Base Clogging version 2.0

[goonys evil twin]

how can this guy be making $4 million a year? its incomprehensible.

 

Come on, you know Hendry's m.o of overpaying for mediocrity isn't just confined to players. I can't wait to see Pierre's contract next year.... better yet, yes I can wait.

 

I'm guessing you won't have to wait more than 2.5 months.

[stitchface]

how can this guy be making $4 million a year? its incomprehensible.

 

Come on, you know Hendry's m.o of overpaying for mediocrity isn't just confined to players. I can't wait to see Pierre's contract next year.... better yet, yes I can wait.

 

Anything over 1 year is a mistake for Pierre. a one year deal wouldn't bother me too much. there are worse cf options - like bynum.

[stitchface]

how can this guy be making $4 million a year? its incomprehensible.

 

Well, when you bid against yourself, this is possible. Hendry is developing quite the reputation for this. I'm sure those skills will be put to use this offseason. If I were Freddie Gonzalez, I might as for $7 million/yr to manage the Cubs because I might just get it...

 

I suspect Fredi will be happy to get a manager's job and not ask for too much. with the extra money, Hendry can sign julian tavarez.

[ToupeeOnFire]

Honestly, I don't think this quote is all bad. While I hate the term "base clogging", Dusty does make a point: you do have to have guys that knock runners (that get on base) in.

 

Unfortunately, Dusty seems to approach such players as icky guys who take too many walks. Gotta hit your way on to be a major league player, dude.

 

Doesn't matter, he'll be gone after this season anyway.

 

(I hope.)

[goonys evil twin]

Honestly, I don't think this quote is all bad. While I hate the term "base clogging", Dusty does make a point: you do have to have guys that knock runners (that get on base) in.

 

The thing is, he doesn't make a point. He makes half a point. He acts as if OBP is meaningless, and that SLG is most important.

 

Yet in 2004 and 2005 the Cubs were 2nd in the league in SLG but middle of the road or worse in runs scored. Why? Because they didn't get on base. Why? Because they didn't walk.

 

Don't be fooled into thinking he has a point. Dusty is promoting a practice that still resulted in failed offenses that fell short of producing a winner. A half a point is not good enough.

 

The goal of the team should be to be the best they can be, not to be good at some stuff. More OBP is an absolute necessity. More power is an absolute necessity. OBP is the bigger of the two problems because it's been a problem for much longer. This team doesn't have a problem getting SLG when it tries.

[KingCubsFan]

Honestly, I don't think this quote is all bad. While I hate the term "base clogging", Dusty does make a point: you do have to have guys that knock runners (that get on base) in.

 

Unfortunately, Dusty seems to approach such players as icky guys who take too many walks. Gotta hit your way on to be a major league player, dude.

 

Doesn't matter, he'll be gone after this season anyway.

 

(I hope.)

This quote is bad because Dusty is again trying to make excuses and totally ignoring a huge problem of the offense. Are the Cubs the only team in baseball where, after finishing last or close to last in an important (some may disagree on the degree of importance) offensive category, they continually overlook this weakness and try to mask it with things such as speed? Dusty is right about having to knock in baserunners, but our team's hitting approach is so awful that we'll never hit for a high average with RISP anyways. I think this quote signals we'll be moving back into the "solo homerun" offense we mastered a few years ago.

[FergieJ31]

The Cubs were the 2nd highest slugging team in the leage in both 2004 and 2005, yet they were only middle of the road or worse in runs scored, because of their lack of baserunners. It is so blatantly obvious what the problem is. Everybody can see it. But some just refuse to admit it.

 

Absolutely. Good grief, I wish someone in this organization would put the dots together. Dusty was here for 2004 and 2005; apparently he has a very very short memory or (more likely) he is just in denial.

[Butterscup1679666578]

:shock:

 

I'm surprised I didn't vomit after reading that.

[Banedon]

So....does this mean that Izturis clogs bases with his glove?

[RichHillIsABeast]

Has anyone ever asked Hendry about clogging the bases with walks? I know he doesn't value OBP as highly as BA with RISP, but what exactly is his take on OBP? I'm assuming he thinks it's tied to BA, or why get Pierre? Even Hendry would admit OBP is important for a leadoff hitter (as well as plus speed). *FWIW, I don't think OBP is tied to BA. It's all about walk rates.

 

Eh, whatever, a couple more years of losing and Hendry will get the can. A couple more years and then we can dream about a GM that doesn't use the square wheel to build a baseball team.

Edited August 24, 2006 by RichHillIsABeast

[3Dog]

Somebody - Bruce, Darren Baker, Neifi - please explain to Monsieur Baker that OBP doesn't mean walks. It means "the less likelihood of making an out".

 

Maybe if the abbreviation for on base pct was changed to LLMO or something else that makes it less obvious, Baker and Hendry would finally buy into it.

[goonys evil twin]

Has anyone ever asked Hendry about clogging the bases with walks? I know he doesn't value OBP as highly as BA with RISP, but what exactly is his take on OBP? I'm assuming he thinks it's tied to BA, or why get Pierre? Even Hendry would admit OBP is important for a leadoff hitter (as well as plus speed). *FWIW, I don't think OBP is tied to BA. It's all about walk rates.

 

Eh, whatever, a couple more years of losing and Hendry will get the can. A couple more years and then we can dream about a team that doesn't use the square wheel to build a baseball team.

 

I don't know if Hendry has talked about clogging. He has paid lip service to OBP, but from what I can tell, always qualifies it by saying avg with RISP is what really matters.

[UMFan83]

Not that Dusty will be back anyways, but this would be a sort of good thing if he was coming back. At least trying to add power is better then trying to add more speedy weak hitting low OBP middle IFs.

 

Of course this will only put us at 2005 level (79-80 wins) and thats only if we upgrade pitching too.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Dusty qualifies valuable players into two categories.

 

Hitters that can slug and hit homers.

Hitters that can't but are fast.

 

If you aren't fast, you have to hit homers to be valuable to Dusty. That's why Dusty likely values Pagan and Bynum over Murton. Murton isn't fast enough to make up for his lack of power.

[snoodmonger]

Maybe this is really cutting edge stuff from Dusty. Maybe it's like sabermetrics--mocked initially, but slowly the masses came to see the wisdom in it. Maybe in thirty years all of us will see the genius of the theory that having men on base is really a BAD thing.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Maybe this is really cutting edge stuff from Dusty. Maybe it's like sabermetrics--mocked initially, but slowly the masses came to see the wisdom in it. Maybe in thirty years all of us will see the genius of the theory that having men on base is really a BAD thing.

I'm sure that will happen. Right after King Felix clones himself to all 32 teams.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

The entire Cub organization should have been clued to the 20+ hrs of baseball the Red Sox and Yankees played last weekend. Thousands of pitches thrown, countless great AB's, and excellent approaches at the plate. Many against some of the top pitchers in the game today.

[AR-Baseball-Fan]

Dusty should not concern himself with what the Cubs do next year. Hopefully, he will be far, far away.

[jmajew]

You would think we would have the best pitching staff in baseball because we lead th league in walks. The bases will always be clogged.

 

Does Dusty think his pitchers giving up walks is bad? just a question, because if so he is trully not qualified for the job.

[David]

Serenity now!

[Jon]

You would think we would have the best pitching staff in baseball because we lead th league in walks. The bases will always be clogged.

 

Does Dusty think his pitchers giving up walks is bad? just a question, because if so he is trully not qualified for the job.

He hates when his pitchers gives up walks. Same with Hendry. That makes this all the more confusing/maddening/idiotic.

[sherwood921]

Isn't there some way that we can raise a flag to someone within the organization or someone who can convert the casual fan. It's just unfathomable for someone to be so thickheaded. He says walks are bad for his offense unless you're fast, but you need homeruns(which are worth more if the bases are "clogged"). Does he also think a slow, singles hitter is bad, since they're clogging the bases too? I can't wait to read Bruce's next article. I just don't get how the correlation between walks and runs doesn't hit Dusty. His pitchers walk too many and give up runs. His hitters don't walk and get no runs. I really wish we could hold a rally, or picket, or something.

[Laura]

good grief

[Soriano12]

 

Didn't they try that already this year outside Wrigley...I think 6 people showed up.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

Isn't there some way that we can raise a flag to someone within the organization or someone who can convert the casual fan. It's just unfathomable for someone to be so thickheaded. He says walks are bad for his offense unless you're fast, but you need homeruns(which are worth more if the bases are "clogged"). Does he also think a slow, singles hitter is bad, since they're clogging the bases too? I can't wait to read Bruce's next article. I just don't get how the correlation between walks and runs doesn't hit Dusty. His pitchers walk too many and give up runs. His hitters don't walk and get no runs. I really wish we could hold a rally, or picket, or something.

 

I may be wrong on this, but I'm not sure how many in the media are Cub fans who actually cover the Cubs day in day out (save Bruce). You see it in Boston where Ryan, Edes, Gammons, Shaughnessey, and MacMullen are all locals and passionate about the Red Sox. They call it like it is. They say Boston is a tough town, but that's got a lot to do with all the writers being passionate locals who care about seeing their teams win. I don't see this much in Chicago outside of the Herald and haven't seen it in the Trib or Times since Greenstein was the Cub beat writer. Thus, unless you read the Herald, you don't have writers conveying the faults of this club on a daily basis. It's all sugar-coated and Baker continues to get a pass, hell, Rogers even made a recent case for bringing Baker back!