Dusty safe -- for now

[TheDude]

With Hendry's comments last week, there was far too much selective reading/hearing taking place, especially on this board.

 

Those that claim Hendry is changing his stance on Baker are wrong. Hendry never said Baker would be fired. He said he would evaluate the coaching staff. People just heard what they wanted.

 

Baker may be safe for now, but others coaches may not be - yet to be determined.

[goonys evil twin]

With Hendry's comments last week, there was far too much selective reading/hearing taking place, especially on this board.

 

Those that claim Hendry is changing his stance on Baker are wrong. Hendry never said Baker would be fired. He said he would evaluate the coaching staff. People just heard what they wanted.

 

He did change the words he used, it was just a matter of some of us taking it a little far. I thought right after I said it that I was probably being too optimistic. But I really did think there was a chance something would happen. I was probably wrong.

[Caryatid]

He said he would evaluate the coaching staff. People just heard what they wanted.

 

Baker may be safe for now, but others coaches may not be - yet to be determined.

 

So if he truly did evaluate him during the break, he must have found that he has done a good enough job with the team to warrant a continuation. What is confusing about this is that if, in fact, Hendry believes that Baker has done a good enough job with the team this year, he should offer him a 2 year contract RIGHT NOW.

 

 

I can't imagine much happening in 77 games that would warrant Baker getting fired IF Hendry believes he hasn't earned a firing right now. This whole thing is turning into a joke.

[Bruce Miles]

I spoke to Hendry as well. There was never any intent on his part to fire anybody during the all-star break. What he said was he was going to "evaluate everything." That means he's evaluating manager, coaches, players, minor leagues, trade possibilities.

 

A lot of people made the leap that Hendry firing Baker during the break was a done deal. Not so.

 

If, as somebody said above, the Cubs get off to a start of losing 8 in a row or 12 of 15, then I think you'll see a change.

[Banedon]

If, as somebody said above, the Cubs get off to a start of losing 8 in a row or 12 of 15, then I think you'll see a change.

 

The first 17 games after the break...

 

Fri. 14 NY Mets

Sat. 15 NY Mets

Sun. 16 NY Mets

Tue. 18 Houston

Wed. 19 Houston

Thu. 20 Houston

Fri. 21 at Washington

Sat. 22 at Washington

Sun. 23 at Washington

Mon. 24 at NY Mets

Tue. 25 at NY Mets

Wed. 26 at NY Mets

Thu. 27 St. Louis

Fri. 28 St. Louis

Sat. 29 St. Louis

Sun. 30 St. Louis

 

I think another multiple loss stretch isn't out of the realm of possiblity there.

[goonys evil twin]

I spoke to Hendry as well. There was never any intent on his part to fire anybody during the all-star break. What he said was he was going to "evaluate everything." That means he's evaluating manager, coaches, players, minor leagues, trade possibilities.

 

A lot of people made the leap that Hendry firing Baker during the break was a done deal. Not so.

 

If, as somebody said above, the Cubs get off to a start of losing 8 in a row or 12 of 15, then I think you'll see a change.

 

And what a terrible job of managing that would be by Hendry (as expected). What in the world does he have to evaluate at this point? What can he learn in 4 off days that he shouldn't have already known? What difference would a bad start make after the break that the horrible first 3 months didn't already prove?

 

If you are using the 4 day break as a time to evaluate, the next 12 to 15 games should not affect your decision.

[halplm]

If Hendry acts like a buyer going up to the trading deadline... he's not only incompetant... but insane as well...

 

That's absolutely not true if he acquires players that will help the team win in 2007. We can afford to not be sellers.

 

Of course we can, but by "buyers" I mean spending more than someone is worth because we need them now... to improve the team now.

 

I'm not saying sell off everyone... I'm just saying if there's any move that looks like a "win now" move... it makes less than no sense. We need to be workign towards next year...

[goonys evil twin]

I rememeber Bruce's take on the situation was much more passive than some of the others. I read his story and thought "Hendry not making a move anytime soon." Then I read some of the others and allowed myself to get swept into the hype.

[CUBZ99]

I spoke to Hendry as well. There was never any intent on his part to fire anybody during the all-star break. What he said was he was going to "evaluate everything." That means he's evaluating manager, coaches, players, minor leagues, trade possibilities.

 

A lot of people made the leap that Hendry firing Baker during the break was a done deal. Not so.

 

If, as somebody said above, the Cubs get off to a start of losing 8 in a row or 12 of 15, then I think you'll see a change.

 

Most of the NSBB posters would already know as much if they had read your version of Hendry's "evalution comments" the day he made them. :wink:

[goonys evil twin]

If Hendry acts like a buyer going up to the trading deadline... he's not only incompetant... but insane as well...

 

That's absolutely not true if he acquires players that will help the team win in 2007. We can afford to not be sellers.

 

Of course we can, but by "buyers" I mean spending more than someone is worth because we need them now... to improve the team now.

 

I'm not saying sell off everyone... I'm just saying if there's any move that looks like a "win now" move... it makes less than no sense. We need to be workign towards next year...

 

I understand what you are saying, but don't completely agree. I'd pay a premium for a special player right now, even though it won't help 2006. You can't do a Karchner for Garland deal now (or ever), but you can give up "a little too much" for somebody like Cabrera.

[Soul]

Can't fire Baker, it's not his fault. After all, he doesn't have the horses.

 

 

Can't fire Hendry, not his fault. There haven't been the moves available, and he's had terrible luck.

 

 

Can't fire MacPhail, not his fault either. Nobody can say how difficult it is to work with the Tribune big wigs, and his primary responsibility is now to the ballpark, the community, and the company.

 

 

It's not ANYONE's fault. We should keep this thing together forever. Everything's fine. Nobody's fault. No problems here. Just another sunny day @ Wrigley.

 

 

...if you believe all this....

[NCCubFan]

I've avoided it until now, but now I've joined those hoping to see the Cubs lose. Dusty has to go, period; everybody can see that except for the Cubs' mismanagement. If another long stretch of losing is what it will take, here's hoping for silent bats.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I rememeber Bruce's take on the situation was much more passive than some of the others. I read his story and thought "Hendry not making a move anytime soon." Then I read some of the others and allowed myself to get swept into the hype.

 

Yeah, I was the same way.

[CUBZ99]

I've avoided it until now, but now I've joined those hoping to see the Cubs lose. Dusty has to go, period; everybody can see that except for the Cubs' mismanagement. If another long stretch of losing is what it will take, here's hoping for silent bats.

 

I refuse to give up on an entire half of the season. I would love to see Dusty and Hendry gone, but I would love it even more if the Cubs had a miraculous turn around and by some miracle got back into contention.

[NCCubFan]

I've avoided it until now, but now I've joined those hoping to see the Cubs lose. Dusty has to go, period; everybody can see that except for the Cubs' mismanagement. If another long stretch of losing is what it will take, here's hoping for silent bats.

 

I refuse to give up on an entire half of the season. I would love to see Dusty and Hendry gone, but I would love it even more if the Cubs had a miraculous turn around and by some miracle got back into contention.

If I thought there was any chance of that happening I'd be all for it. But it's not going to happen with the current mismanagement.

[USSoccer]

I've avoided it until now, but now I've joined those hoping to see the Cubs lose. Dusty has to go, period; everybody can see that except for the Cubs' mismanagement. If another long stretch of losing is what it will take, here's hoping for silent bats.

 

I refuse to give up on an entire half of the season. I would love to see Dusty and Hendry gone, but I would love it even more if the Cubs had a miraculous turn around and by some miracle got back into contention.

If I thought there was any chance of that happening I'd be all for it. But it's not going to happen with the current mismanagement.

 

Given how awful the NL is, I wouldn't doubt that Hendry thinks that they're one torrid hot streak away from getting back in the race.

[halplm]

I really don't understand the concept of throwing away the future to try to win now...

 

I would much much rather have a team in contention for the next decade than a run at it all now, meaning we have nothing to work with for the next several years.

 

If we even approached contention this year... or say... even MADE it to the World Series... we'd lose badly... but Dusty would be around for a LONG time... and we'd be horrible that entire time...

 

The entire management philosophy would be hailed as "World Series caliber" and we'd be stuck with it.

 

We need to lose, and we need to lose embarassingly. Fortunately, we've got the right team to do that...

 

Unfortuantely, it's the Cubs, and we can't even lose right...

[TheDude]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

I wonder if the entire point of Hendry's comments was simply to let the fans know that the Cubs performance this year wasn't/isn't acceptable and that he will address it, but not with a knee-jerk reaction that has no measurable gains. Maybe this the 6-month approach to 2007.

 

I don't want Baker back, or any of his staff. But I just don't see what an interim staff at this point gains the ballclub.

 

I certainly don't see how a lack of firing now equates to an extension. That kind of talk smells like sour grapes.

[Andy]

I rememeber Bruce's take on the situation was much more passive than some of the others. I read his story and thought "Hendry not making a move anytime soon." Then I read some of the others and allowed myself to get swept into the hype.

Once again Bruce appears to have been right on the ball when everyone else was mistaken. No big surprise there, it's just this time we didn't want him to be right.

[halplm]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

I wonder if the entire point of Hendry's comments was simply to let the fans know that the Cubs performance this year wasn't/isn't acceptable and that he will address it, but not with a knee-jerk reaction that has no measurable gains. Maybe this the 6-month approach to 2007.

 

I don't want Baker back, or any of his staff. But I just don't see what an interim staff at this point gains the ballclub.

 

I certainly don't see how a lack of firing now equates to an extension. That kind of talk smells like sour grapes.

 

What could be gained? how about a Manager who knows how to run a team of young players? How about a Manager who PLAYS young players? How about a Manager that isn't trying to win at all costs playing crappy veterens trying to keep his job?

 

There's plenty to be gained.

[Banedon]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses".

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

I wonder if the entire point of Hendry's comments was simply to let the fans know that the Cubs performance this year wasn't/isn't acceptable and that he will address it, but not with a knee-jerk reaction that has no measurable gains. Maybe this the 6-month approach to 2007.

 

I don't want Baker back, or any of his staff. But I just don't see what an interim staff at this point gains the ballclub.

 

I certainly don't see how a lack of firing now equates to an extension. That kind of talk smells like sour grapes.

 

It's not an attempt to salvage the season, it's a message to everyone involved with this organization that the failures of the staff will not be tolerated.

[goonys evil twin]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

I wonder if the entire point of Hendry's comments was simply to let the fans know that the Cubs performance this year wasn't/isn't acceptable and that he will address it, but not with a knee-jerk reaction that has no measurable gains. Maybe this the 6-month approach to 2007.

 

I don't want Baker back, or any of his staff. But I just don't see what an interim staff at this point gains the ballclub.

 

I certainly don't see how a lack of firing now equates to an extension. That kind of talk smells like sour grapes.

 

I don't understand how somebody can still ask the question you ask. You seriously haven't heard it explained yet? It's not knee jerk to fire a manager that has been doing a terrible job of managing the ballclub for 3 years. And it's not sour grapes to fear that Hendry wants to keep Dusty around for a while.

[CUBZ99]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses".

 

I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played.

[USSoccer]

Here is the thing - what is to be gained by firing Dusty Baker right now? Anything?

 

I wonder if the entire point of Hendry's comments was simply to let the fans know that the Cubs performance this year wasn't/isn't acceptable and that he will address it, but not with a knee-jerk reaction that has no measurable gains. Maybe this the 6-month approach to 2007.

 

I don't want Baker back, or any of his staff. But I just don't see what an interim staff at this point gains the ballclub.

 

I certainly don't see how a lack of firing now equates to an extension. That kind of talk smells like sour grapes.

 

For one thing, instead of having a manager trying to win games to save his reputation, and as a result not playing players that are in the team's long term plans, you could actually have a guy who is willing to develop some of these players.