Might be getting toasty under Baker's seat...

[StMarksCubs]

Just to be clear- I've not read anything about this.

 

I just think it's time to get to the bottom of the Cubs' sleep-walking ways since 2004. If the Cubs don't play with ANY fire this weekend, I'll be convinced Baker is no longer the man for the job.

 

(more on this at http://cubswatch.blogspot.com )

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Just to be clear- I've not read anything about this.

 

I just think it's time to get to the bottom of the Cubs' sleep-walking ways since 2004. If the Cubs don't play with ANY fire this weekend, I'll be convinced Baker is no longer the man for the job.

 

(more on this at http://cubswatch.blogspot.com )

 

You're holding off judgement until after this weekend? If you're not convinced by now, you're either not paying attention or you never will be.

[BigbadB]

I was a proponent for making Dusty the manager of the Cubs when he was brought on board. My reasoning was that he did a good job of getting the Giants to the playoffs. I soon became concerned about his in game management, even in 2003. But, because the team won, I was pretty much fine with Dusty. In 2004, I started calling for the axe. In 2005, I was screaming for the axe. In 2006, I actually think he's improved a bit on his in game management, but I still want him gone. I also want Hendry gone. No more 4 year contracts for managers please.

 

This organization needs new direction.

[cheapseats]

I think people were excited about Dusty because he wasn't Don Baylor. How many of us actually watched San Fran much during the regular season? We knew they were a good team and assumed Dusty had something to do with it.

 

He's incompetent.

 

As for Hendry, I really believed in him for a while. But I'm now convinced that either he doesn't have a plan or the plan he has is a terrible plan.

 

And let's not leave ownership out of the picture either. It's well-known among baseball people that the Cubs hold Hendry to a very strict budget. It's his fault that he spends so much on bench players, but if he had the flexibility of Minaya, Theo, etc then we might one day be players in the free agent market.

[BigbadB]

I agree with all of your post except ownership, Cheapseats.

 

I can't blame ownership. Ownership has increased the budget by approximately 35m since 2000. Management hasn't been able to figure out how best to spend that money, and that is not the Tribs fault. That the Trib gave Hendry an extension is their fault.

[Vinestal]

I was convinced 2 years ago, thats when they should have replaced him. Talk of them resigning him has really made me ill.

[RynoRules]

Just to be clear- I've not read anything about this.

 

I just think it's time to get to the bottom of the Cubs' sleep-walking ways since 2004. If the Cubs don't play with ANY fire this weekend, I'll be convinced Baker is no longer the man for the job.

 

(more on this at http://cubswatch.blogspot.com )

 

You're holding off judgement until after this weekend? If you're not convinced by now, you're either not paying attention or you never will be.

 

Dude, take it easy on him. His point is that, realistically, JH has stood behind Dusty publicly, but that in light of the fact that he hasn't been extended and they are playing like c**p, he may only have through this weekend to turn it around. I don't think he meant this is the first time he noticed that Dusty is a bad manager.

 

IMO, Dusty will be the manager for the rest of the year no matter what, and unless we make it to the WS (not win it, but make it), JH will not offer him an extension. I also think Dusty wants out.

[goonys evil twin]

Dude, take it easy on him. His point is that, realistically, JH has stood behind Dusty publicly, but that in light of the fact that he hasn't been extended and they are playing like c**p, he may only have through this weekend to turn it around. I don't think he meant this is the first time he noticed that Dusty is a bad manager.

 

IMO, Dusty will be the manager for the rest of the year no matter what, and unless we make it to the WS (not win it, but make it), JH will not offer him an extension. I also think Dusty wants out.

 

I would be shocked if Dusty was fired at any point during this season. Shocked. Eyes bugging out of my head :shock: shocked, if it happens during the season. Let alone on this road trip.

 

His seat ain't warm. I believe Hendry thinks he has the right man, and it's up to whether or not Dusty wants to return.

[cheapseats]

I agree with all of your post except ownership, Cheapseats.

 

I can't blame ownership. Ownership has increased the budget by approximately 35m since 2000. Management hasn't been able to figure out how best to spend that money, and that is not the Tribs fault. That the Trib gave Hendry an extension is their fault.

 

I know that your opinion will be shared by many on the board, but I disagree.

 

The fact that the budget has been increased by $35M since 2000 might be interpreted as a sign that the team was underfunded in the past, for example.

 

In arguing that, I'm not necessarily calling for new ownership, by the way. There are owners that could be worse for the team. But there are owners that would spend more on the team and do what it takes to put a better product on the field.

 

Hendry certainly deserves more blame than the Trib, but the Trib shouldn't get off scot free. Their insistence on staying within a rigid budget has been well documented.

 

As you point out, giving Hendry an extension is definitely their fault. Why in the world would they give him an extension before the season began? What did he do this offseason (or the past season, for that matter) that merited an extension? If the Trib had waited until the end of 2006 before making a decision on whether to keep him on or not, who would be competing with the Cubs for his services?

[RynoRules]

Dude, take it easy on him. His point is that, realistically, JH has stood behind Dusty publicly, but that in light of the fact that he hasn't been extended and they are playing like c**p, he may only have through this weekend to turn it around. I don't think he meant this is the first time he noticed that Dusty is a bad manager.

 

IMO, Dusty will be the manager for the rest of the year no matter what, and unless we make it to the WS (not win it, but make it), JH will not offer him an extension. I also think Dusty wants out.

 

I would be shocked if Dusty was fired at any point during this season. Shocked. Eyes bugging out of my head :shock: shocked, if it happens during the season. Let alone on this road trip.

 

His seat ain't warm. I believe Hendry thinks he has the right man, and it's up to whether or not Dusty wants to return.

 

I am not sure about that. I really think JH (finally) is seeing the light here.

[mul21]

I think people were excited about Dusty because he wasn't Don Baylor. How many of us actually watched San Fran much during the regular season? We knew they were a good team and assumed Dusty had something to do with it.

He's incompetent.

 

As for Hendry, I really believed in him for a while. But I'm now convinced that either he doesn't have a plan or the plan he has is a terrible plan.

 

And let's not leave ownership out of the picture either. It's well-known among baseball people that the Cubs hold Hendry to a very strict budget. It's his fault that he spends so much on bench players, but if he had the flexibility of Minaya, Theo, etc then we might one day be players in the free agent market.

 

I went to a game in SF in the summer of 04 and had an interesting conversation with some Giants fans in the bleachers. Every one of them was glad to be rid of Baker and said we soon would be as well. I was skeptical at that point, but after the collapse the last week of that season, among all the other crap that went on, I finally saw what they were talking about. Trust me, we're not the only ones who can't stand the guy managing their team.

[Geech]

I know that your opinion will be shared by many on the board, but I disagree.

 

The fact that the budget has been increased by $35M since 2000 might be interpreted as a sign that the team was underfunded in the past, for example.

 

In arguing that, I'm not necessarily calling for new ownership, by the way. There are owners that could be worse for the team. But there are owners that would spend more on the team and do what it takes to put a better product on the field.

 

Hendry certainly deserves more blame than the Trib, but the Trib shouldn't get off scot free. Their insistence on staying within a rigid budget has been well documented.

 

Very few owners would spend more than the Tribune. For that matter, very few owners do spend more. The Cobs' payroll is listed right now as 7th in the major leagues by ESPN.

[StMarksCubs]

I know that your opinion will be shared by many on the board, but I disagree.

 

The fact that the budget has been increased by $35M since 2000 might be interpreted as a sign that the team was underfunded in the past, for example.

 

In arguing that, I'm not necessarily calling for new ownership, by the way. There are owners that could be worse for the team. But there are owners that would spend more on the team and do what it takes to put a better product on the field.

 

Hendry certainly deserves more blame than the Trib, but the Trib shouldn't get off scot free. Their insistence on staying within a rigid budget has been well documented.

 

Very few owners would spend more than the Tribune. For that matter, very few owners do spend more. The Cobs' payroll is listed right now as 7th in the major leagues by ESPN.

 

Seriously, when do you ever hear about the Cubs not going after an FA because he'll cost too much money? We might not be in the Yanks/BoSox stratosphere, but we're nowhere near the other guys either. This team spends money.

 

By the way, who knew that Jimmy Leyland still had anything in the tank!?

[cheapseats]

 

Seriously, when do you ever hear about the Cubs not going after an FA because he'll cost too much money?

 

Every single offseason. When's the last time we signed a top-tier free agent?

 

Yes, we have a high payroll, but we also make a lot more than most other teams. Pointing out that the Trib spends more than Tampa Bay or Kansas City or Cincinnati is fine, but they should be spending more because they make more.

[srbin84]

I know that your opinion will be shared by many on the board, but I disagree.

 

The fact that the budget has been increased by $35M since 2000 might be interpreted as a sign that the team was underfunded in the past, for example.

 

In arguing that, I'm not necessarily calling for new ownership, by the way. There are owners that could be worse for the team. But there are owners that would spend more on the team and do what it takes to put a better product on the field.

 

Hendry certainly deserves more blame than the Trib, but the Trib shouldn't get off scot free. Their insistence on staying within a rigid budget has been well documented.

 

Very few owners would spend more than the Tribune. For that matter, very few owners do spend more. The Cobs' payroll is listed right now as 7th in the major leagues by ESPN.

 

Seriously, when do you ever hear about the Cubs not going after an FA because he'll cost too much money? We might not be in the Yanks/BoSox stratosphere, but we're nowhere near the other guys either. This team spends money.

 

By the way, who knew that Jimmy Leyland still had anything in the tank!?

 

You're right, the Cubs only don't go after certain free agents because they are too good at baseball.

[beowulf28]

I agree with all of your post except ownership, Cheapseats.

 

I can't blame ownership. Ownership has increased the budget by approximately 35m since 2000. Management hasn't been able to figure out how best to spend that money, and that is not the Tribs fault. That the Trib gave Hendry an extension is their fault.

 

Maybe, with regard to management, it's time for Andy MacPhail to go.

[cheapseats]

 

You're right, the Cubs only don't go after certain free agents because they are too good at baseball.

 

:lol:

 

That made me laugh out loud.

[erik316wttn]

I think people were excited about Dusty because he wasn't Don Baylor. How many of us actually watched San Fran much during the regular season? We knew they were a good team and assumed Dusty had something to do with it.

 

He's incompetent.

 

As for Hendry, I really believed in him for a while. But I'm now convinced that either he doesn't have a plan or the plan he has is a terrible plan.

 

And let's not leave ownership out of the picture either. It's well-known among baseball people that the Cubs hold Hendry to a very strict budget. It's his fault that he spends so much on bench players, but if he had the flexibility of Minaya, Theo, etc then we might one day be players in the free agent market.

 

With a $100 million budget, we CAN be players in the FA market. It's just when Nefi gets 5 million for 2 years, and Jacque Jones gets 16 for 3, it limits what you can do.

[CUBZ99]

The guy who should be on the hot seat is Jim Hendry. Once again he did a poor job at putting together a team despite having a big budget. I realize Dusty is not the greatest manager in the game, but no manager would be good with the roster and injuries the Cubs have.

[daske17]

See the problem with any discussion of Hendry and Baker and their future with the Cubs is that Cubs management gives both the benefit of the doubt because of injuries. I know, I know, it's not a valid excuse for three straight years, but if you look at it:

 

2004: Wood, Prior. Sosa

2005: Wood, Prior, Ramirez, Nomar

2006: Wood, Prior, Lee

 

That's what the majority of fans and ownership see when they view the failures of the past three years.

 

That makes signings like Rusch, Neifi, Hollandsworth, Ordonez, and Jones pale in comparison. The rationale being that those signing weren't bad if the big guns come out to play.

[Laura]

2004: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

2005: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

2006: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

[YearofDaCubs]

2004: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

2005: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

2006: MacPhail, Hendry, Baker

Agreed. All should be let go.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Seriously, when do you ever hear about the Cubs not going after an FA because he'll cost too much money?

 

Every single offseason. When's the last time we signed a top-tier free agent?

 

Yes, we have a high payroll, but we also make a lot more than most other teams. Pointing out that the Trib spends more than Tampa Bay or Kansas City or Cincinnati is fine, but they should be spending more because they make more.

 

The Cubs spend more on awdul players. Poor management decisions.

 

I agree with Serena. It's time to start afresh.

[CubinNY]

 

Seriously, when do you ever hear about the Cubs not going after an FA because he'll cost too much money?

 

Every single offseason. When's the last time we signed a top-tier free agent?

 

Yes, we have a high payroll, but we also make a lot more than most other teams. Pointing out that the Trib spends more than Tampa Bay or Kansas City or Cincinnati is fine, but they should be spending more because they make more.

 

The Cubs spend more on awdul players. Poor management decisions.

 

I agree with Serena. It's time to start afresh.

 

I agree too, however I worry about who would replace them. "Baseball men" like Morgan are the vast, vast, majority of candidates out there. It would be great if they could steal Cashman away from the Yankees.

 

At least we can take some solace in the fact that it appears the McCormics and others who control the Tribune Co. are willing to spend money. I wish they would spend it more wisely.

[srbin84]

I agree too, however I worry about who would replace them. "Baseball men" like Morgan are the vast, vast, majority of candidates out there. It would be great if they could steal Cashman away from the Yankees.

 

At least we can take some solace in the fact that it appears the McCormics and others who control the Tribune Co. are willing to spend money. I wish they would spend it more wisely.

 

Just out of curiosity, why do you think he is a great G.M.?