Hendry to add another OF very soon?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

I think it's possible, but I'm hardly ready to bank the 2006 team's fortunes on it, given all the weaknesses of the rest of the lineup.

 

Murton is going to be a strength of our team, not a weekness. No use wasting more trading chips and payroll on a lesser OF than Murton. Use that money where it is really needed, a SP.

 

And I really wouldn't say it that way. We really do not have ALL that many weeknesses in our Line-up. All we are really lacking is a power OF for RF and a good SP.

 

Floyd and Bradley are both superior to Murton.

[A New Era]

 

I think it's possible, but I'm hardly ready to bank the 2006 team's fortunes on it, given all the weaknesses of the rest of the lineup.

 

Murton is going to be a strength of our team, not a weekness. No use wasting more trading chips and payroll on a lesser OF than Murton. Use that money where it is really needed, a SP.

 

And I really wouldn't say it that way. We really do not have ALL that many weeknesses in our Line-up. All we are really lacking is a power OF for RF and a good SP.

 

Floyd and Bradley are both superior to Murton.

 

But will they perform better than Murton next year? I don't think so. We need a 3rd starter much more than we need to gamble on someone else doing better than Murton. One of them in RF is fine, but let the kid play.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

I think it's possible, but I'm hardly ready to bank the 2006 team's fortunes on it, given all the weaknesses of the rest of the lineup.

 

Murton is going to be a strength of our team, not a weekness. No use wasting more trading chips and payroll on a lesser OF than Murton. Use that money where it is really needed, a SP.

 

And I really wouldn't say it that way. We really do not have ALL that many weeknesses in our Line-up. All we are really lacking is a power OF for RF and a good SP.

 

Floyd and Bradley are both superior to Murton.

 

But will they perform better than Murton next year? I don't think so. We need a 3rd starter much more than we need to gamble on someone else doing better than Murton. One of them in RF is fine, but let the kid play.

 

Yes, both Floyd and Bradley are better bets to produce better than Murton, and to produce well enough to be a corner OF. Murton is the gamble, not Floyd or Bradley.

[A New Era]

Floyd and Bradley are a gamble in that do we still have enough to get another SP? Whereas Murton could tie them or even outproduce them and we are only paying him 350K.

 

Bradley is a further gamble on his additude negatively effecting the club. Not only that, but he is a gamble to even beable to play a full season. Floyd would be the only safe bet but can he play RF and how much does he make? What we NEED to do is find someone floyd-like who is a LH RIGHT feilder so we don't block Murtons production.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Floyd and Bradley are a gamble in that do we still have enough to get another SP? Whereas Murton could tie them or even outproduce them and we are only paying him 350K.

 

Bradley is a further gamble on his additude negatively effecting the club. Not only that, but he is a gamble to even beable to play a full season. Floyd would be the only safe bet but does he play RF? Because we sure don't need him in LF.

 

Right now we have Z, Prior, Maddux, Wood, Williams, Rusch, Hill, and maybe even Wellemeyer for 5 rotation spots. We aren't hurting for SPs. Could we stand to add one? Possibly, but our outfield is a much greater concern at this point. The idea is to add both Floyd and Bradley. Neither are iron men, that way Murton gets a good bit of at bats if they need a stint on the DL or need days off, plus he platoons with Floyd in LF. Bradley plays RF.

[A New Era]

Right now we have Z, Prior, Maddux, Wood, Williams, Rusch, Hill, and maybe even Wellemeyer for 5 rotation spots. We aren't hurting for SPs. Could we stand to add one? Possibly, but our outfield is a much greater concern at this point. The idea is to add both Floyd and Bradley. Neither are iron men, that way Murton gets a good bit of at bats if they need a stint on the DL or need days off, plus he platoons with Floyd in LF. Bradley plays RF.

 

Not a BAD idea at all. But we need someone of Maddux calibur atleast to replace wood. None of those: Hill, Welly, Williams, or Rusch. Are going to save us when Wood goes down. They hurt us last year and they will hurt us again. We weren't prepared for Wood going down last year how can we say we are prepared this year if we don't add another good SP?

[Cubzfan64]

If we get Floyd or Bradley I just don't see either of them being platoon players. Neither are superstars, but they have had ML success recently and we all know Dusty sticks with veterans if given a chance. At the very least, Murton will have a very very very short leash.

 

My gut feelings is if we pick up two ML outfielders, Murton will not start for us. I don't know if that's good or bad - personally I'd love to see what he could do, but I said that last season when we started going down the crapper and hoped he'd play every day out there to find out, but that didn't happen either.

[soapy]

If we get Floyd or Bradley I just don't see either of them being platoon players. Neither are superstars, but they have had ML success recently and we all know Dusty sticks with veterans if given a chance. At the very least, Murton will have a very very very short leash.

 

My gut feelings is if we pick up two ML outfielders, Murton will not start for us. I don't know if that's good or bad - personally I'd love to see what he could do, but I said that last season when we started going down the crapper and hoped he'd play every day out there to find out, but that didn't happen either.

 

I think Dusty might platoon Murton with someone like Floyd. Floyd's splits are pretty extreme and Dusty did play Murton usually against LHP last year.

 

I'd love to see a Floyd/Murton platoon in LF with Bradley in RF. Especially if it can be done without giving up Walker. I think (as has been mentioned by others) you can get each about 400-500 PA over the length of the season.

[Backtobanks]

Why don't we get 1 OF before we get 2 OFs and start talking about a platoon. Also, anyone who doesn't think Bradley and/or Floyd are questionable hasn't been paying attention. I think Floyd is the best option, but he has had a career full of injuries and Bradley is liable to go off the deep end any minute. I still don't understand why some of you still want to replace or platoon Murton. He has earned the starting job until he proves he doesn't belong there.

[YearofDaCubs]

After reading the latest suntimes article the chances of aquiring a proven OF are pretty slim. I'm thinking another idea might be to trade some prospects to another team for an almost-ready mlb OFer.

[mg420]

apparently floyd is not available. at least they dont seem to be interested in j. jones.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cub09.html

[Chocolate Milk]

I hope we target outfielders who are good at baseball.

[soapy]

Why don't we get 1 OF before we get 2 OFs and start talking about a platoon. Also, anyone who doesn't think Bradley and/or Floyd are questionable hasn't been paying attention. I think Floyd is the best option, but he has had a career full of injuries and Bradley is liable to go off the deep end any minute. I still don't understand why some of you still want to replace or platoon Murton. He has earned the starting job until he proves he doesn't belong there.

 

I think you can work out a way to get all three OF (Murton, Floyd, Bradley) their fair share of PA. I'm not saying that Murton hasn't "earned" a starting chance, but why leave him as the only option. He's a risk too. At least if you have Floyd, Bradley and Murton, you have some insurance if someone gets injured, "goes off the deep end" or whatever. You might be able maximize both Floyd's and Murton's potential with a platoon. I'm certainly not against Murton being the full time LF, but why not add in Floyd if you can?

 

Let's say you start with Murton in LF and Mabry is your 4th OF. What do you think is going to happen if Murton has a bad April and/or just has an overall slight sophmore slump? Hello John Mabry in LF. :pukel:

[JeffH]

Why don't we get 1 OF before we get 2 OFs and start talking about a platoon. Also, anyone who doesn't think Bradley and/or Floyd are questionable hasn't been paying attention. I think Floyd is the best option, but he has had a career full of injuries and Bradley is liable to go off the deep end any minute. I still don't understand why some of you still want to replace or platoon Murton. He has earned the starting job until he proves he doesn't belong there.

 

I think you can work out a way to get all three OF (Murton, Floyd, Bradley) their fair share of PA. I'm not saying that Murton hasn't "earned" a starting chance, but why leave him as the only option. He's a risk too. At least if you have Floyd, Bradley and Murton, you have some insurance if someone gets injured, "goes off the deep end" or whatever. You might be able maximize both Floyd's and Murton's potential with a platoon. I'm certainly not against Murton being the full time LF, but why not add in Floyd if you can?

 

Let's say you start with Murton in LF and Mabry is your 4th OF. What do you think is going to happen if Murton has a bad April and/or just has an overall slight sophmore slump? Hello John Mabry in LF. :pukel:

 

Thank you.

 

Depth. It's a good thing.

[Bear Cub]

The list of Rf'ers is indead getting smaller. I hope this doesnt come down to a choice between Preston Wilson and Juan Encarnacion.

[goonys evil twin]

I still don't understand why some of you still want to replace or platoon Murton. He has earned the starting job until he proves he doesn't belong there.

 

Generally I would agree completely. Given a decent lineup, I would really like to go with Murton, whether he puts up a pedestrian .265/.325/.415, a solid .285/.350/.450, or an outstanding .321/.386/.521. In that scenario, the only reason I'd sit him is if he looked completely lost for an extended time, and there was somebody worth starting in front of him.

 

Unfortunately, the Cubs lineup doesn't even resemble decent right now. They have no RF, and the prospects for finding a good RF aren't looking good. Odds are they settle on a platoon guy like Mench, or a mediocre "proven veteran" like Jones/Encarnacion/Wilson. Assuming a Walker trade, that would pretty much guarantee crap production out of 2B and RF, weak to mediocre production out of CF, and at least a risk for mediocre or worse production at SS and LF. You'd only have three reliable positions, C, 1B and 3B, with C having a lot of downside itself, 1B in prime position for at least a partial decline from last year, and 3B being an enormous injury risk.

 

That isn't a lineup worthy of a $100 million payroll. And with the rotation so full of holes, that's a team that could easily be worse than the 2005 train wreck.

 

Frankly, that's unacceptable to me. And with all those other worries on the team, I feel they have to get more guaranteed production out of LF. You can't catch the ball to the world series, at some point you have to score runs. And with the $100m payroll, there is no justification for going into the season with so many questionable lineup positions.

[Magnetic Curses]

so......are we done? is hendry's OF set?

 

we have mabry, patterson, pierre, and murton--horrific.

 

up the middle, we have cedeno and walker.

 

i can't believe that hendry's set to go into the season with john mabry in right and Neifi not far from the starting lineup, especially with dusty involved. not to mention the fact that we still have a TON of money to spend!

 

this smells of 2005.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

so......are we done? is hendry's OF set?

 

we have mabry, patterson, pierre, and murton--horrific.

 

up the middle, we have cedeno and walker.

 

i can't believe that hendry's set to go into the season with john mabry in right and Neifi not far from the starting lineup, especially with dusty involved. not to mention the fact that we still have a TON of money to spend!

 

this smells of 2005.

 

2005 just called and says this smells a whole lot worse...

[goonys evil twin]

so......are we done? is hendry's OF set?

 

 

I have no doubt they aren't done, acquisition wise. They will get more help, I'm guessing at least 2 more bats. The question is if those bats will be any good, because if they are not, the 2006 season will be done.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

After reading the Sun Times article, I'm really surprised that Ibanez isn't available. I'd have guessed Seattle would at least listen to offers for him.

[JeffH]

I wonder if he might be if they manage to sign Carl Everett.

[CuseCubFan69]

I wonder if he might be if they manage to sign Carl Everett.

 

And Bradley!!!! Now that would be a fun team to watch for the press.

[Magnetic Curses]

so......are we done? is hendry's OF set?

 

 

I have no doubt they aren't done, acquisition wise. They will get more help, I'm guessing at least 2 more bats. The question is if those bats will be any good, because if they are not, the 2006 season will be done.

 

if they really can't get another impact bat in RF, then it's time for hendry to waddle off into the sunset or think about becoming michael moore's stunt double--because he sucks as a GM.

 

what makes me insanely mad is that he has the gall to mock his critics (mostly the fans) by making some idiotic facetious statement about not needing another OF. what a slap in the face. we wait for years, nearly a hundred, and he has such a lack of perspective that he actually makes fun of us for thinking that we need more help in the OF before the cupboard goes bare. if he can't do something as necessary to his job as FILL an important production position with a capable bat (for a second straight year, mind you), then he never had ANY business as a GM in the first place.

 

oh yeah, all of this after he overpaid for pierre, a player who was virtually useless last season as a leadoff hitter. he can sit there and think that we're stupid enough to be satisfied by what he's done? he sat in the baby pool for a month, making the easy signings (middle relievers to huge contracts) while he could have been contacting giles' agent (you know jim, giles, a guy who plays a position that we need to fill) and offering him something larger than he got from SD.

 

now, we're stuck. we have a rookie set at SS, a position that dusty will eagerly turn over to the no-OBP neifi, and, gloriously, the best value on our team at 2nd--whom hendry has made no secret of his desires to get RID OF.

 

all I'm saying is that he better do something soon, and it better be good, because he's dug a considerable hole for himself and this team, and the fans who fill the stadium.

[YearofDaCubs]

I see Encarnacion/Jones/Wilson out in RF come 2006. Very scary.

[Backtobanks]

Why don't we get 1 OF before we get 2 OFs and start talking about a platoon. Also, anyone who doesn't think Bradley and/or Floyd are questionable hasn't been paying attention. I think Floyd is the best option, but he has had a career full of injuries and Bradley is liable to go off the deep end any minute. I still don't understand why some of you still want to replace or platoon Murton. He has earned the starting job until he proves he doesn't belong there.

 

I think you can work out a way to get all three OF (Murton, Floyd, Bradley) their fair share of PA. I'm not saying that Murton hasn't "earned" a starting chance, but why leave him as the only option. He's a risk too. At least if you have Floyd, Bradley and Murton, you have some insurance if someone gets injured, "goes off the deep end" or whatever. You might be able maximize both Floyd's and Murton's potential with a platoon. I'm certainly not against Murton being the full time LF, but why not add in Floyd if you can?

 

Let's say you start with Murton in LF and Mabry is your 4th OF. What do you think is going to happen if Murton has a bad April and/or just has an overall slight sophmore slump? Hello John Mabry in LF. :pukel:

 

Thank you.

 

Depth. It's a good thing.

 

I'm all for depth and my point was to get a RF in place before we start adding platoon players. My problem is that too many of you are getting like Dusty, meaning let's be ready for Murton to go hitless in 2 games so we can bench him. I'm not suggesting that we don't have a decent substitute for him, but my impression of Murton is that he is going to be a very solid OF for quite a few years. Also, he strikes me as the type of player who can avoid prolonged slumps.