Hendry Article

[UK1679666180]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

[UMFan83]

This quote was interesting:

 

Hendry and his staff started by identifying the best players who might be available in the offseason. The discussion was a quick one: Alfonso Soriano led their list, with their own third baseman Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Lee right below him.

 

So Soriano was a bigger priority to sign then Aramis?

[USSoccer]

This quote was interesting:

 

Hendry and his staff started by identifying the best players who might be available in the offseason. The discussion was a quick one: Alfonso Soriano led their list, with their own third baseman Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Lee right below him.

 

So Soriano was a bigger priority to sign then Aramis?

 

That disconcerting.

[goonys evil twin]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

 

Andy and Jim said the same things 10 years ago.

[UK1679666180]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

 

Andy and Jim said the same things 10 years ago.

 

They had it, didn't follow through with it.

[USSoccer]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

 

Andy and Jim said the same things 10 years ago.

 

That turned out so well, too, didn't it?

[rawaction]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

 

Andy and Jim said the same things 10 years ago.

 

10 years ago, it was actually starting to be put in place though. Hopefully, the organization at least has another run in them like 98-03.

 

Edit: I should add that the scouting was very strong in those years, but it will end the same if player development isn't stepped up and a change happens within the organizational philosophy.

[goonys evil twin]

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/16345562.htm

 

 

"You need to cultivate the farm system, you need to have players on the way up who can contribute," McDonough said. "It's important for the Cubs to win and to win consistently."

 

Bingo.

 

Andy and Jim said the same things 10 years ago.

 

They had it, didn't follow through with it.

 

I'm not sure it's so much "not following through" as it is just doing it wrong. It's not like they talked about building through the farm, then abandoned it. They followed through, they just failed.

[UK1679666180]

Their philosophy shifted after '03, they went from winning for the long-term to winning in the short-term. They bumped the payroll up at the same time cancelled international scouting in various areas and did not sign any key FAs during that time to compensate for the lack of prospects coming up.

 

Their lack of impact players from Latin America and the Pacific Rim as well as an inability to either by injury, talent, or approach of minor leaguers to progress.

[rawaction]

Their philosophy shifted after '03, they went from winning for the long-term to winning in the short-term. They bumped the payroll up at the same time cancelled international scouting in various areas and did not sign any key FAs during that time to compensate for the lack of prospects coming up.

 

Their lack of impact players from Latin America and the Pacific Rim as well as an inability to either by injury, talent, or approach of minor leaguers to progress.

 

For lack of a better term.....I think the Cubs gave up in building the farm system. I think they saw all he talent in their draft picks (Patterson, Prior, Sisco, etc) and international signings (Zambrano, Choi, Ryu, Pie) and thought they honestly had enough quality prospects and players to sustain a long future of success.

[goonys evil twin]

Their philosophy shifted after '03, they went from winning for the long-term to winning in the short-term. They bumped the payroll up at the same time cancelled international scouting in various areas and did not sign any key FAs during that time to compensate for the lack of prospects coming up.

 

Their lack of impact players from Latin America and the Pacific Rim as well as an inability to either by injury, talent, or approach of minor leaguers to progress.

 

Yeah, they may have changed after '03, but that was still a decade of Cubs prospects under Andy/Hendry leadership without a single position player.

 

That being said, there's nothing wrong with shift to winning for the short-term at times, trading away some guys. The problem is if you have 10 years to build, you should have a better core already around that taking a year off shouldn't kill you.

 

If they did the original play properly, the 00-03 teams should have been filled with multiple good young players from within the organization, and it should have been the perfect time to top it off with a trade for a guy or two at a position you couldn't fill internally.

[UK1679666180]

Their philosophy shifted after '03, they went from winning for the long-term to winning in the short-term. They bumped the payroll up at the same time cancelled international scouting in various areas and did not sign any key FAs during that time to compensate for the lack of prospects coming up.

 

Their lack of impact players from Latin America and the Pacific Rim as well as an inability to either by injury, talent, or approach of minor leaguers to progress.

 

For lack of a better term.....I think the Cubs gave up in building the farm system. I think they saw all he talent in their draft picks (Patterson, Prior, Sisco, etc) and international signings (Zambrano, Choi, Ryu, Pie) and thought they honestly had enough quality prospects and players to sustain a long future of success.

 

Exactly, I don't care how good your current squad is, if you don't put a great deal of emphasis on the farm, it'll bite you. The Yankees are in that mode right now, they've made great strides in their system over the last couple of years and it has to do with them not winning the past few years by building a great FA club.

Edited December 30, 2006 by UK

[UK1679666180]

Their philosophy shifted after '03, they went from winning for the long-term to winning in the short-term. They bumped the payroll up at the same time cancelled international scouting in various areas and did not sign any key FAs during that time to compensate for the lack of prospects coming up.

 

Their lack of impact players from Latin America and the Pacific Rim as well as an inability to either by injury, talent, or approach of minor leaguers to progress.

 

Yeah, they may have changed after '03, but that was still a decade of Cubs prospects under Andy/Hendry leadership without a single position player.

 

That being said, there's nothing wrong with shift to winning for the short-term at times, trading away some guys. The problem is if you have 10 years to build, you should have a better core already around that taking a year off shouldn't kill you.

 

If they did the original play properly, the 00-03 teams should have been filled with multiple good young players from within the organization, and it should have been the perfect time to top it off with a trade for a guy or two at a position you couldn't fill internally.

 

The Lynch years were separate though as was the philosophy. You can't build for the long-term by trading two of the best pitching prospects within your system for Karchner and Heredia (Heredia was young, though) and going after Tapani, Gaetti, Servais, Girardi, etc.

 

I believe the 1st real commitment was after they saw what they potentially could have come up the pipeline for cheap w/Wood. The 98' draft was probably the foundation of positional prospects (Wood, Kelton, and I can't remember if Goldbach was a '98 draftee as well).

[RynoRules]

I think Hendry got one piece of the puzzle correct - he built solid depth in the system (particualrly at the lower levels). However, he didn't know when: a) to trade guys when their value was highest (Juan Cruz being Ex A, in my mind); and b) how to protect and develop the three-five guys that you need to be cornerstones of a winning franchise (like the Yankees did in the ealry nineties with Williams, Pettite, Rivera, etc.).

 

Additionally, if he had intended to utilize the prospects, he made a poor hire in Dusty. Maybe he understands that now, and realizes it will take three years to rebuild the systems, by which time Lou should be done or close thereto.

[BigbadB]

The minors did bear some fruit. They did have success with pitching during that time. If they got 10 pitchers to the majors and zero position players, it's somewhat of a flawed system, but it's still a successful one. The problem is that they did have some bad years, and those bad years are starting to surface as the system is at its weakest.

 

If they had the minor league talent right now to do another Derrek Lee or Aramis deal, while still maintaining the depth of the farm system like they did at the time of those trades, they would certainly be better off than where they are right now.

 

More than anything, they have GOT to get back to scouting the globe for talent. Many of today's stars are foreign born players. Two of the 3 best players on the Cubs roster are foreign born. Some of the best prospects are foreign born. But, it gets real thin after Guzman, Marmol and Mateo.

[frostwyrm]

Trading Ricky Nolasco for one season of Juan Pierre wasn't the best way to further the longterm success of the Cubs. Failing to trade Pierre for prospect(s) at the deadline didn't help either.

[CubsWin]

Trading Ricky Nolasco for one season of Juan Pierre wasn't the best way to further the longterm success of the Cubs. Failing to trade Pierre for prospect(s) at the deadline didn't help either.

Agreed. That was a bad, desperate trade.

[mg420]

The minors did bear some fruit. They did have success with pitching during that time. If they got 10 pitchers to the majors and zero position players, it's somewhat of a flawed system, but it's still a successful one. The problem is that they did have some bad years, and those bad years are starting to surface as the system is at its weakest.

 

If they had the minor league talent right now to do another Derrek Lee or Aramis deal, while still maintaining the depth of the farm system like they did at the time of those trades, they would certainly be better off than where they are right now.

 

More than anything, they have GOT to get back to scouting the globe for talent. Many of today's stars are foreign born players. Two of the 3 best players on the Cubs roster are foreign born. Some of the best prospects are foreign born. But, it gets real thin after Guzman, Marmol and Mateo.[/quote]

 

pie?

[Backtobanks]

The minors did bear some fruit. They did have success with pitching during that time. If they got 10 pitchers to the majors and zero position players, it's somewhat of a flawed system, but it's still a successful one. The problem is that they did have some bad years, and those bad years are starting to surface as the system is at its weakest.

 

If they had the minor league talent right now to do another Derrek Lee or Aramis deal, while still maintaining the depth of the farm system like they did at the time of those trades, they would certainly be better off than where they are right now.

 

More than anything, they have GOT to get back to scouting the globe for talent. Many of today's stars are foreign born players. Two of the 3 best players on the Cubs roster are foreign born. Some of the best prospects are foreign born. But, it gets real thin after Guzman, Marmol and Mateo.[/quote]

 

pie?

 

No thanks, I'm trying to cut back on sweets.

[BigbadB]

The minors did bear some fruit. They did have success with pitching during that time. If they got 10 pitchers to the majors and zero position players, it's somewhat of a flawed system, but it's still a successful one. The problem is that they did have some bad years, and those bad years are starting to surface as the system is at its weakest.

 

If they had the minor league talent right now to do another Derrek Lee or Aramis deal, while still maintaining the depth of the farm system like they did at the time of those trades, they would certainly be better off than where they are right now.

 

More than anything, they have GOT to get back to scouting the globe for talent. Many of today's stars are foreign born players. Two of the 3 best players on the Cubs roster are foreign born. Some of the best prospects are foreign born. But, it gets real thin after Guzman, Marmol and Mateo.[/quote]

 

pie?

 

Well, yeah. Pie too. I was really only looking at pitching when I wrote that this morning.

[cubfever7]

Trading Ricky Nolasco for one season of Juan Pierre wasn't the best way to further the longterm success of the Cubs. Failing to trade Pierre for prospect(s) at the deadline didn't help either.

Agreed. That was a bad, desperate trade.

 

Not only Nolasco, but Pinto will more than likely end up being every bit as big a blunder. We have a ton of question marks at the #5 starter slot with Prior, Miller, Cotts or Marshall. For all I know Guzman will all of a sudden snap out of it and realize his potential. But I can guarantee we'd have had no problems worrying about the 5 hole or maybe even wouldn't have signed Marquis if not for they horrific lose/lose trade.

 

I can rattle off a lot of Hendry moves that i liked and until that Pierre mess i always thought protecting Macias insrtead of Sisco was his worst move, but nope. Losing those 3 young arms for NOTHING was simply awful.

 

I am actually quite pleased that we spent money rather than leveraged away any more siginificant farm pieces, but I still await with baited breath to see what is done about an impact CF. I don't think some unfilled potential, claimed off the scrap heap type gets it done. There are few options out there, but someone out of perhaps the Dodger or Brewer orgs may be helpful. Both seem to have a surplus of OF's with good upside. Repko or Corey Hart would be awesome--i'd even be happy with Brady Clark for a short term--he's 33--but very serviceable. Maybe a 3-way with another team could land him...the Brewers look loaded in the OF with T Gwynn Jr, Laynce Nix, Mench, Hart, Clark, Jenkins, Anderson and Gross. Even Nix would work for me--saw him in AAA for a couple games right after TX traded him and he flat killed the ball. Bill Hall will more than likely land in the OF as well...

 

 

 

Pie needs a lightning bolt miracle to be ready before 2008...he doesn't seem to be even close right now.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Pie needs a lightning bolt miracle to be ready before 2008...he doesn't seem to be even close right now.

 

That's not true at all. There's debate on how ready he is for this year, but after a second year at AAA there's an extremely high likelihood of him being ready to contribute for the big club.

[CUBZ99]

Trading Ricky Nolasco for one season of Juan Pierre wasn't the best way to further the longterm success of the Cubs. Failing to trade Pierre for prospect(s) at the deadline didn't help either.

Agreed. That was a bad, desperate trade.

 

Not only Nolasco, but Pinto will more than likely end up being every bit as big a blunder. We have a ton of question marks at the #5 starter slot with Prior, Miller, Cotts or Marshall. For all I know Guzman will all of a sudden snap out of it and realize his potential. But I can guarantee we'd have had no problems worrying about the 5 hole or maybe even wouldn't have signed Marquis if not for they horrific lose/lose trade.

 

I can rattle off a lot of Hendry moves that i liked and until that Pierre mess i always thought protecting Macias insrtead of Sisco was his worst move, but nope. Losing those 3 young arms for NOTHING was simply awful.

 

I am actually quite pleased that we spent money rather than leveraged away any more siginificant farm pieces, but I still await with baited breath to see what is done about an impact CF. I don't think some unfilled potential, claimed off the scrap heap type gets it done. There are few options out there, but someone out of perhaps the Dodger or Brewer orgs may be helpful. Both seem to have a surplus of OF's with good upside. Repko or Corey Hart would be awesome--i'd even be happy with Brady Clark for a short term--he's 33--but very serviceable. Maybe a 3-way with another team could land him...the Brewers look loaded in the OF with T Gwynn Jr, Laynce Nix, Mench, Hart, Clark, Jenkins, Anderson and Gross. Even Nix would work for me--saw him in AAA for a couple games right after TX traded him and he flat killed the ball. Bill Hall will more than likely land in the OF as well...

 

 

 

Pie needs a lightning bolt miracle to be ready before 2008...he doesn't seem to be even close right now.

 

Lets wait to see who the Cubs get in the Supplemental Draft for Pierre before we bash Hendry for failing to trade him before the deadline. I would rather have a first round pick than a C level prospect.

[illiniguy]

Trading Ricky Nolasco for one season of Juan Pierre wasn't the best way to further the longterm success of the Cubs. Failing to trade Pierre for prospect(s) at the deadline didn't help either.

Agreed. That was a bad, desperate trade.

 

Not only Nolasco, but Pinto will more than likely end up being every bit as big a blunder. We have a ton of question marks at the #5 starter slot with Prior, Miller, Cotts or Marshall. For all I know Guzman will all of a sudden snap out of it and realize his potential. But I can guarantee we'd have had no problems worrying about the 5 hole or maybe even wouldn't have signed Marquis if not for they horrific lose/lose trade.

 

I can rattle off a lot of Hendry moves that i liked and until that Pierre mess i always thought protecting Macias insrtead of Sisco was his worst move, but nope. Losing those 3 young arms for NOTHING was simply awful.

 

I am actually quite pleased that we spent money rather than leveraged away any more siginificant farm pieces, but I still await with baited breath to see what is done about an impact CF. I don't think some unfilled potential, claimed off the scrap heap type gets it done. There are few options out there, but someone out of perhaps the Dodger or Brewer orgs may be helpful. Both seem to have a surplus of OF's with good upside. Repko or Corey Hart would be awesome--i'd even be happy with Brady Clark for a short term--he's 33--but very serviceable. Maybe a 3-way with another team could land him...the Brewers look loaded in the OF with T Gwynn Jr, Laynce Nix, Mench, Hart, Clark, Jenkins, Anderson and Gross. Even Nix would work for me--saw him in AAA for a couple games right after TX traded him and he flat killed the ball. Bill Hall will more than likely land in the OF as well...

 

 

 

Pie needs a lightning bolt miracle to be ready before 2008...he doesn't seem to be even close right now.

 

Lets wait to see who the Cubs get in the Supplemental Draft for Pierre before we bash Hendry for failing to trade him before the deadline. I would rather have a first round pick than a C level prospect.

That is a good point, but I think Nolasco might be better than anything we get.

[BigbadB]

Pierre could have netted something better than a "C" prospect at the trade deadline. Teams value him. Why, I'm not sure. But, look at the contract he signed this year.