Hendry on WGN

[Balsa]

i think the cubs will resign pierre & pie will be switched to rf in 07. that said, it is probably a good thing that baker & his crew dont get a chance to mess pie up. he would probably just sit on the bench & watch bynum play in the OF anyway.

Truth. Can you imagine all the aggressive swinging that would cause in his two PH at bats?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I don't neccessarily think Pie needs to be called up, so I'm fine with this. He also tells us Murt needs to play a lot, which is good.

 

I don't see much wrong with this.

There's nothing wrong with it, except that we're effectively ending our top prospect's season because we want a free-agent-to-be to get as much playing time as possible. It's a ridiculous statement. Can we only play one rookie at a time? Can't Jacque take some days off? We all know Murton isn't going to play every day anyways, so you might as well replace the days Pagan plays with Pie.

He's gonna play in the AFL isn't he? I as well see nothing wrong with this, especially because Murton gets more playing time.

 

Pie isn't going to the AFL. He'll probably play for Licey in the DR Winter League.

[CUBZ99]

Didn't see the interview but, Len is really taking some flack on other message boards for this interview. Some are saying that he was throwing Hendry softballs and failed to ask any tough questions. Don't know what else they would expect on the leadoff man. Its not like it has been known in the past for its tough journalism.

[soapy]

I'm not sure Hendry realizes, but Murton and Pie don't play the same position. Might want to make a note of that.

 

I don't think there is any question the the Cubs are going to re-sign Pierre (or at least attempt to).

 

:pukel:

[neely crenshaw]

god forbid we sit down jones for 3 weeks. he has been just fine but he IS SIGNED for 2 more years, he is going no place, so why does it have to be murton that sits?

of course as someone said we can't bring up pie because that would take valuable at bats away from bynum!

 

and yeah it sounds good that we will play 3 youngsters however i'm pretty sure that means bynum...and not theriot or soto

[goonys evil twin]

At least he's admitting that things are broken. Now let's see him actually fix them.

 

He said the same thing last year.

[thedaymen]

I thought the best part of the interview was when he said "a bunch of players went down but we should have played better" in other words, his players were the ones that let everyone down or the manager.

 

But he put together a great team. Stupid players not having career years.

[YearofDaCubs]

Aside from 2004 has Hendry assembled a team that looked good on paper? I would say no.

[goonys evil twin]

Aside from 2004 has Hendry assembled a team that looked good on paper? I would say no.

 

He's got a knack for assembling teams that would look good if, and only if, everything went well and there were no setbacks. He builds teams that could win, instead of teams that should win.

[Guest]

Pierre has one of the longest current consecutive game streaks in baseball as he hasn't missed a game since 2002. No manager or GM is going to break that kind of thing to get a minor leaguer more playing time. It isn't just Hendry and Baker. I repeat -- no manager or GM would break that kind of streak. Just isn't going to happen.

[CuseCubFan69]

Pierre has one of the longest current consecutive game streaks in baseball as he hasn't missed a game since 2002. No manager or GM is going to break that kind of thing to get a minor leaguer more playing time. It isn't just Hendry and Baker. I repeat -- no manager or GM would break that kind of streak. Just isn't going to happen.

 

Can't even pinch hit, eh?

[jmajew]

Aside from 2004 has Hendry assembled a team that looked good on paper? I would say no.

 

He's got a knack for assembling teams that would look good if, and only if, everything went well and there were no setbacks. He builds teams that could win, instead of teams that should win.

 

So you don't think the 2004 were built to win? Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Clement was supposed to be the best rotation in baseball. It was not Hendry's fault that year for relying on Prior and Wood. It was his fault in 2005 and 2006 for relying on them but not 2004 when they had all been healthy in 2003.

[Soriano12]

At first I was upset about Pie not coming up but then I realized its better off

that this coaching staff doesn't touch him.

 

 

anyone catch this quote from the sun-times today:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cubnt05.html

 

PIE CHART: Felix Pie went 2-for-3 with a triple and home run (his 15th) for Class AAA Iowa on Sunday, but the young outfielder isn't likely to be recalled this month.

 

''According to our scouts, he still has things to learn about playing the game,'' Baker said. ''I know everyone's clamoring for him, but the decision isn't up to me. That's on our development people because we don't get to see him play. We wish he would have done better.''

 

Done better? The kid is 21 playing in AAA which pretty darn good progression. Pie also hit well over .300 the past few moths, cutdown on

his K's a bit and improved his baserunning.

 

This organiztion is clueless when it comes to evaluating their own talent.

[goonys evil twin]

Aside from 2004 has Hendry assembled a team that looked good on paper? I would say no.

 

He's got a knack for assembling teams that would look good if, and only if, everything went well and there were no setbacks. He builds teams that could win, instead of teams that should win.

 

So you don't think the 2004 were built to win? Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Clement was supposed to be the best rotation in baseball. It was not Hendry's fault that year for relying on Prior and Wood. It was his fault in 2005 and 2006 for relying on them but not 2004 when they had all been healthy in 2003.

 

They did win, 89 games. 1 more than the season before. It was a nominal improvement. When I speak of building teams that should win, I'm talking about building teams that should win 95-100 games. Teams that should be near locks for the playoffs, or extremely close to a lock. Not a team that might skate by if things fall the right way (like the 2003 did).

[goonys evil twin]

At first I was upset about Pie not coming up but then I realized its better off

that this coaching staff doesn't touch him.

 

 

anyone catch this quote from the sun-times today:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cubnt05.html

 

PIE CHART: Felix Pie went 2-for-3 with a triple and home run (his 15th) for Class AAA Iowa on Sunday, but the young outfielder isn't likely to be recalled this month.

 

''According to our scouts, he still has things to learn about playing the game,'' Baker said. ''I know everyone's clamoring for him, but the decision isn't up to me. That's on our development people because we don't get to see him play. We wish he would have done better.''

 

Done better? The kid is 21 playing in AAA which pretty darn good progression. Pie also hit well over .300 the past few moths, cutdown on

his K's a bit and improved his baserunning.

 

This organiztion is clueless when it comes to evaluating their own talent.

 

I wish Pie did better.

[Soriano12]

At first I was upset about Pie not coming up but then I realized its better off

that this coaching staff doesn't touch him.

 

 

anyone catch this quote from the sun-times today:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-cubnt05.html

 

PIE CHART: Felix Pie went 2-for-3 with a triple and home run (his 15th) for Class AAA Iowa on Sunday, but the young outfielder isn't likely to be recalled this month.

 

''According to our scouts, he still has things to learn about playing the game,'' Baker said. ''I know everyone's clamoring for him, but the decision isn't up to me. That's on our development people because we don't get to see him play. We wish he would have done better.''

 

Done better? The kid is 21 playing in AAA which pretty darn good progression. Pie also hit well over .300 the past few moths, cutdown on

his K's a bit and improved his baserunning.

 

This organiztion is clueless when it comes to evaluating their own talent.

 

I wish Pie did better.

 

What were you expecting?

[goonys evil twin]

 

I wish Pie did better.

 

What were you expecting?

 

I don't recall exactly what I was expecting, but I know I was hoping for something more than what he did - .283/.341/.451, which was below his 2005 numbers (half season) and below his career average. Kind of makes the 2005 stick out like a sore thumb. The guy had a sub 800 OPS, I don't know what's wrong with me saying I wish he did better. I find it incredibly hypocritical for Dusty to be so accepting of the seasons Pierre, Perez, Jones, Pagan, Bynum, etc put up, while at the same time criticizing a 21 year old in AAA. But that's a seperate matter.

[Soriano12]

 

I wish Pie did better.

 

What were you expecting?

 

I find it incredibly hypocritical for Dusty to be so accepting of the seasons Pierre, Perez, Jones, Pagan, Bynum, etc put up, while at the same time criticizing a 21 year old in AAA. But that's a seperate matter.

 

Thats my point. Why take a shot at your top prospect in the Media?

 

Handle these things behind close doors.

 

 

 

as for Pie expectations...I really think you have to divide his season in half to see his potential. He might have been sligthly overwhelmed the first half but really put it together the 2nd half. I wish he didn't K as much, but he seems like a kid who wants to improve so I think he will start off Iowa next season on a fast track.

[frostwyrm]

Pierre has one of the longest current consecutive game streaks in baseball as he hasn't missed a game since 2002. No manager or GM is going to break that kind of thing to get a minor leaguer more playing time. It isn't just Hendry and Baker. I repeat -- no manager or GM would break that kind of streak. Just isn't going to happen.

 

Can't even pinch hit, eh?

Or pinch run?

[Yestheydo]

I did like hearing him say that the 3 young guys are going to play and I also would like to have heard that Soto would get some time too.

I definitely think Soto needs to get a lot of time. They don't need to evaluate Blanco; they already know what they have with him. They do, however, need to see whether they can count on Soto as the backup catcher next year, and they won't find that out if Soto is glued to the pine.

 

With Z down, they're looking at an entire month of nothing but rookie starters. With Barrett down, they have an opportunity to have a real catcher handling them. Soto will get some starts, but Blanco should play most games.

[goonys evil twin]

Thats my point. Why take a shot at your top prospect in the Media?

 

Handle these things behind close doors.

 

 

 

as for Pie expectations...I really think you have to divide his season in half to see his potential. He might have been sligthly overwhelmed the first half but really put it together the 2nd half. I wish he didn't K as much, but he seems like a kid who wants to improve so I think he will start off Iowa next season on a fast track.

 

I'm not a big fan of disregarding prolonged periods of poor performance and selectively viewing a player's best numbers. We already knew his potential was huge. He showed us that last year, with a shortened season of success. But snapshots and splits are a dangerous way to rate a player. Sure, it's nice that he came on big late. But the fact is his 2006 rate stats weren't that impressive. I wish he did better. He is still an enormous question mark as a prospect, with a very wide range of possible career paths.

[Guest]

Pierre has one of the longest current consecutive game streaks in baseball as he hasn't missed a game since 2002. No manager or GM is going to break that kind of thing to get a minor leaguer more playing time. It isn't just Hendry and Baker. I repeat -- no manager or GM would break that kind of streak. Just isn't going to happen.

 

Can't even pinch hit, eh?

I could be mistaken, but I believe Pierre has started all those games and so his streak is "legit".

 

Now, there's nothing to say you couldn't lift him after the 4th inning every game and let Pie finish things up. But that would really be an insulting thing to do in the eyes of most people inside baseball.

[goonys evil twin]

Now, there's nothing to say you couldn't lift him after the 4th inning every game and let Pie finish things up. But that would really be an insulting thing to do in the eyes of most people inside baseball.

 

Letting a crappy player play every day is quite insulting to the fans.

[Guest]

For the record on Pie's 2006 performance, I'm:

 

1) satisfied with the numbers he put up in AAA as a 21 year old.

2) happy he made adjustments during the year to finish stronger than he started

3) disappointed he didn't explode in a hitter's league and put up a .900+ OPS

 

He didn't do anything to hurt his prospect status this year. But he didn't do anything to enhance it, either.

[Guest]

Now, there's nothing to say you couldn't lift him after the 4th inning every game and let Pie finish things up. But that would really be an insulting thing to do in the eyes of most people inside baseball.

 

Letting a crappy player play every day is quite insulting to the fans.

The Cubs and most baseball people do not look at Pierre that way, though.