For The Hendry Bashers

[Backtobanks]

For those of you who love bashing Hendry, I hope you realize that the 2009 Cubs are strictly Piniella's team. Pie, Hill, Wuertz, and Cedeno are gone because Lou lost faith in them and wanted veterans to replace them. As I've posted before, Lou loves young players as long as they produce immediately and if they don't they're banished forever and replaced by veterans. Hopefully the Cubs will win in 2009, but point the finger at the right person if they don't.

[anabiono]

i can see where hendry would value piniella's opinion, but to say that he has now taken over the role of GM as well seems a bit outlandish

[Tracer Bullet]

Assuming this is true, the fact that Hendry allowed Lou to influence his decisions so much isn't a fault of Hendry? You're the GM. If your manager wants you to get rid of some players, but you disagree, get the manager in line or fire him. You don't get to hide behind the manager.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

For those of you who love bashing Hendry, I hope you realize that the 2009 Cubs are strictly Piniella's team. Pie, Hill, Wuertz, and Cedeno are gone because Lou lost faith in them and wanted veterans to replace them. As I've posted before, Lou loves young players as long as they produce immediately and if they don't they're banished forever and replaced by veterans. Hopefully the Cubs will win in 2009, but point the finger at the right person if they don't.

 

If this is true, it's the most damning thing possible for Hendry. What's the point of having him if he abdicates his job?

[Backtobanks]

For those of you who love bashing Hendry, I hope you realize that the 2009 Cubs are strictly Piniella's team. Pie, Hill, Wuertz, and Cedeno are gone because Lou lost faith in them and wanted veterans to replace them. As I've posted before, Lou loves young players as long as they produce immediately and if they don't they're banished forever and replaced by veterans. Hopefully the Cubs will win in 2009, but point the finger at the right person if they don't.

 

If this is true, it's the most damning thing possible for Hendry. What's the point of having him if he abdicates his job?

 

I've supported Hendry over the years, but I do acknowledge some of his faults:

1. Overpaying fringe players.

2. Zeroing in on certain players to the point of obsession.

3. Allowing his manager(s) too much power in decision-making.

 

Piniella is a very good manager, but he has very little patience with young players. Wuertz, Pie, Cedeno, and Hill may not ever amount to anything, but the way Lou handled all of them certainly didn't help their careers or their trade value. Of course, Hendry gets blamed for their reduced trade value and not Teflon-Lou.

[anabiono]

the only one that list that wasn't given a real shot is pie

[SouthSideRyan]

Well, Wuertz was given a shot, he succeeded, and they still traded him away.

 

If Hendry lets his manager decide who's on the team, then it is Hendry's fault these guys are on the team. What the hell are you being paid for?

[Soul]

Well, Wuertz was given a shot, he succeeded, and they still traded him away.

 

If Hendry lets his manager decide who's on the team, then it is Hendry's fault these guys are on the team. What the hell are you being paid for?

 

All of it is speculation. How does anyone know that Lou is now making the decisions for Hendry?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well, Wuertz was given a shot, he succeeded, and they still traded him away.

 

If Hendry lets his manager decide who's on the team, then it is Hendry's fault these guys are on the team. What the hell are you being paid for?

 

All of it is speculation. How does anyone know that Lou is now making the decisions for Hendry?

 

It's less painful that admitting your GM may not be good.

[Outshined_One]

Well, Wuertz was given a shot, he succeeded, and they still traded him away.

 

If Hendry lets his manager decide who's on the team, then it is Hendry's fault these guys are on the team. What the hell are you being paid for?

 

All of it is speculation. How does anyone know that Lou is now making the decisions for Hendry?

 

It always seemed like Hendry was happy to get Dusty the players Dusty wanted on his team. I wouldn't be surprised if Hendry's M.O. was to rely more heavily on his manager's input than other GMs normally would.

[nilodnayr]

Hendry hired Lou, so its still Hendry's fault.

[Bruce Miles]

For those of you who love bashing Hendry, I hope you realize that the 2009 Cubs are strictly Piniella's team. Pie, Hill, Wuertz, and Cedeno are gone because Lou lost faith in them and wanted veterans to replace them. As I've posted before, Lou loves young players as long as they produce immediately and if they don't they're banished forever and replaced by veterans. Hopefully the Cubs will win in 2009, but point the finger at the right person if they don't.

 

"Young" is a relative term, I guess. Wuertz is 30. Hill is soon to be 29. Cedeno will be 26 soon. The quandary the Cubs found themselves in was that each of these players was in a situation where he was facing competition for a job while being out of minor-league options. It's likely each would be claimed on waivers at the end of spring training. At the very least, the Cubs got warm bodies for players who may or may not pan out for their new teams.

[Soul]

Hendry hired Lou, so its still Hendry's fault.

 

Are we really going to lean toward the idea that Lou is horrible? Sure he's not perfect, but he's had more success as Cubs manager than anyone I can remember. He dumps young guys he doesn't like. That may upset me some, but I also know that he's given some young/minors guys a chance that previous managers like Dusty never would have (Theriot, Fontenot to name a couple).

 

An argument can be made that Lou saved Hendry's job, even. Maybe that's why he allows him more input (maybe more than he should).

[Backtobanks]

Hendry hired Lou, so its still Hendry's fault.

 

Are we really going to lean toward the idea that Lou is horrible? Sure he's not perfect, but he's had more success as Cubs manager than anyone I can remember. He dumps young guys he doesn't like. That may upset me some, but I also know that he's given some young/minors guys a chance that previous managers like Dusty never would have (Theriot, Fontenot to name a couple).

 

An argument can be made that Lou saved Hendry's job, even. Maybe that's why he allows him more input (maybe more than he should).

 

Thank you for making my point. Lou is wonderful because of the success that he's had, but Hendry is terrible because we lose in the playoffs. Who was the GM that assembled these successful Cub teams? As for Lou having more success as Cubs manager than anyone you can remember, how about Hendry has had more success as Cubs GM than anyone you can remember. Neither is perfect, but Hendry gets all the blame for things that go wrong while Lou gets all the credit when things go right. Also, how did Lou save Hendry's job? You must mean that he saved his job by taking the best team in the NL to the playoffs.

[nilodnayr]

Hendry hired Lou, so its still Hendry's fault.

 

Are we really going to lean toward the idea that Lou is horrible? Sure he's not perfect, but he's had more success as Cubs manager than anyone I can remember. He dumps young guys he doesn't like. That may upset me some, but I also know that he's given some young/minors guys a chance that previous managers like Dusty never would have (Theriot, Fontenot to name a couple).

 

An argument can be made that Lou saved Hendry's job, even. Maybe that's why he allows him more input (maybe more than he should).

 

Thank you for making my point. Lou is wonderful because of the success that he's had, but Hendry is terrible because we lose in the playoffs. Who was the GM that assembled these successful Cub teams? As for Lou having more success as Cubs manager than anyone you can remember, how about Hendry has had more success as Cubs GM than anyone you can remember. Neither is perfect, but Hendry gets all the blame for things that go wrong while Lou gets all the credit when things go right. Also, how did Lou save Hendry's job? You must mean that he saved his job by taking the best team in the NL to the playoffs.

 

I dont have a problem with lou, but isnt your logic that its not hendrys fault because hes just doing what lou wants? Well thats circular logic because hendry is the reason lous there. If its lou's team then its only because hendry brought him in and handed it over to him.

[Gingerballs Lives]

Fine, can we please fire Piniella then?

 

Some people think it's funny that he forgets players names and such, but I hate it. He's basically Dusty, v. 2.0.

 

He's managed a lot of talented teams and has 1 pennant to show for it.

 

I wanted Girardi.

[cubsfan26]

LOL why would we fire anybody, were coming off a 97 win season, and favorites to win the division for a third year in a row next year. Plus we don't know how good or bad this offseason is yet. When has a GM or manager been fired during in Febuary because the fans didn't agree with the moves? IMO I think Hendry/Lou combo will be here through at least 2010. If the Cubs don't win a WS by then, or star going backwards. Then I can see Ricketts stepping in and making some changes.

[Backtobanks]

Hendry hired Lou, so its still Hendry's fault.

 

Are we really going to lean toward the idea that Lou is horrible? Sure he's not perfect, but he's had more success as Cubs manager than anyone I can remember. He dumps young guys he doesn't like. That may upset me some, but I also know that he's given some young/minors guys a chance that previous managers like Dusty never would have (Theriot, Fontenot to name a couple).

 

An argument can be made that Lou saved Hendry's job, even. Maybe that's why he allows him more input (maybe more than he should).

 

Thank you for making my point. Lou is wonderful because of the success that he's had, but Hendry is terrible because we lose in the playoffs. Who was the GM that assembled these successful Cub teams? As for Lou having more success as Cubs manager than anyone you can remember, how about Hendry has had more success as Cubs GM than anyone you can remember. Neither is perfect, but Hendry gets all the blame for things that go wrong while Lou gets all the credit when things go right. Also, how did Lou save Hendry's job? You must mean that he saved his job by taking the best team in the NL to the playoffs.

 

I dont have a problem with lou, but isnt your logic that its not hendrys fault because hes just doing what lou wants? Well thats circular logic because hendry is the reason lous there. If its lou's team then its only because hendry brought him in and handed it over to him.

 

You don't understand my point. I'm not blaming anyone, but I'm tired of posters blaming Hendry when things go wrong without seeing that Hendry and Lou are working together in making decisions. As I posted before, Hendry is to blame and Lou escapes blame for whatever bad happens, while Lou gets credit (and not Hendry) for the good that happens. When the Cubs win the NL Central (with 97 wins), Hendry is blamed for the team not going deeper in the playoffs. Lou is given credit for winning 2 consecutive NL Central titles, but Hendry is hardly mentioned. Many of the roster decisions (Kendall, Gathright, Pie, Wuertz, etc.) were requested by Lou.

[wvcbxl]

Many of the roster decisions (Kendall, Gathright, Pie, Wuertz, etc.) were requested by Lou.

 

How do you know this is the case? Or is it educated guesswork on the basis of media reports, which may or may not be reliable?

[Hairyducked Idiot]

while Lou gets credit (and not Hendry) for the good that happens

 

I don't think many of us are giving credit to Piniella for much of anything. He's not awful, but showing up and having a good team is his primary accomplishment.

[Illini Iceman]

 

I wanted Girardi.

 

Oh, please no.

[Roast]

Fine, can we please fire Piniella then?

 

Some people think it's funny that he forgets players names and such, but I hate it. He's basically Dusty, v. 2.0.

 

He's managed a lot of talented teams and has 1 pennant to show for it.

 

I wanted Girardi.

And yeah, Girardi has had a GREAT managerial career.

 

Look, no one is arguing that Lou is perfect, but he's done a much better job than any cubs manager in recent memory. Overall, he's pretty darn good.

[erik316wttn]

i can see where hendry would value piniella's opinion, but to say that he has now taken over the role of GM as well seems a bit outlandish

 

It's not that outlandish. Hendry did the same thing for Dusty. Why do you think Neifi, Ordonez, Macias, etc stayed around as long as they did?

 

Hendry lets his manager have his "boys", often at the expense of the team.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

i can see where hendry would value piniella's opinion, but to say that he has now taken over the role of GM as well seems a bit outlandish

 

It's not that outlandish. Hendry did the same thing for Dusty. Why do you think Neifi, Ordonez, Macias, etc stayed around as long as they did?

 

Because Hendry thought they were valuable players?

[Backtobanks]

Many of the roster decisions (Kendall, Gathright, Pie, Wuertz, etc.) were requested by Lou.

 

How do you know this is the case? Or is it educated guesswork on the basis of media reports, which may or may not be reliable?

 

Lou has a very short lease with young players that don't produce immediately (noted by observation). As soon as a young player doesn't produce, he is banished forever (i.e. Pie, Wuertz, Murton, etc.). Since Gathright and Pie are basically the same player and Pie has always been supported by Hendry, it pretty obvious that Lou wanted Gathright. Most managers (including Lou) turn to veterans when things get tough, which is why Kendall was acquired and received a lot of playing time. Hendry is noted for not being subtle about the players he wants (i.e. Heilman).