Steve Stone: Baker extension to be announced anyday...

[Jon]

Having a strong desire to win doesn't mean much. Dusty and Hendry want to win but they have no idea how to do it. Having an owner who's a big fan wouldn't help if they don't go about it in the right way.

 

Having an owner who really wants to win, noticing Hendry, MacPhail (F A I L), and Dusty are dumb. Would fire them all and get people who knew what they are doing (along with wanting to win). MacPhail doesn't want to win.

 

To sum up. If EVERYBODY in the "higher-ups" wanted to win. Things would change, RIGHT NOW.

 

apparently, all steinbrenner has ever done is provide money.

Steinbrenner is a great example of someone who spends a ton of money and has the desire to win but doesn't know how to go about doing it.

 

The desire to win, which everyone working in baseball has, means nothing if you don't have the know-how. The Cubs want to win, they just have no idea how to actually do it.

[cubfan1955]

The only thing I can figure it that Dusty has some compromising pictures of Jim and Andy.

 

Nah, it's much more simple than that. No conspiracies going on. The fact is Jim and Andy don't have a clue about what is wrong with the Cubs and what needs to be done to fix it.

 

I don't really think Jim and Andy think there is anything wrong. It's just all bad luck.

[AR-Baseball-Fan]

The only thing I can figure it that Dusty has some compromising pictures of Jim and Andy.

 

Nah, it's much more simple than that. No conspiracies going on. The fact is Jim and Andy don't have a clue about what is wrong with the Cubs and what needs to be done to fix it.

I don't really think Jim and Andy think there is anything wrong. It's just all bad luck.

 

Wow! That might actually be true. It would explain some things. If this is the case, the Cubs may never be a contending team year in and year out.

[samhainn77]

The only thing I can figure it that Dusty has some compromising pictures of Jim and Andy.

 

Nah, it's much more simple than that. No conspiracies going on. The fact is Jim and Andy don't have a clue about what is wrong with the Cubs and what needs to be done to fix it.

I don't really think Jim and Andy think there is anything wrong. It's just all bad luck.

 

Wow! That might actually be true. It would explain some things. If this is the case, the Cubs may never be a contending team year in and year out.

 

Judging from MacPhail's comments in the herald it's not that far off. Our big problem is "Timely hitting"

[A New Era]

The only thing I can figure it that Dusty has some compromising pictures of Jim and Andy.

 

Nah, it's much more simple than that. No conspiracies going on. The fact is Jim and Andy don't have a clue about what is wrong with the Cubs and what needs to be done to fix it.

I don't really think Jim and Andy think there is anything wrong. It's just all bad luck.

 

Wow! That might actually be true. It would explain some things. If this is the case, the Cubs may never be a contending team year in and year out.

 

Judging from MacPhail's comments in the herald it's not that far off. Our big problem is "Timely hitting"

 

Hmmm. Who's better at "timely hitting". . . Someone who doesn't suck, or someone who does suck? Someone hitting .300 or someone hitting .200? This is hard.

[sethuel1]

The only thing I can figure it that Dusty has some compromising pictures of Jim and Andy.

 

Nah, it's much more simple than that. No conspiracies going on. The fact is Jim and Andy don't have a clue about what is wrong with the Cubs and what needs to be done to fix it.

I don't really think Jim and Andy think there is anything wrong. It's just all bad luck.

 

Wow! That might actually be true. It would explain some things. If this is the case, the Cubs may never be a contending team year in and year out.

 

Judging from MacPhail's comments in the herald it's not that far off. Our big problem is "Timely hitting"

 

Hmmm. Who's better at "timely hitting". . . Someone who doesn't suck, or someone who does suck? Someone hitting .300 or someone hitting .200? This is hard.

 

Well, it depends. The .300 hitter could be hitting a "soft .300", a la Todd Walker, which is why we spent the offseason trying to trade him. meanwhile, the .200 hitter might just need a change of scenery, a la Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones. That's why we managed to get them for so cheap this offeseason. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that they've noticed the scenery yet (maybe Jones has a little bit).

[Laura]

Oh dear, the announcement has to pushed back again.

[CubfaninCA]

Having a strong desire to win doesn't mean much. Dusty and Hendry want to win but they have no idea how to do it. Having an owner who's a big fan wouldn't help if they don't go about it in the right way.

 

Having an owner who really wants to win, noticing Hendry, MacPhail (F A I L), and Dusty are dumb. Would fire them all and get people who knew what they are doing (along with wanting to win). MacPhail doesn't want to win.

 

To sum up. If EVERYBODY in the "higher-ups" wanted to win. Things would change, RIGHT NOW.

 

apparently, all steinbrenner has ever done is provide money.

Steinbrenner is a great example of someone who spends a ton of money and has the desire to win but doesn't know how to go about doing it.

 

The desire to win, which everyone working in baseball has, means nothing if you don't have the know-how. The Cubs want to win, they just have no idea how to actually do it.

 

Steinbrenner's the perfect example of an owner who holds his employees accountable. The Trib lets MacPhail run this into the ground.

[A New Era]

Tommorow:

 

JH "YES, WE SALVAGED ONE FROM THE FISH! SURELY DUSTY DESERVES CREDIT FOR STOPPING THE TRAIN WRECK TO BE!!"

[baseball7897]

I dont want to see Dusty next year.

[stitchface]

Oh dear, the announcement has to pushed back again.

 

too bad the contract extension likely isn't contingent on the announcement.

[Laura]

Oh dear, the announcement has to pushed back again.

 

too bad the contract extension likely isn't contingent on the announcement.

 

True. The emphasis on the announcement could just be a diversionary tactic. Local media sure thinks it's in the bag.

 

But ... still ... absent the announcement, there's still hope. Maybe even hope that Dusty will be quietly exploring other job possibilities as well.

[USSoccer]

Hendry will be approaching Isaiah Thomas levels if he extends Baker.

[Mizzou]

If he really gives Baker an extension, I seriously might stop following the Cubs. And that will be incredibly difficult to do.

[Careless]

Tommorow:

 

JH "YES, WE SALVAGED ONE FROM THE FISH! SURELY DUSTY DESERVES CREDIT FOR STOPPING THE TRAIN WRECK TO BE!!"

:lol: written a bit too early, huh

[Outshined_One]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the Cubs actually signed Dusty to an extension and were waiting for a four game winning streak to announce it...and it never comes?

[stitchface]

four games? Have they even scored four games in a row recently?

[Jon]

Having a strong desire to win doesn't mean much. Dusty and Hendry want to win but they have no idea how to do it. Having an owner who's a big fan wouldn't help if they don't go about it in the right way.

 

Having an owner who really wants to win, noticing Hendry, MacPhail (F A I L), and Dusty are dumb. Would fire them all and get people who knew what they are doing (along with wanting to win). MacPhail doesn't want to win.

 

To sum up. If EVERYBODY in the "higher-ups" wanted to win. Things would change, RIGHT NOW.

 

apparently, all steinbrenner has ever done is provide money.

Steinbrenner is a great example of someone who spends a ton of money and has the desire to win but doesn't know how to go about doing it.

 

The desire to win, which everyone working in baseball has, means nothing if you don't have the know-how. The Cubs want to win, they just have no idea how to actually do it.

 

Steinbrenner's the perfect example of an owner who holds his employees accountable. The Trib lets MacPhail run this into the ground.

Dramatically over-reacting to one bad loss doesn't help the team, either.

 

The Tribune Co. also let MacPhail build this team up, so it can be expected that they'd be more patient. For George, there wasn't a recent building period. It's either maintain success or you'll be gone after not too long. Eventually they'd replace Andy if this keeps up because it'll cut into profits.

 

But they both have the same standard: winning. Whether it's Steinbrenner losing money in desperation to win or the Tribune spending money so wins will bring in a profit (and losses will lower profit), changes are made if there isn't improvement.

 

Still, though, the main issue is knowing what it takes to win. Despite Steinbrenner being so committed to winning and willing to make changes if that doesn't happen, his team hasn't performed up to the standard that you'd expect from a payroll of that size. It's not because of how much the owner "cares." It's not because of having a payroll around $200 million. It's because of not learning from mistakes.

[Banedon]

Wouldn't it be hilarious if the Cubs actually signed Dusty to an extension and were waiting for a four game winning streak to announce it...and it never comes?

 

Any sentence including the bolded area, is inherently not hilarious.

[Butterscup1679666578]

If he really gives Baker an extension, I seriously might stop following the Cubs. And that will be incredibly difficult to do.

 

Agreed. I'll just pretend there is a strike or something.

[Mark_R]

Bruce, do you agree with the notion that we just need to win a few in a row in order for them to annoint Dusty as the savior for two or three more years?

[Fro]

Our record the past 24 games is more than just "one bad loss"... it's a .208 winning percentage against 6 of the 7 worst non-Cub teams in the NL.

[NorthsideAvenger]

First: If Baker gets the extension, I think it will be more to Hendry doing it out of spite, moreso then it being a smart move.

 

Second: I can see the Stros/Cards/Reds/Brewers gathering together as a family at a civic center someplace...just waiting for Baker getting an extesion. And the moment it comes....they'd celebrate knowing that during the duration of Baker's stay in Chicago, the Cubs won't be a factor.

 

Out of spite against whom? Cubs fans?

 

Whatever. You believe in your conspiracy, and I'll believe in my conspiracy. And the reality is....Hendry has FAILED to do his job. Baker's teams have progressively gotten worse since he started in 2003, and thus FAILED. And the players have FAILED.

[Laura]

First: If Baker gets the extension, I think it will be more to Hendry doing it out of spite, moreso then it being a smart move.

 

Second: I can see the Stros/Cards/Reds/Brewers gathering together as a family at a civic center someplace...just waiting for Baker getting an extesion. And the moment it comes....they'd celebrate knowing that during the duration of Baker's stay in Chicago, the Cubs won't be a factor.

 

Out of spite against whom? Cubs fans?

 

Whatever. You believe in your conspiracy, and I'll believe in my conspiracy. And the reality is....Hendry has FAILED to do his job. Baker's teams have progressively gotten worse since he started in 2003, and thus FAILED. And the players have FAILED.

 

Everyone's frustrated. I wasn't actually advocating a conspiracy. I'd spell it out if I were.

 

I was just wondering what you thought the spite was about, since you were the person who brought it up. If you don't want to talk about it, that's OK BY ME.

[Andy]

If he really gives Baker an extension, I seriously might stop following the Cubs. And that will be incredibly difficult to do.

 

Agreed. I'll just pretend there is a strike or something.

I can't quit baseball. I just can't. I'll still follow this joke of a franchise if Dusty gets extended, I'll still watch all their games and I'll still go to a few a year. It's a disease I can't break.

 

And the Cubs will take full advantage of fans just like me.