Bruce's Take

[soapy]

Bruce has a nice piece in the Daily Herald today expressing a desire to see Hendry give this team a shakeup. Among other things, Bruce suggest thinking about calling up Theroit and putting him at 2B, and bringing up Pie and putting him in RF. Is this a desperate move? Sure, but look at this...

 

They are in an offensive funk that not even some putrid Cubs teams of the past couldn’t match. Entering Sunday, the Cubs ranked:

 

•Fourteenth among 16 National League teams in batting average.

 

•Fourteenth in on-base percentage. (This is a stat whose importance is so foreign to this organization that it might as well be from some other galaxy. Can the Cubs finally see their fixation with “speed” and “athletic guys” is silly and pointless? We’re playing baseball here, not competing in the decathlon.)

 

•Sixteenth in hits.

 

•Sixteenth in runs.

 

•Fifteenth in slugging percentage.

 

•Fifteenth in walks (see on-base percentage).

 

•Fifteenth in home runs.

 

•Sixteenth in RBI.

 

The are pretty much in a desperate situation at this point. As much as I'd like to see Pie keep working on thing at AAA, I would not dismiss the notion of calling him up now and plugging him in RF. It's a big gamble, but what have they really got to lose? The only real risk is the effect it might have on Pie's development.

 

The bigger question may be, is Hendry willing to concede a mistake with Jones and bring up Pie to take his place? And, if so, will Dusty play Pie in place of Jones on a regular basis?

[Mark Priors Calves]

•Fourteenth in on-base percentage. (This is a stat whose importance is so foreign to this organization that it might as well be from some other galaxy. Can the Cubs finally see their fixation with “speed” and “athletic guys” is silly and pointless? We’re playing baseball here, not competing in the decathlon.)

 

Fantastic.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

My favorite part:

 

Hendry also gave utilityman Neifi Perez a two-year, $5 million contract when no such market existed for this kind of player.

 

Incidentally, Todd Walker makes $2.5 million for one year. If Perez “saved” the Cubs last year, how do you term what Walker is doing this year?

 

And to think Hendry spent most of the winter trying to trade Walker. Maybe they owe ol’ Todd a “thank you” and an apology.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Excellent article by Bruce.

 

I agree with him on all points.

[TheDude]

The team OBP should have been improved with the current team on the field over last season. A funk is funk and that has to factor.

 

But Pierre, Cedeno, and Murton are all OBP improvements over the course of the season from last year's numbers.

 

If OBP is cited as a major team issue, perhaps Ramirez and Barret with their career ~.320 OBPs should be cited as the real problems.

 

There isn't a person I've met that thinks the Jones signing was good or smart. But I don't see how you replace him full-time at this point, but now you should at least see a platoon.

 

The Mets are currently dire for pitching. They have Diaz not playing for the big league team. The Cubs should swap prospects with the Mets to fill needs on both teams.

[NCCubFan]

•Fourteenth in on-base percentage. (This is a stat whose importance is so foreign to this organization that it might as well be from some other galaxy.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.....There was a statistic known as On-Base Percentage.

[RynoRules]

•Fourteenth in on-base percentage. (This is a stat whose importance is so foreign to this organization that it might as well be from some other galaxy.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.....There was a statistic known as On-Base Percentage.

 

Your sig is great.

[RynoRules]

•Fourteenth in on-base percentage. (This is a stat whose importance is so foreign to this organization that it might as well be from some other galaxy.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.....There was a statistic known as On-Base Percentage.

 

EDIT: D'oh! Double post.

Edited May 8, 2006 by RynoRules

[shnsajax]

If we are going to suck this year, we might as well get them some experience for next year if at all possible. It might not be the time yet for Pie, but it will be soon.

 

The bright side is that the Astros I think were worse last year at this time.

[RynoRules]

If we are going to suck this year, we might as well get them some experience for next year if at all possible. It might not be the time yet for Pie, but it will be soon.

 

The bright side is that the Astros I think were worse last year at this time.

 

I keep thinking that myself. Problem is that there is no reason to believe that our lineup will ever get better. Lee won't be back until the Break (no pun intended) and who is out there that we can trade for to spark this team? And where will he play?

[shnsajax]

If we are going to suck this year, we might as well get them some experience for next year if at all possible. It might not be the time yet for Pie, but it will be soon.

 

The bright side is that the Astros I think were worse last year at this time.

 

I keep thinking that myself. Problem is that there is no reason to believe that our lineup will ever get better. Lee won't be back until the Break (no pun intended) and who is out there that we can trade for to spark this team? And where will he play?

 

Thats what I was thinking to, unless you want to trade for Soriano now. Pretty much have to look for an internal spark, and only Pie really fills that at this moment.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Bruce is dead nuts on about Hendry but Baker cannot be absolved of his culpability in this mess. I mentioned this in another thread but for three plus years now this has consistently been the dumbest team in baseball.

 

I don't care how crappy your roster is, it's up to the manager to get the team to play the game the right way. Dusty has failed at every turn in that regard. To put it another way, it is what it is. Dusty's a lousy manager and his coaches are lousy coaches.

 

If Hendry is going to blow the whole thing up he needs to clean house with the coaching staff. Don't give Dusty a Get Out of Jail Free card because of Lee's injury.

[CubinNY]

Bravo!

 

The worst thing is that, the very problems the Cubs are having are ones that have been talked about for a long time. If we can see them, why can't the Cubs???

[soapy]

Bravo!

 

The worst thing is that, the very problems the Cubs are having are ones that have been talked about for a long time. If we can see them, why can't the Cubs???

 

This is absolutely true. These problems are nothing new, yet, they continue.

[cubweiser03]

Those numbers are putrid. Putrid i say. Its a wonder this team is only 2 games below .500. Now in defense of the team and these numbers, the last 9 games have been downright awful really throwing these numbers in the tank. The last 9 games have been so bad that this third of the season (30 games so far) makes this team look like the royals YTD when they are probably not. OMG i just said probably, thats sorry.

[CubDad4Ever]

Dont leave out what he said about it not being Dustys fault. Ive said before ,he has managed well this year. This mess is a flawed roster. Time will tell how flawed it is . Thats the beauty of baseball. Coach L

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dont leave out what he said about it not being Dustys fault. Ive said before ,he has managed well this year. This mess is a flawed roster. Time will tell how flawed it is . Thats the beauty of baseball. Coach L

 

I agree that this year's mess is not Dusty's fault. Hendry put together a flawed team. On the other hand, 2004 was Dusty's fault. That team had plenty of talent to get the job done and Dusty let the "us vs the world" metanlity implode on that team.

[TB_11]

The bright side is that the Astros I think were worse last year at this time.

 

Unless Prior/Wood/Maddux be like Oswalt/Pettite/Clemens last year, I doubt we'll have the run they had.

[goonys evil twin]

Dont leave out what he said about it not being Dustys fault. Ive said before ,he has managed well this year. This mess is a flawed roster. Time will tell how flawed it is . Thats the beauty of baseball. Coach L

 

It's a flawed roster that Dusty played a major role in putting together. He's been whining about the need for greater speed ever since he showed up. He wants fast guys and versatile guys, and he completley ignores production numbers. Dusty is a big reason why guys like Jones, Pierre, Bynum and Perez are here, and the fact that those guys are here plays a big part in the team struggles. Dusty asks Hendry for his type of players, and Hendry obliges, yet the team just gets worse and worse the more he gets what he wants.

 

 

I wouldn't say he's managed well this year. He's managed less poorly than usual, but this team isn't doing much of anything right, I don't think it's possible to say the manager is doing a good job given that fact. A well managed team does some things right.

[Banedon]

Dont leave out what he said about it not being Dustys fault. Ive said before ,he has managed well this year. This mess is a flawed roster. Time will tell how flawed it is . Thats the beauty of baseball. Coach L

 

As you said....that's this year. That doesn't absolve him from previous years. Dusty hasn't been a good manager.

 

Dusty's supposed to be a master motivator. That's supposed to be his strength. Players were supposed to want to play hard for him. They were supposed to play above their heads for him. That's not happening.

[CubinNY]

Dont leave out what he said about it not being Dustys fault. Ive said before ,he has managed well this year. This mess is a flawed roster. Time will tell how flawed it is . Thats the beauty of baseball. Coach L

 

I agree that this year's mess is not Dusty's fault. Hendry put together a flawed team. On the other hand, 2004 was Dusty's fault. That team had plenty of talent to get the job done and Dusty let the "us vs the world" metanlity implode on that team.

 

It is not all Dusty's fault but he is not without blame. On Saturday Len metioned that guys missed signs in Friday night's loss. JJ has made numerous base running mistakes and can't hit the cutoff man. Hairston failed to lay-down a sac bunt.

 

And then there is the sac bunting issue that abuck has mentioned (a little understatement there), as well as other minor things that all add up to a loss. Not pinch hitting for Marshall in the 7th etc, etc.

 

Dusty hasn't been dealt a good hand, but he hasn't played the cards well eiether, and he hasn't played them well for a long, long time.

[BigbadB]

It amazes me how these players are rewarded for poor fundamentals with more playing time.

 

That's where I blame Dusty. I will agree that he's done a much better job with the line up card, but to leave these guys in the game after a stupid mistake gives them no inspiration to NOT make that same mistake again.

[biittner77]

It's ironic that Baker- who's doing his best job managing the team since he's been here- will be fired for Hendry's failure to put together a good team and Hendry, the guy that signed Alphonseca, Perez, Macias, Jones, Burnitz gets an extension.

[goonys evil twin]

It's ironic that Baker- who's doing his best job managing the team since he's been here- will be fired for Hendry's failure to put together a good team and Hendry, the guy that signed Alphonseca, Perez, Macias, Jones, Burnitz gets an extension.

 

Yeah, they've kind of been built in excuses for each other for so long. This would be Hendry's second chance to hire his own manager, and the team would be entirely of his making. I could see them bumping him off if things don't change by next season.

[CubDad4Ever]

Its easy to call out guys when things are going bad. My tendency for years was to do that. Baseball tends to police itself over time . If the cubs continue poorly all year the pressure will continue to be wratched up. Ive said that all along also. I just hate the blanket Dusty hate. A hall of fame manager of your choice , would have issues with this team at this time. Coach L