger generation don't automatically bow down to the wisdom of a guy who got the job of GM? That's a problem? Thinking you could learn to do a job that requires no specific degree after a reasonable amount of proper training is somehow a problem? Flying airplanes is much more complicated than being a GM, but it doesn't take a mensa member to learn to fly airplanes. Any non-idiot who can stay focused and calm under stress can learn to fly an airplane.

[YearofDaCubs]

I find it amusing how some people are attcking others because they said they can be a GM. The bottom line is this..Hendry for the past two years has done squat to make us contenders and as of now we do not have a winner roster on hand. It is still early this offseason but as I have said before I have lost faith and confidence in Hendry to get us back into the playoffs for several reasons. Some of you have more faith and confidence in Hendrt and Baker than I do. That's fine. Everybody on this forum is entitled to their opinion. Difference of opinion or not we all want the Cubs to win.

[goonys evil twin]

next half decade, working 15 hours a day, being exposed to all aspects of the organization,

 

Gee, that sounds easy enough. Anyone can do that.

 

I didn't say it would be easy. You have to be somewhat lucky to get your foot in the door and to be in the right situation. Plus, you have to be willing to make next to nothing for quite a while and work in an environment that is still very much predicated on the good ole boys. The hardest part of being a GM is getting the job, not actually doing the job.

[UK1679666180]

I'm crticial of Hendry, b/c this team hasn't made the nec. progression req'd to sustain consistent winning or develop a long-term goal.

 

The farm system has been depleted, we've seen Hendry at his best by trading pieces of his farm system and this farm system has taken a nose dive since the Andy was GM.

 

It's one thing to not win and show progression as the Cubs did from 98'-03' with the rebuilding of the farm system, it's another to switch it around after a sliver of success.

 

'03 was ahead of the curve, it should've been treated as such. They basically went from a young team on the rise to a veteran team trying to win it all too soon.

 

Baseball is progressionary, they went too quick in '03.

[badger1679666666]

I find it amusing how some people are attcking others because they said they can be a GM. The bottom line is this..Hendry for the past two years has done squat to make us contenders and as of now we do not have a winner roster on hand. It is still early this offseason but as I have said before I have lost faith and confidence in Hendry to get us back into the playoffs for several reasons. Some of you have more faith and confidence in Hendrt and Baker than I do. That's fine. Everybody on this forum is entitled to their opinion. Difference of opinion or not we all want the Cubs to win.

 

My complete lack of faith in Dusty, and my growing lack of faith in Hendry in no way compells me to believe that anyone who just "wants to be a GM" could be a great one, like it's as easy as mastering a McDonalds counter.

 

If people want to believe they could be great GM's, then fine. I think that ideas is ludicrous on most levels save a few people on this site, I doubt that most could even come close to having the worth ethic, drive, knowledge, interpersonal connnections etc. to be a great GM. Hence there aren't many out there.

 

But regular posters on NSBB.com should take over GM'ing for all of baseball.

[hawkeyecub]

If you don't acknowledge that part of that is the problem, then you aren't paying attention.

 

What exactly is the problem you speak of? That some people in the younger generation don't automatically bow down to the wisdom of a guy who got the job of GM? That's a problem? Thinking you could learn to do a job that requires no specific degree after a reasonable amount of proper training is somehow a problem? Flying airplanes is much more complicated than being a GM, but it doesn't take a mensa member to learn to fly airplanes. Any non-idiot who can stay focused and calm under stress can learn to fly an airplane.

 

Come on, you should know I wasn't saying to bow down to all GM's.

I agreed with your last post. I don't agree with people who think they could come in off the street and be a successful GM or coach. I'm not saying you have to be a lifer, but it takes a good amount of experience and training.

 

The "problem" I was speaking of may not necessarily be a problem, but it is at least an annoyance in my opinion. No one is good and there aren't many sports figures who are even liked anymore. On forums like this when talking about a team that had a winning record, 2/3 of the team "sucked." The GM and managers both "suck" and are "idiots who are clueless, worthless incompetent, fill in your choice of adj." It's universal. I wonder how some can even be happy when their teams win, after claiming that they hate half the team because they're worthless.

 

I'm not trying to be an old guy who thinks young people don't know anything and things were better in my day. Like I said I'm still in my thirties. It's just clear that the sports landscape has changed significantly over the last 10+ years.

[badger1679666666]

The hardest part of being a GM is getting the job, not actually doing the job.

 

How do you know this? Are you good friends with a GM? OR is this going on assumptions.

[Careless]

the hillarious thing is that the A's have succeeded in recent years by applying basic business sense to baseball. I'd consider that QED

[goonys evil twin]

My complete lack of faith in Dusty, and my growing lack of faith in Hendry in no way compells me to believe that anyone who just "wants to be a GM" could be a great one, like it's as easy as mastering a McDonalds counter.

 

But regular posters on NSBB.com should take over GM'ing for all of baseball.

 

I think you are misconstruing what people are saying. Nobody compared it to mastering a McDonald's counter. Practically anybody who can walk, talk, chew gum and count can do the latter. But some are treating a GM position like its similar to being a CEO of Ford (absolutely absurd - although Ford is being run into the ground much like many baseball teams....). You also don't know the educational background, the current jobs or just plain old intelligence of any of these people talking about Hendry. I think, given the parameters I laid out before, that I could do the job. I also think there's 1000s of other people similar to me who could do a similar or better job. If somebody thinks they couldn't do it, fine. If you think I can't do it, fine. If you think others can't do it, fine. If you think there's only a tiny fraction of the population that could possibly master the complexities of the job, fine. Hopefully the competition for a job will be all that much smaller when I win the lottery and can justify changing careers.