One thing to fix?

[jmajew]

If the Cubs could change one thing about their team right now which move would help the team the most? I'm going to toss out 4 options for this. Trade Wood, Trade Prior, Fire Baker and Hire Piniella, or Fire Hendry.

 

I Believe the Cubs need to get rid of Baker and hire Piniella. Look at what Jim Leyland did for a team of veteran players with a lot of talent that had no motivation. He turned them into one of the best teams in the league. Piniella would have the same affect on the Cubs. No longer would you have Aramis dog it to first base on a pop up which is dropped and only getting a double when he should have gotten a triple. Wood would pitch through his little bit of pain. We would be a team that actually knows the fundamentals. If the Cubs played baseball the right way they would be good. I hate the use of the word right way but that is the only I can think of to say playing baseball properly. Hendry and Baker seem to follow every fad that comes along. (Except OBP) I'm just venting here a little I apologize. Right now I feel that little league teams play a higher level of of baseball than the Cubs.

 

I guess in all reality i'm just hoping for a miracle cure. Kind of like when Jack Mckeon went to the Marlins in 2003.

[soccer10k]

Lou Piniella is not the answer and this isn't a team that can just be turned around with one move. We aren't the Marlins in 2003 or the Astros in 2005. The Cubs aren't going to contend this year no matter what moves they make. Edited June 20, 2006 by soccer10k

[Geech]

Hire Piniella

 

Gross.

 

They need to fire Hendry. He has pretty much proven that he doesn't understand how to put together a good team.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'd fire Hendry first. But then, my guess is the first move by the new GM would be to replace Baker.

 

I'm not sold on Piniella as manager. Temperment shouldn't be the quality that gets a manager his job.

 

I'm dissapointed that Johnson was hired by the Nationals. Since he isn't employed as the field manager, I wonder if he might still be free to take a job as manager if some team were interested in talking to him.

 

I'd also look at Dierker ahead of Piniella. While he didn't have as much time to ply his trade in Houston, his track record is pretty good.

 

As far as young coaches on other teams, I've always been a fan of Fredi Gonzalez.

[jmajew]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

[Caryatid]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

 

"Fire" doesn't win games. Talent and strategy does. Ask Bill Belicheck.

 

 

 

 

Fire Hendry.

[jmajew]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

 

"Fire" doesn't win games. Talent and strategy does. Ask Bill Belicheck.

 

 

 

 

Fire Hendry.

 

You can't honestly tell me the White Sox last year were the most talented team in baseball. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Cardinals were all far more talented. The White Sox had more passion and love for the game. That makes a difference. The Marlins were not teh most talented in 2003 and the Angels were also not the most talented in 2002. Talent is not everything.

 

Your Bill Belicheck analogy doens't make much sense to me. He has never had the most talented team in football. Alway the best coached and most motivated teams. That is why they have been able to replace players.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

 

I'd prefer a team that wins without fire compared to one that loses but gets riled up about it.

 

This team needs a new philosophy about how it is constructed. That has to begin with the GM. Also, while Piniella may throw things and yell, that doesn't always translate to success on the field. In some regards, that sort of behavior could be detrimental in the days of guaranteed contracts. His fire and temperment might work well with players fighting for a job, but vets with guaranteed contracts often shut that crap out.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

 

"Fire" doesn't win games. Talent and strategy does. Ask Bill Belicheck.

 

 

 

 

Fire Hendry.

 

You can't honestly tell me the White Sox last year were the most talented team in baseball. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Cardinals were all far more talented. The White Sox had more passion and love for the game. That makes a difference. The Marlins were not teh most talented in 2003 and the Angels were also not the most talented in 2002. Talent is not everything.

 

Your Bill Belicheck analogy doens't make much sense to me. He has never had the most talented team in football. Alway the best coached and most motivated teams. That is why they have been able to replace players.

 

The White Sox were the hottest team at the time as were the Marlins. That has a lot to do with it. I doubt it had much to do with their fire and passion.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

[soccer10k]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

 

Lloyd McClendon once stole first base.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

 

Lloyd McClendon once stole first base.

 

Well, I'm sure that was entertaining. If I want a fired up entertaining team, I'll just request Barrett sucker punch AJ again.

[soccer10k]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

 

Lloyd McClendon once stole first base.

 

Well, I'm sure that was entertaining. If I want a fired up entertaining team, I'll just request Barrett sucker punch AJ again.

 

It actually was hilarious. I'm not a Lloyd McClendon supporter, I was just making a joke.

 

On June 26, 2001, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, McClendon saw two questionable calls made against his Pirates by the first base umpire, Rick Reed. After Jason Kendall was called out at first, the manager decided that was strike three and went out onto the field to argue the call. After being ejected from the game, McClendon tore up first base and walked off the field with it, later throwing it into the dugout. Rather than risk McClendon's wrath by retrieving the base, the field crew replaced the base with a new one. The Pirates rallied to win the game in the 12th inning, 7-6. The next day, the players mounted the base in their clubhouse. McClendon's act of anger made the #4 place on ESPN.com Page 2's "Coaches gone wild" list."

 

Link

[Caryatid]

I just feel like this team plays with no fire. When i've been at games during warm ups it seems like the team has already given up before the game even starts. They are just playing to get paid that is the managers fault. A team that plays there butts off but still loses is somewhat acceptable in my book. But a team that seems to not care and loses is not. Someone needs to hold these players accountable.

 

"Fire" doesn't win games. Talent and strategy does. Ask Bill Belicheck.

 

 

 

 

Fire Hendry.

 

You can't honestly tell me the White Sox last year were the most talented team in baseball. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Cardinals were all far more talented. The White Sox had more passion and love for the game. That makes a difference. The Marlins were not teh most talented in 2003 and the Angels were also not the most talented in 2002. Talent is not everything.

 

Your Bill Belicheck analogy doens't make much sense to me. He has never had the most talented team in football. Alway the best coached and most motivated teams. That is why they have been able to replace players.

 

Actually, Belicheck is known as one of the calmest, least "firey" managers in the NFL. His own players have made the "put a mirror in front of his face to see if he's still breathing" joke.

 

Talent+strategy+execution=wins

 

"Fire" is a nice story to write about after the fact, but I doubt it has much of a factor in winning games. Just ask Billy Martin, Larry Bowa, Lloyd McLendon, etc., etc., etc. I'll take a boring smart manager over a firey dumb one anytime.

 

Unfortunately, the Cubs have a boring dumb manager.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If fire and intensity brought championships, Ditka would have to put rings on his toes to wear them all at one time.

[USSoccer]

No longer would you have Aramis dog it to first base on a pop up which is dropped and only getting a double when he should have gotten a triple. Wood would pitch through his little bit of pain. .

 

The last time Aramis did this was like last May. I think people can stop bringing it up like he does it every single time he pops out like Manny Ramirez. In fact-he's hustled out several plays this season into hits. Also, for Aramis to get a triple it would take a bizarre turn of events. He's very slow.

 

As far as Wood pitching through his "little bit of pain"...he had shoulder surgery. It's not as if that's the easiest thing to come back from. If you were making the argument that counting on Prior/Wood is stupid, I'm with you, but that's a Hendry problem and not so much a Baker problem.

 

What's hilarious is that we've tried "Clubhouse Chemistry". and "Speedy-Leadoff Guys + defense" and neither worked at all. Might as well try the next cliche on the list, which is evidently "Manager Who Yells and Is Intense and Fired Up".

 

What the Cubs need are better players. Whoever replaces Baker means less to me than getting better players.

 

And for the record, I'd want them to have nothing to do with Piniella.

[neely crenshaw]

there is not "one" thing that can fix the cubs. if i must pick, i'll say fire hendry. to me that then gets dusty out the door, and could/should be the end to wood, prior and the entire coaching staff.

the problem is not that our players are hurt, it's that our gm built a team that relys on wood and prior to be studs and aram and lee to be studs, that when the injuries we all know will happen to wood/prior and the freak accident to lee happens..we are arguably the worst team in baseball.

[Fred Hornkohl]

 

As far as young coaches on other teams, I've always been a fan of Fredi Gonzalez.

 

I mean really..... how could anybody not like a guy named Fred ??? :wink:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

 

As far as young coaches on other teams, I've always been a fan of Fredi Gonzalez.

 

I mean really..... how could anybody not like a guy named Fred ??? :wink:

 

I really think you should add the cute little "i" to the end of your name as well.

[chuckywang]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

 

Lloyd McClendon once stole first base.

 

Well, I'm sure that was entertaining. If I want a fired up entertaining team, I'll just request Barrett sucker punch AJ again.

 

It actually was hilarious. I'm not a Lloyd McClendon supporter, I was just making a joke.

 

On June 26, 2001, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, McClendon saw two questionable calls made against his Pirates by the first base umpire, Rick Reed. After Jason Kendall was called out at first, the manager decided that was strike three and went out onto the field to argue the call. After being ejected from the game, McClendon tore up first base and walked off the field with it, later throwing it into the dugout. Rather than risk McClendon's wrath by retrieving the base, the field crew replaced the base with a new one. The Pirates rallied to win the game in the 12th inning, 7-6. The next day, the players mounted the base in their clubhouse. McClendon's act of anger made the #4 place on ESPN.com Page 2's "Coaches gone wild" list."

 

Link

 

As for that wikipedia link on Lloyd McClendon, it says that he homered in five consecutive at-bats in the Little League World Series. I believe it was also the first pitch he saw in those five at-bats, so he homered on five consecutive pitches.

[YearofDaCubs]

Furthermore, Lloyd McClendon was a firey individual and that certainly helped him win a lot of games.

 

Lloyd McClendon once stole first base.

 

Well, I'm sure that was entertaining. If I want a fired up entertaining team, I'll just request Barrett sucker punch AJ again.

 

It actually was hilarious. I'm not a Lloyd McClendon supporter, I was just making a joke.

 

On June 26, 2001, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, McClendon saw two questionable calls made against his Pirates by the first base umpire, Rick Reed. After Jason Kendall was called out at first, the manager decided that was strike three and went out onto the field to argue the call. After being ejected from the game, McClendon tore up first base and walked off the field with it, later throwing it into the dugout. Rather than risk McClendon's wrath by retrieving the base, the field crew replaced the base with a new one. The Pirates rallied to win the game in the 12th inning, 7-6. The next day, the players mounted the base in their clubhouse. McClendon's act of anger made the #4 place on ESPN.com Page 2's "Coaches gone wild" list."

 

Link

Hilarious. I always found him funny. I remember when him and LaRussa went at it face to face, I thought McClendon was about to destroy TLR.

[Pinktermite]

I'm forced to agree with Soccer. This team is poor because of it's players, not because they do or don't have a fiery manager. While having Piniella would be great entertainment, I doubt he or any other manager would be able to do much with this talent-less team.

 

We've hashed this over and over. Dusty looks bad because his players are bad. I remember Sparky Anderson, obviously a great manager saying that he looks as dumb or as smart as his players. He won with some great Reds teams, and looked bad with some others...the Tigers come to mind.

 

It's not about the managers or the GM (well, he does PICK the players)...it's about who's playing, the mix of players, and the stats that they bring.

 

Fire means NOTHING...without talent.

[Backtobanks]

If the Cubs could change one thing about their team right now which move would help the team the most? I'm going to toss out 4 options for this. Trade Wood, Trade Prior, Fire Baker and Hire Piniella, or Fire Hendry.

I Believe the Cubs need to get rid of Baker and hire Piniella. Look at what Jim Leyland did for a team of veteran players with a lot of talent that had no motivation. He turned them into one of the best teams in the league. Piniella would have the same affect on the Cubs. No longer would you have Aramis dog it to first base on a pop up which is dropped and only getting a double when he should have gotten a triple. Wood would pitch through his little bit of pain. We would be a team that actually knows the fundamentals. If the Cubs played baseball the right way they would be good. I hate the use of the word right way but that is the only I can think of to say playing baseball properly. Hendry and Baker seem to follow every fad that comes along. (Except OBP) I'm just venting here a little I apologize. Right now I feel that little league teams play a higher level of of baseball than the Cubs.

 

I guess in all reality i'm just hoping for a miracle cure. Kind of like when Jack Mckeon went to the Marlins in 2003.

 

Your original choices only included one replacement (Piniella for Baker). Options like trade Wood (or Prior) might be the best option if we know who we are getting in return. Trading Prior and getting Cabrera in return makes a lot of sense. Trading Wood for the sake of getting rid of him makes no sense. I'm not a fan of Piniella, but removing Baker is what I would vote for.

[jmajew]

I just want a manager who won't coddle his players. The day after Jacque over throws the cutoff man I want to know that he was forced to practice that throw 50 times. Piniella, LaRussa, Leyland, Bobby Cox, even Ozzie to an extent all demand that there players know the fundamentals. They may not always have the best players but they usually have very fundamentally sound teams which in turn makes them a consistently good team.

 

I believe this Cubs team has more talent than their record suggests. That is what bugs me. I hate when players and teams don't play up to their ability.

 

I want a manager who loves the game and is fiery about it. Baker doesn't seem to love it to me, it seems like it is just a job to him. The reason certain managers have outbursts on the field is because they get so frustrated with the way their teams are playing. When the Cubs lose it doesn't seem to me as if Baker cares. If we had a manager that had passion for the game we would be a much better team. I strongly believe that.

[Pinktermite]

Dusty doesn't lack passion, he lacks a good team. The players they have miss the cutoff man and walk too many guys because most of them are recycled bad players that other teams smartly got rid of long ago:

 

Mabry, Bynum, Glendon, Neifi, Pagan, Jacque (though he's better this year), blah blah blah.

 

Having recycled, bad players makes you look worse than you really are, that much I agree with...they are better than they look...

 

But still, you put a dress on a pig...she's still a pig.