The offseason that wasn't.

[YearofDaCubs]

We had a good amount of money to spend during this offseason and I'm sure most of us had high hopes during that time. Looking back at the moves Hendry made he could have spent the money a lot wiser. Even at the expense of trading our best prospects we needed more offense in the lineup. This did not happen. Even I didn't see Pierre being this bad but maybe last year's numbers he had were signs of things to come. Well, for Cubs fans those signs came to fruition. Nobody expected the Lee injury but even so most of the guys on the team have been playing terrible. That money he gave Rusch and Neifi could've been used to acquire a legit SP. Our bench is still horrible and has been for quite some time. Signing Howry and Eyre have been good moves so far even though I felt at the time they were overpaid (which they are). Really, that's the only thing he did that has been good. I thought we had like 25-30million to spend? What happened? I also can't stand the fact that to him catching the ball is an important category and for him catching the ball and having a plethora of 2B are condusive to each other, or so it seems in Hendry logic. Bottom line, we had another Hendry-like offseason that always ends in dissapointment. If the Cubs organization has any care for their fans and having some sort of respect left they would at the very least can Hendry, Baker and the coaching staff. Enough is enough with these clowns.

[illiniguy]

We should have kept Patterson and the three pitchers we gave to Florida. We should have gave Brian Giles a much, much harder push. In hindsight we should have brought back Nomar. Although with his injury history I can understand why we didn't do that.

[YearofDaCubs]

We should have kept Patterson and the three pitchers we gave to Florida. We should have gave Brian Giles a much, much harder push. In hindsight we should have brought back Nomar. Although with his injury history I can understand why we didn't do that.

I wasn't opposed to getting rid of COrey but when it was obvious our decision was to go with Jones I felt as well as others did on this forum that sticking him in RF would have given you the same production.

[badger1679666666]

How did I know Giles would be in the first post?

[TheDude]

The offseason has been discussed ad-nauseum, but continues to receive re-evaluation as the Cubs record changes.

 

Offseason moves are gambles. The only signings worth questioning are Perez, Rusch, and Jones, particularly the 2nd year for Perez, the 2nd year for Rusch, and the 2nd and 3rd year for Jones.

 

The team could have done without all 3, but if those 3 players receive 1 year deals, the offseason isn't that bad and certainly worth firing the GM over.

 

Nobody knows how hard Hendry tried to get a better RF answer than Jones. There wasn't a viable FA option (don't bother me with the Giles angle) and, as has been discussed so many times, the Cubs didn't have solid ground for trades.

 

Trades started with names like Prior and Zambrano and weren't accepted when names like Hill or Guzman were substituted instead.

 

Pierre was a gamble and thus far hasn't been a good one. But one year's declining numbers on a player of his age wasn't "tell-tale" or indicative of a pattern. Just as many analysts predicted a resurrgance from Pierre as predicted a steady decline.

 

But the move to acquire Pierre wasn't a bad one since it came before the Jones deal. The Jones deal made the Pierre deal less valuable.

 

Poor performance on the field right now is more of an indication of the team management than the team talent. The team talent is good enough to compete for the division and the wildcard. The hitting and pitching instructors are not.

[goonys evil twin]

The problems go back much further than this offseason. Last offseason was bad. And several missed opportunities in the past have come back to haunt this team.

 

This funk didn't just appear out of nowhere. It comes with the territory when you make the decisions the Cubs have made collectively.

[Derwood]

I thought it has been made pretty clear that Giles didn't seriously consider any offer besides the Padres. Most of his "interest" in the Cubs and Yankees was pure media fabrication

[Ding Dong Johnson]

It all started after the 2003 season when Tejada and Vlad were both out there. Both would have been a significant upgrade, and neither were legitimate targets. The recent FA classes have been much less talented overall, and that's why everyone's panties are in a bunch over Giles. He was by far the strongest candidate to have a significant impact on this team, and we all know how that story ended. Sure, a lot of bad decisions were made with what should have been a lot of money to spend, but we wouldn't be nearly as disappointed with what transpired had we jumped on some of those bigger targets in the couple of offseasons before.

[LoneStarCubFan]

The offseason has been discussed ad-nauseum, but continues to receive re-evaluation as the Cubs record changes.

 

Offseason moves are gambles. The only signings worth questioning are Perez, Rusch, and Jones, particularly the 2nd year for Perez, the 2nd year for Rusch, and the 2nd and 3rd year for Jones.

 

The team could have done without all 3, but if those 3 players receive 1 year deals, the offseason isn't that bad and certainly worth firing the GM over.

 

Nobody knows how hard Hendry tried to get a better RF answer than Jones. There wasn't a viable FA option (don't bother me with the Giles angle) and, as has been discussed so many times, the Cubs didn't have solid ground for trades.

 

Trades started with names like Prior and Zambrano and weren't accepted when names like Hill or Guzman were substituted instead.

 

Pierre was a gamble and thus far hasn't been a good one. But one year's declining numbers on a player of his age wasn't "tell-tale" or indicative of a pattern. Just as many analysts predicted a resurrgance from Pierre as predicted a steady decline.

 

But the move to acquire Pierre wasn't a bad one since it came before the Jones deal. The Jones deal made the Pierre deal less valuable.

 

Poor performance on the field right now is more of an indication of the team management than the team talent. The team talent is good enough to compete for the division and the wildcard. The hitting and pitching instructors are not.

 

Actually I have a huge problem with even offering a first year to Perez.

 

Brian Giles wasn't coming to Chicago. He wasn't going anywhere but San Diego. That ship has sailed. People need to get over that one.

 

In what I would call typical Cub luck, when the finally had the money to spend on big-ticket free agents, there weren't any worth spending the money on.

 

Although, if they had signed Furcal Lee might not be on the DL. Of course everybody would be screaming they should have passed on Furcal and let Cedeno play.

[CubfaninCA]

should have signed pedro a couple winters ago. cubs need an 10 man rotation.

[YearofDaCubs]

The offseason has been discussed ad-nauseum, but continues to receive re-evaluation as the Cubs record changes.

 

Offseason moves are gambles. The only signings worth questioning are Perez, Rusch, and Jones, particularly the 2nd year for Perez, the 2nd year for Rusch, and the 2nd and 3rd year for Jones.

 

The team could have done without all 3, but if those 3 players receive 1 year deals, the offseason isn't that bad and certainly worth firing the GM over.

 

Nobody knows how hard Hendry tried to get a better RF answer than Jones. There wasn't a viable FA option (don't bother me with the Giles angle) and, as has been discussed so many times, the Cubs didn't have solid ground for trades.

 

Trades started with names like Prior and Zambrano and weren't accepted when names like Hill or Guzman were substituted instead.

 

Pierre was a gamble and thus far hasn't been a good one. But one year's declining numbers on a player of his age wasn't "tell-tale" or indicative of a pattern. Just as many analysts predicted a resurrgance from Pierre as predicted a steady decline.

 

But the move to acquire Pierre wasn't a bad one since it came before the Jones deal. The Jones deal made the Pierre deal less valuable.

 

Poor performance on the field right now is more of an indication of the team management than the team talent. The team talent is good enough to compete for the division and the wildcard. The hitting and pitching instructors are not.

 

Actually I have a huge problem with even offering a first year to Perez.

 

Brian Giles wasn't coming to Chicago. He wasn't going anywhere but San Diego. That ship has sailed. People need to get over that one.

 

In what I would call typical Cub luck, when the finally had the money to spend on big-ticket free agents, there weren't any worth spending the money on.

 

Although, if they had signed Furcal Lee might not be on the DL. Of course everybody would be screaming they should have passed on Furcal and let Cedeno play.

Another example of how Hendry lacks forsight to be a good GM.

[illiniguy]

The offseason has been discussed ad-nauseum, but continues to receive re-evaluation as the Cubs record changes.

 

Offseason moves are gambles. The only signings worth questioning are Perez, Rusch, and Jones, particularly the 2nd year for Perez, the 2nd year for Rusch, and the 2nd and 3rd year for Jones.

 

The team could have done without all 3, but if those 3 players receive 1 year deals, the offseason isn't that bad and certainly worth firing the GM over.

 

Nobody knows how hard Hendry tried to get a better RF answer than Jones. There wasn't a viable FA option (don't bother me with the Giles angle) and, as has been discussed so many times, the Cubs didn't have solid ground for trades.

 

Trades started with names like Prior and Zambrano and weren't accepted when names like Hill or Guzman were substituted instead.

 

Pierre was a gamble and thus far hasn't been a good one. But one year's declining numbers on a player of his age wasn't "tell-tale" or indicative of a pattern. Just as many analysts predicted a resurrgance from Pierre as predicted a steady decline.

 

But the move to acquire Pierre wasn't a bad one since it came before the Jones deal. The Jones deal made the Pierre deal less valuable.

 

Poor performance on the field right now is more of an indication of the team management than the team talent. The team talent is good enough to compete for the division and the wildcard. The hitting and pitching instructors are not.

 

Actually I have a huge problem with even offering a first year to Perez.

 

Brian Giles wasn't coming to Chicago. He wasn't going anywhere but San Diego. That ship has sailed. People need to get over that one.

 

In what I would call typical Cub luck, when the finally had the money to spend on big-ticket free agents, there weren't any worth spending the money on.

 

Although, if they had signed Furcal Lee might not be on the DL. Of course everybody would be screaming they should have passed on Furcal and let Cedeno play.

Another example of how Hendry lacks forsight to be a good GM.

 

Isn't Hendry resigning Neifi and Glendon kind of like giving a pedophile a job at your local grade school? You just know it is gonna go bad.