Hendry on WMVP yesterday

[bobbyd20]

Did I hear him right when he said that coming into the season, he was satisfied with the setup of the Cubs bench?

 

Hairston

Perez

Mabry

Blanco

Pagan

Bynum

 

That bench isn't really acceptable for a team with a $50 million dollar payroll. For a team spending nearly $100 million it's criminal.

[Balsa]

For a bench, I think that's not bad. I'd obviously rather not have Byrum, but I don't think it's unacceptable.

[Derwood]

plus Hendry isn't going to go on the public airwaves and throw his bench under the bus. Of course he's going to say he's satisfied with it. You expect him to say "I really screwed this one up guys. These players aren't worth their weight in crap."

[cubweiser03]

How are the Yankees doing with $200M?

-Kelly Stinnet

-Miguel Cairo

-Bubba Crosby

-Andy Phillips

-Melky Cabrera

-DH: Bernie Williams

 

Ill take Hairston over any of those. And ill take Mabry over Phillips because he's a lefty and can play multiple positions. Also note: Bernie 113 AB to Hairstons 64. I bet the Yankees wish they had Hairston as a DH and not Bernie right now.

[LuvChicagoSports]

give me a team with a great bench. Everyone complains about their bench players, but these guys are bench players for a reason. The only way you have a good bench player is if it is a young guy coming up, but then the fans complain because they want the kid to play. Building a bench is not an easy thing to do. A more baseball IQ manager would just know how to properly manage a bench.

[Sammy Sofa]

This bench is nowhere near being the worst possible. Bench players are bench players...when you're forced to see them an unusual amount of times due to devastating injuries, yeah, it highlights why they're bench players and not everyday starters. If the Cubs had Lee and another big bat, nobody would have any problem with these guys because they'd be getting a fraction of the playing they're getting now, like bench players are supposed to.

 

Though Bynum I could do without. That laziness in the field is unacceptable.

[Backtobanks]

Did I hear him right when he said that coming into the season, he was satisfied with the setup of the Cubs bench?

 

Hairston - decent, versatile player

 

Perez - good defense, contrary to popular opinion did a good job filling in most of last season

 

Mabry - history of being a good pinch hitter, can play 1B, 3B, OF

 

Blanco - got to have a backup catcher, outstanding defense, poor hitter

 

Pagan - adds speed, can play 3 OF positions, is young and cheap.

 

Bynum - Hasn't shown much yet, but he is fast and versatile.

 

That bench isn't really acceptable for a team with a $50 million dollar payroll. For a team spending nearly $100 million it's criminal.

 

All in all, I don't think that this group is a bad bench. Of course, if injuries cause you to play some of these players as regulars, then you have a problem.

[RynoRules]

Did I hear him right when he said that coming into the season, he was satisfied with the setup of the Cubs bench?

 

Hairston - decent, versatile player

 

Perez - good defense, contrary to popular opinion did a good job filling in most of last season

 

Mabry - history of being a good pinch hitter, can play 1B, 3B, OF

 

Blanco - got to have a backup catcher, outstanding defense, poor hitter

 

Pagan - adds speed, can play 3 OF positions, is young and cheap.

 

Bynum - Hasn't shown much yet, but he is fast and versatile.

 

That bench isn't really acceptable for a team with a $50 million dollar payroll. For a team spending nearly $100 million it's criminal.

 

All in all, I don't think that this group is a bad bench. Of course, if injuries cause you to play some of these players as regulars, then you have a problem.

 

True, but it would be nice to have somone who could get an extra base hit from the right side. Mark Sweeney was available.

[Peoriaman]

Bench is OK.

 

And, as somebody said earlier, what is Hendry supposed to say? "The bench sucks"? Everyone here needs to stop tearing apart every post game quote or interview. It is silly.

[JonnyRed]

Did anyone catch the part where Hendry gave Harry a "Come on, you should know better" line when Harry was dumb enough to ask Hendry if he thought his boss was going to get fired? And they wonder when players/execs don't want to talk on the air...

[SCCubbieFAN]

Its been said that a position is only as good as the guy available to take the starter's place, or something to that effect. Sure would have been nice to have someone like Sweeney or M. Stairs to fill in for Lee when he went down. Not that either of them are equal to D. Lee but that either would have been a better replacement than what the Cubs have.

[soapy]

Did I hear him right when he said that coming into the season, he was satisfied with the setup of the Cubs bench?

 

Hairston - decent, versatile player

 

Perez - good defense, contrary to popular opinion did a good job filling in most of last season

 

Mabry - history of being a good pinch hitter, can play 1B, 3B, OF

 

Blanco - got to have a backup catcher, outstanding defense, poor hitter

 

Pagan - adds speed, can play 3 OF positions, is young and cheap.

 

Bynum - Hasn't shown much yet, but he is fast and versatile.

 

That bench isn't really acceptable for a team with a $50 million dollar payroll. For a team spending nearly $100 million it's criminal.

 

All in all, I don't think that this group is a bad bench. Of course, if injuries cause you to play some of these players as regulars, then you have a problem.

 

Hairston- I agree

 

Perez- His production could be easily replace for about 1/4 of his salary. His presence (salary) prohibits other moves

 

Mabry- agree

 

Blanco- There aren't any other defense only catchers available for less then $1.5 million?

 

Pagan- agree

 

Bynum- Fast and versatile? What does that even mean? He's fast getting back to the dugout and versatile enough to play several positions very poorly. He's worthless.

 

One of my biggest problems with the bench is that there is vertially no power threat, especially from the right side.

[noisesquared]

Did anyone else catch Hendry's inference that Wood's knee surgery cost him 3 1/2 weeks? The first time I wasn't sure I heard that right, but later Hendry said if it wasn't for the knee surgery Wood would have been ready in mid-April :shock:

 

I'm not a Hendry supporter, but I always thought he seemed like a likeable guy. The more I hear him talk lately, I'm starting to like him less and less. The pressure to perform is really starting to wear on him, I think.

[dalgreen]

I still don't understand the need for Hairston, Perez and Bynum all one the same team. Two of the three I can see. But all three?

[UMFan83]

I would have loved to see more power off the bench, that's for sure. The rest of the bench is ok

[Sammy Sofa]

Basically sub Bynum for somebody with a little pop and the bench is fine.

[goonys evil twin]

I would have loved to see more power off the bench, that's for sure. The rest of the bench is ok

 

There is nothing about the bench that is fine.

 

All this talk about the critics wanting "all stars on the bench" is just rubbish. The Cubs bench sucks. They have a bunch of no hitting scrubs. Most good benches have at least a couple weapons, who at least provide a threat. They aren't .300/.350/.500 type hitters (although you will find some bench guys that can provide that split in a platoon). The Cubs bench is nothing but a bunch of 25th men. Utility guys who are crappy at most everything they do. Hendry did a poor job at putting together the bench, just as he did a poor job of putting together the rest of the team. There's no reason to excuse it just because bench guys aren't supposed to be great. They are supposed to be good at something, and not just at fielding.

[goonys evil twin]

Mabry - history of being a good pinch hitter, can play 1B, 3B, OF

.

 

All in all, I don't think that this group is a bad bench. Of course, if injuries cause you to play some of these players as regulars, then you have a problem.

 

Mabry- agree

 

Mabry is a 35 year old with a very limited history of success coming off a bad season. Having a decent history doesn't mean a whole lot for an old guy who is slowing down.

[badger1679666666]

Basically sub Bynum for somebody with a little pop and the bench is fine.

 

Clearly you didn't see Bynum go Yard yesterday. He's like a young fast skinny Barry Bonds.

[soapy]

Mabry - history of being a good pinch hitter, can play 1B, 3B, OF

.

 

All in all, I don't think that this group is a bad bench. Of course, if injuries cause you to play some of these players as regulars, then you have a problem.

 

Mabry- agree

 

Mabry is a 35 year old with a very limited history of success coming off a bad season. Having a decent history doesn't mean a whole lot for an old guy who is slowing down.

 

I don't disagree, but I also don't think he'd be bad as a fifth outfielder (though Dusty doesn't consider him that) and emergency 1B or 3B. If there was a better fourth outfielder in front of him, I'd be happy with that. Having said that, he's likely overpaid for that role.

 

Like a lot of other people, I would have preferred someone like Branyan.

[Mark_R]

Branyan's been awful this year, too.

[goonys evil twin]

I don't disagree, but I also don't think he'd be bad as a fifth outfielder (though Dusty doesn't consider him that) and emergency 1B or 3B. If there was a better fourth outfielder in front of him, I'd be happy with that. Having said that, he's likely overpaid for that role.

 

Well, I'm not saying there's no way to fit him into a roster. But when he's your primary threat, you are in trouble. You can't just say Mabry has a history of success as a pinch hitter and can play a couple positions, and therefore Hendry did a good job. The makeup of the bench his horrible. There is no threat. Mabry is the prime backup at all 4 corner spots, and that is a joke. Jones needed a platoon partner, Murton probably could have used one as well (a corner OF of Murton/Mabry and Jones/anybody who can hit a lefty) might have provided for better bench threats. But when your first option is a washed up 38 year old coming off a disastrous season, you aren't doing enough for your bench. Ryan Theriot could have Neifi's job for an 1/8th of the cost, leaving a couple million for an actual threat in the OF. But no, Hendry overspent on crap players and failed to field a decent bench. There's no reason for excuses or talking around it. That's just a fact.

[davearm]

I don't disagree, but I also don't think he'd be bad as a fifth outfielder (though Dusty doesn't consider him that) and emergency 1B or 3B. If there was a better fourth outfielder in front of him, I'd be happy with that. Having said that, he's likely overpaid for that role.

 

Well, I'm not saying there's no way to fit him into a roster. But when he's your primary threat, you are in trouble. You can't just say Mabry has a history of success as a pinch hitter and can play a couple positions, and therefore Hendry did a good job. The makeup of the bench his horrible. There is no threat. Mabry is the prime backup at all 4 corner spots, and that is a joke. Jones needed a platoon partner, Murton probably could have used one as well (a corner OF of Murton/Mabry and Jones/anybody who can hit a lefty) might have provided for better bench threats. But when your first option is a washed up 38 year old coming off a disastrous season, you aren't doing enough for your bench. Ryan Theriot could have Neifi's job for an 1/8th of the cost, leaving a couple million for an actual threat in the OF. But no, Hendry overspent on crap players and failed to field a decent bench. There's no reason for excuses or talking around it. That's just a fact.

What team's bench are you really impressed with and envious of?

 

It should be cake to come up with 10 or so teams that are significantly better, if ours is so miserable.

Edited May 18, 2006 by davearm

[thedaymen]

I think that part of looking at the bench and its production is what the Cubs paid for it. Its not "Neifi or nothing" its "Neifi at 2.5 million or Theriot at the minimum." Same thign with Rusch and the bullpen guys.

 

When a team overpays for a bench, you expect a couple of professional hitters like Lenny Harris (the Mets' version not the Cubs' version) a couple of "tooly guys" like Lloyd McLendon in 1989, a superb defensive guy who can also pr like Dascenzo was and a Blanco (woo hoo!, one for four).

[goonys evil twin]

What team's bench are you really impressed with and envious of?

 

It should be cake to come up with 10 or so teams that are significantly better, if ours is so miserable.

 

Atlanta, Arizona, Cincy, Minnesota, Boston, White Sox, Houston, Dodgers, Milwaukee, Philly, STL, Texas and Toronto all have more threats on their benches than the Cubs. The Cubs have no threats, and none of their bench players are doing anything good.

 

Why do people insist on pretending things aren't what they are? The Cubs bench stinks. Why is that so hard to admit? There are no threats. It was poorly constructed. There are about a dozen utility men/2nd baseman with absolutely no power and extremely limited offensive skills of any variety.