I posted a question on ESPN.COM Chat with Steve Phillips.

[goonys evil twin]

No offense but who really cares about the correct spelling of Derrek?

 

I do, obviously, that's why I posted about it. It bothers me when people can't spell a simple name. Especially a former GM that actually GM'd in the same division as Derrek.

 

Like I said, it bothers me.

 

It's not a simple name, it's a variation of the more common spelling. Get over it.

[RonnieWooWooSanto]

jeez, lighten up. he missed a single "R". it's not like he had mistaken derrek lee for derek harper.

 

it just bothers me because i've seen so many people do it (derek, derrick, derreck). I don't get what's so hard about spelling a name correctly. If it was Mientkiewicz or something, fine. But Derrek? Ugh.

 

Just a pet peeve.

 

It's not spelled correctly so often because it was poorly spelled by his parents. Blame them. Derek is how you spell Derek in America. If you want to spell it differently, expect mistakes.

 

How about Chone (Shawn/Sean) Figgins???

[PrimeTime]

This guy dosent understand, it is mosltly Dustys fault, whos the won plays his boyfriend enifi perez almost everyday and has him bat #2 in the lineup, and decides not to bunt with 2 guys on and no outs.. That is all Dustys fault

[bhogg]

Do you think many south arkansans have clue what "Ryne" spells. Better yet, when you say his name, they ask "oh, cool, like Nolan Ryyy-an"

 

 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

 

Jim Hendry sucks.

[srbin84]

I'm kind of curious what record you guys think the Cubs would have if they had a different manager this year. Pick anyone alive and say what record you think they would have. I think Baker should be fired, and I don't think he is a good manager, but I think this team has such a bad record because it's bad. If I could pick any manager alive, I'd pick Bobby Cox, and I'd say we'd have 5 more wins max.

[bhogg]

That smoking chimp: 37-37

[JonnyRed]

If Dusty is such a great motivator, I'd hate to see how bad we'd be with a laid-back reserved manager? As much as I hate to admit it, I wonder how we'd be with Ozzie calling games right now. Sure, this team has holes, but we do have the talent to be playing much better than we are right now. How someone who gets paid for baseball insight can defend a manager who has "led" the Cubs to a combined score of 24-3 the last four games is beyond me.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

[srbin84]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

 

Well, that's all on Hendry. Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you do it.

[nilodnayr]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

 

Well, that's all on Hendry. Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you do it.

 

What if you hired that person to tell you to do it? And then, while brutally falling, hitting rocks and such on the way down you continue to sing his praises and insinuate that you would like to pay him more money for more years to come?

[srbin84]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

 

Well, that's all on Hendry. Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you do it.

 

What if you hired that person to tell you to do it? And then, while brutally falling, hitting rocks and such on the way down you continue to sing his praises and insinuate that you would like to pay him more money for more years to come?

 

I think you just agreed with me. Hendry is a moron, and IMO, a much bigger problem than Baker, although both need to go.

[nilodnayr]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

 

Well, that's all on Hendry. Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you do it.

 

What if you hired that person to tell you to do it? And then, while brutally falling, hitting rocks and such on the way down you continue to sing his praises and insinuate that you would like to pay him more money for more years to come?

 

I think you just agreed with me. Hendry is a moron, and IMO, a much bigger problem than Baker, although both need to go.

 

Yes, I was further expounding on your point. I very much man crushed Hendry, but began to sour when I realized that his amazing moves were completely negated by his horrible ones. At that point, I became indifferent. However, now I realize that the finger pointing at Baker should go straight through him to Hendry and MacPhail. Although none of us have inside info as to the degree in which Baker influences Hendry's decision, but at the root of the matter, Hendry is letting him do it. A) by hiring him and rumoring his extension, and B) by simply allowing him to have an alleged influence roster construction. I think we all wish we had a GM that thought like us and sometimes Hendry is that guy, and that makes us forgive him. But I think, aside from all player acquisition, development, and so on, Hendry has done significant damage to the organization by handing the keys over to Dusty. And the infuriating part is that he is so bull-headed that he cannot realize his mistake and continues to support him implicitly. Dusty is a big reason why this organization is currently crippled and depending on how far his influence reaches down within the organization (I'm guessing it stops at Von Joshua), he could be crippling the team for years to come. But the big reason why Dusty was here, is here, and possibly could be here is Hendry.

[srbin84]

But would a different manager have input on how the roster was constructed?

 

Part of the reason I think Baker puts this team at a disadvantage is that the way he influences Hendry's decisions for roster construction. I don't excuse Hendry for allowing Baker to influence him, but I do think he has a great deal of influence.

 

Well, that's all on Hendry. Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you do it.

 

What if you hired that person to tell you to do it? And then, while brutally falling, hitting rocks and such on the way down you continue to sing his praises and insinuate that you would like to pay him more money for more years to come?

 

I think you just agreed with me. Hendry is a moron, and IMO, a much bigger problem than Baker, although both need to go.

 

Yes, I was further expounding on your point. I very much man crushed Hendry, but began to sour when I realized that his amazing moves were completely negated by his horrible ones. At that point, I became indifferent. However, now I realize that the finger pointing at Baker should go straight through him to Hendry and MacPhail. Although none of us have inside info as to the degree in which Baker influences Hendry's decision, but at the root of the matter, Hendry is letting him do it. A) by hiring him and rumoring his extension, and B) by simply allowing him to have an alleged influence roster construction. I think we all wish we had a GM that thought like us and sometimes Hendry is that guy, and that makes us forgive him. But I think, aside from all player acquisition, development, and so on, Hendry has done significant damage to the organization by handing the keys over to Dusty. And the infuriating part is that he is so bull-headed that he cannot realize his mistake and continues to support him implicitly. Dusty is a big reason why this organization is currently crippled and depending on how far his influence reaches down within the organization (I'm guessing it stops at Von Joshua), he could be crippling the team for years to come. But the big reason why Dusty was here, is here, and possibly could be here is Hendry.

 

Hit it right on the head.