So when is JH gonna make a move for another bat???

[jersey cubs fan]

Point is you can blame him for how he assembled this team, but I don't think you can blame him for the (apparent) fact that he is unable to improve it through trades at this time.

 

I think you can. He built a team that would need trades, and he isn't able to figure out how to get one done. I highly doubt he's been told he can't make trades that add marginally to the payroll. Besides, he's the GM, he needs to figure out how to make the team better. The excuse of not being able to add money to the payroll is an excuse most GM's don't get to use. If he could only improve the team by significantly increasing payroll, that just exposes a major flaw in his ability.

 

That's a fine argument, but he's not the only GM who builds a team with an eye towards the trading deadline. The best teams and best run orgs do it.

 

It's one thing to build a 92 win team that might need a trade for two to get to 95 or so. But Jim has a barely above .500 team (that costs over $100m). There's no reason why going into 2007 the Cubs couldn't have been a near lock for 90 wins. None. That's Jim's doing.

[jersey cubs fan]

And you're 100% wrong that "not being able to add money to the payroll is an excuse most GM's don't get to use." Every GM in baseball operates under budget limitations imposed by ownership, and very few GMs would have the complete latitude to make a trade with significant payroll implications (especially ones stretching into future years).

 

That's my point.

 

Most GMs operate under a budget and can't just add to payroll. You have to build a winner in those circumstances, no excuses. Now people are trying to excuse Jim's failures because of a perceived handcuffing by ownership, when he's really just operating under the same rules as everybody else.

Fair enough, but you said it backwards.

 

"Not being able to add money to the payroll is an excuse most GM's don't get to use." = most GM's are able to add money to the payroll.

 

No, what I said was they can't use the excuse. Everybody knows going in they have a budget. Saying in July that a GM had his hands tied by ownership isn't an excuse for not building a better team in the first place.

 

My point is people need to quit offering up this excuse for Hendry. He's had the benefit of vastly more resources than most GMs during his tenure, now that his hands may be tied (while still using a much bigger budget) it's no excuse for failure.

[CubColtPacer]

And you're 100% wrong that "not being able to add money to the payroll is an excuse most GM's don't get to use." Every GM in baseball operates under budget limitations imposed by ownership, and very few GMs would have the complete latitude to make a trade with significant payroll implications (especially ones stretching into future years).

 

That's my point.

 

Most GMs operate under a budget and can't just add to payroll. You have to build a winner in those circumstances, no excuses. Now people are trying to excuse Jim's failures because of a perceived handcuffing by ownership, when he's really just operating under the same rules as everybody else.

Fair enough, but you said it backwards.

 

"Not being able to add money to the payroll is an excuse most GM's don't get to use." = most GM's are able to add money to the payroll.

 

No, what I said was they can't use the excuse. Everybody knows going in they have a budget. Saying in July that a GM had his hands tied by ownership isn't an excuse for not building a better team in the first place.

 

My point is people need to quit offering up this excuse for Hendry. He's had the benefit of vastly more resources than most GMs during his tenure, now that his hands may be tied (while still using a much bigger budget) it's no excuse for failure.

 

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

[jersey cubs fan]

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

 

I think that's ludicrous. The budget didn't change. He blew it.

[CubColtPacer]

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

 

I think that's ludicrous. The budget didn't change. He blew it.

 

So they were negotiating with Z just for fun then? They got all the way to the point where the contract would be signed, and then Hendry looked at Z and said "Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't have any money to give you. I've known about this for a couple months, but I negotiated with you anyway. Sorry" I think that's a lot more ludicrous then to think the budget changed directly after the sale.

[jersey cubs fan]

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

 

I think that's ludicrous. The budget didn't change. He blew it.

 

So they were negotiating with Z just for fun then? They got all the way to the point where the contract would be signed, and then Hendry looked at Z and said "Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't have any money to give you. I've known about this for a couple months, but I negotiated with you anyway. Sorry" I think that's a lot more ludicrous then to think the budget changed directly after the sale.

 

Z's contract has nothing to do with the 2007 team. Hendry had over $100m to spend on the 2007 team and blew it, just like the $100m he blew in 2006 and the $90+ he blew in 2005.

[CubColtPacer]

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

 

I think that's ludicrous. The budget didn't change. He blew it.

 

So they were negotiating with Z just for fun then? They got all the way to the point where the contract would be signed, and then Hendry looked at Z and said "Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't have any money to give you. I've known about this for a couple months, but I negotiated with you anyway. Sorry" I think that's a lot more ludicrous then to think the budget changed directly after the sale.

 

Z's contract has nothing to do with the 2007 team. Hendry had over $100m to spend on the 2007 team and blew it, just like the $100m he blew in 2006 and the $90+ he blew in 2005.

 

Yes, he didn't make the roster right. We're conceding that. We're talking about the trade deadline though. Hendry thought he had the budget to add a player at the deadline, and he would have had it, except the budget changed on Opening Day. Therefore, Hendry gets the blame for the 2007 roster, but not the blame for adding nobody of significance at the deadline, because the only guys he could add would be rentals.

[jersey cubs fan]

Everybody knows they have a budget, it's just most G.M.s know their budget. Hendry had his budget suddenly change on him by ownership Opening Day.

 

I think that's ludicrous. The budget didn't change. He blew it.

 

So they were negotiating with Z just for fun then? They got all the way to the point where the contract would be signed, and then Hendry looked at Z and said "Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't have any money to give you. I've known about this for a couple months, but I negotiated with you anyway. Sorry" I think that's a lot more ludicrous then to think the budget changed directly after the sale.

 

Z's contract has nothing to do with the 2007 team. Hendry had over $100m to spend on the 2007 team and blew it, just like the $100m he blew in 2006 and the $90+ he blew in 2005.

 

Yes, he didn't make the roster right. We're conceding that. We're talking about the trade deadline though. Hendry thought he had the budget to add a player at the deadline, and he would have had it, except the budget changed on Opening Day. Therefore, Hendry gets the blame for the 2007 roster, but not the blame for adding nobody of significance at the deadline, because the only guys he could add would be rentals.

 

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

[davearm]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

[jersey cubs fan]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

[C.C.]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

 

 

How would've he known it would be this year?

[Electron Blue]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

 

 

How would've he known it would be this year?

 

Imagine the backlash if Jim sat on his hands the last couple years waiting for the sale of the Cubs if it never happened . . .

[Derwood]

FWIW, Beltran hasn't been worth his contract either.

[anabiono]

FWIW, Beltran hasn't been worth his contract either.

 

QFT

 

want to know how to sum that one up?

 

strike 3 looking

[Electron Blue]

FWIW, Beltran hasn't been worth his contract either.

 

"worth"?

 

has he helped the mets significantly? has he significantly cash-strapped them?

[Derwood]

FWIW, Beltran hasn't been worth his contract either.

 

"worth"?

 

has he helped the mets significantly? has he significantly cash-strapped them?

 

They've gotten one great year from him, one mediocre, and one injury-riddled

[davearm]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

Well now you're just being laughably irrational.

 

Hendry just sat on his hands this past offseason, and made no effort to try and improve, figuring that he'd just fix things in July instead, huh?

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with something further from the truth than that.

[jersey cubs fan]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

Well now you're just being laughably irrational.

 

Hendry just sat on his hands this past offseason, and made no effort to try and improve, figuring that he'd just fix things in July instead, huh?

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with something further from the truth than that.

 

Of course I never said that but don't let that get in the way of your theory.

[UK1679666180]

Honestly, Hendry came as close as possible to maxing out the potential of a team coming off 66 wins even with the budget.

 

But, you can't forget the 66 wins and the 79 wins the previous years as well and who was in charge.

 

I think he just dug himself too big of a hole to get out of this year given the rosters of the past 2 years.

[jersey cubs fan]

Honestly, Hendry came as close as possible to maxing out the potential of a team coming off 66 wins even with the budget.

 

But, you can't forget the 66 wins and the 79 wins the previous years as well and who was in charge.

 

I think he just dug himself too big of a hole to get out of this year given the rosters of the past 2 years.

 

Possibly. But that's the whole point. You don't forgive a man for not getting anything in a trade on July 31 because of "unforeseen" circumstances when the whole reason why they needed improvements was because of how terrible he'd done his job the past 4 years.

[UK1679666180]

I'm not forgiving him, I think he's had a good off-season/season trying to correct a couple of poor ones in a row and it likely isn't enough to overcome those.

 

Given the circumstances, with this being his 5th season as GM, the team hasn't progressed as much as it should've given the resources at his disposal.

[davearm]

If he didn't think there might be budget issues by July, he's more of a moron than I thought. The Trib ownership was in flux and the team was likely to be in play. If he put together a team with the expectation of adding $5m in July, he's just a freaking moron.

Perhaps Hendry was being told that there would be additional money available right up until the point that the sale was announced, at which time he was told something different, namely that no money would be available.

 

In fact that's precisely what's widely believed to have happened.

 

So you're saying he was a freaking moron for taking his bosses' instructions at face value.

 

I'm saying he's a freaking moron if he couldn't put 2 and 2 together. The Cubs sale was speculated on for a long time. He had to have an idea that money may get tied up if something went down. He screwed up the team from 2003-2006, he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible and not just hoped he'd be able to fix it on the fly in July.

Well now you're just being laughably irrational.

 

Hendry just sat on his hands this past offseason, and made no effort to try and improve, figuring that he'd just fix things in July instead, huh?

 

You'd be hard pressed to come up with something further from the truth than that.

 

Of course I never said that but don't let that get in the way of your theory.

Oh really?

 

"He should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible."

 

Aside from the fact that that's a useless throwaway line that is patently obvious and universally applicable to every GM in baseball, clearly implicit in it is that he didn't do enough in the offseason to improve the team.

 

Of course the truth is that *the* story of baseball's offseason was the Cubs' top-to-bottom overhaul. Aside from the hiring of John McDonough as President, everything from the new manager and coaching staff, to the new LF, to the new pitchers, and on and on, was Hendry's doing. Nobody can deny that the makeover was extreme.

 

Now if you want to argue that Hendry's plan or vision or whatever is flawed, then fine. Philosophically, you clearly see things differently than he does, as do many of us here.

 

Just don't try and tell me that Hendry didn't do everything he could to go into 2007 with the best team *he* thought possible. That's just flat out absurd.

 

I think what you meant to say was not, "he should have gone in 2007 with the best team possible," but rather, "he should have done what I would've done."

[gflore34]

I don't believe the budget constraints argument holds water, to the billionaire or billionaires who are going to purchase the Cubs a few extra million is a drop in the bucket. Its convenient, sounds nice but, rings hollow, I believe its more Hendry' inability to put together a solid team in first place. And after the first month or so of the season his not observing the Cubs were still a bat short. Edited August 9, 2007 by gflore34

[C.C.]

I don't believe the budget constraints argument holds water, to the billionaire or billionaires who are going to purchase the Cubs a few extra million is a drop in the bucket. Its convenient, sounds nice but, rings hollow, I believe its more Hendry' inability to put together a solid team in first place. And after the first month or so of the season his observing the Cubs were a bat short.

 

 

 

Even to billionaires millions of dollars do matter. It's a negative to the bottom line.

[UK1679666180]

I don't believe the budget constraints argument holds water, to the billionaire or billionaires who are going to purchase the Cubs a few extra million is a drop in the bucket. Its convenient, sounds nice but, rings hollow, I believe its more Hendry' inability to put together a solid team in first place. And after the first month or so of the season his observing the Cubs were a bat short.

 

 

 

Even to billionaires millions of dollars do matter. It's a negative to the bottom line.

 

It all depends on ego too and why they purchased the team. Baseball isn't very profitable in the grand scheme of a billionaire buying a team compared to other potential ventures of similar cost.

 

They won't lose money, but if their ego plays a role their profit margin can be reduced at the expense of competition and self-valuation (even a word?)