Hendry's Last Year

[RedIvyCub]

Hendry has been a failure as a GM. And I believe the new owners of the Cubs will launch him on Day #1. He's simply overmatched. Here's why:

* Despite finishing consistently low in the standings and therefore having high draft picks, the minor leagues have failed to produce a quality everyday player in more than 10+ years. I thought that Ryan Harvey would amount to something but I see he's still stuck in A ball after 4 years. How could the farm system go from Top 5 to bottom 5 so fast?

* He seems to draft players from college programs that his friends are coaches for-Notre Dame, etc..which so far haven't developed. Bobby Brownlie, Grant Johnson, etc..

* Players coming thru the Cubs minor leagues take forever to make it thru. Other teams have young players come up when they're 20,21, 22. The Cubs have these Sean Marshall types that are 26 year old rookies.

* When signing free agents he overpays, offers too long a contract and seems to be suckered by agents to bid against himself. Then we're stuck with these guys and when they suck,we can't get rid of them. Jacque Jones, Jason Marquis, etc..

* He just can't Kerry Wood out of his life. You would think he would be smart enough to see the mechanics haven't changed, the chances of injury are still there and paying this guy millions for another year was more than foolish.

* Hendry loves marginal middle infielders who can't do anything well-Izturis, Fontenot and the great Neifi Perez.

* Hendry thinks you can win with these small, undersized players like Greenburg, Fuld etc.. who hustle, make an occasional good catch but do nothing else.

 

More later..

 

No matter what you think, if the Cubs are as successful this year as expected, I would think Hendry has a good shot at being rehired. Of course, there are different definitions of being "successful". If the new owner is a real "take charge" owner and comes in with a set idea of hiring certain front office people, then Hendry might be in trouble. I would think most of the ownership groups would probably want to keep him until things settled down. If by some miracle, the Cubs win the World Series, he would get a lifetime contract.

 

Hendry will be around until the end of his contract. Depending on who the new owner is, he will probably want his own guy in that role if he is a baseball guy. That is how the business works...it's the good old boys network alive and kicking.