Re: Sale of Cubs to Ricketts Complete (p. 15)

[jersey cubs fan]

I suppose you're right, but how about just throwing me a bone or two? Does everything need to be exactly the same? What about bringing in a couple new people to supplement, or do some additional analysis? Anything.

 

Also, I'm sure you're right, but he didn't say Hendry was just being kept on for one more year. He said something to the effect of thinking that Hendry's the right guy to move forward with. Now, I don't know if that's just alot of media speak, but I'm just saying -- it isn't clear from the words that it's just a one year evaluation thing. And I've been hit over the head too many times with assuming someone meant one thing, then finding out it wasn't the case.

 

He said Jim is the guy that they will go into next year with, it was a pretty clear indication that next year will determine Hendry's future. And I'm not sure what bones you want, but they took control at the end of October. There isn't a ton of stuff they can do. Do you want new asst GMs or new scouts or something? They have a new hitting coach and will have a couple new players, but Hendry/Lou/Larry and the core of the team are all under contract and coming back next year.

[mul21]

What's he gonna do - Bring in a new GM that has no flexibility and still pay Hendry? The Ricketts are going to have their hands full for the next year just wrapping their minds and hands around the whole organization. Let's give them a year to access everything before they start to make changes. He's going to put his own stamp on the org. sooner or later. He just needs time right now.

 

Yes, this. It's stupid for new ownership of any organization to just walk in with a slash and burn attitude before they are intimately familiar with the inner workings of that organization. It takes time to do that, so I have no issue with the wait and see approach right now. If things aren't going in a different direction a year from now, then yeah, fire everybody and start over. At least then it gets done with the appropriate knowledge of the organizational workings.

[Fro]

It'd be pretty dumb to blow things up while the window for the current team is still open.

 

Canning Hendry won't change much for the 2010 season, either. Hopefully you get the right player development and scouting folks in place and get the draft philosophy changed a bit, but I would think you can start to do that without switching GMs.

 

The rest of the suits on the non-baseball side are pretty good at their jobs.

[champaignchris]

At this point, I'd rather Ricketts take the seven figures it would take to buy out Hendry and/or Piniella and put that into the roster.

 

The realities of the Cubs' contract situation is that it would be difficult to impossible to blow up the roster and start over even if that's what the owner wanted. Ricketts seems to have made it pretty clear that he thinks the Cubs can win next year and that Hendry's job is on the line. Not sure what anyone can expect beyond that.

 

I'm also not sure why anyone thinks Crane's job is safe. I doubt he makes it to opening day. As soon as the Ricketts get their offices in place and running, he pretty much becomes superfluous. Not that it should have any bearing on the on-the-field product.

[jersey cubs fan]

At this point, I'd rather Ricketts take the seven figures it would take to buy out Hendry and/or Piniella and put that into the roster.

 

The realities of the Cubs' contract situation is that it would be difficult to impossible to blow up the roster and start over even if that's what the owner wanted. Ricketts seems to have made it pretty clear that he thinks the Cubs can win next year and that Hendry's job is on the line. Not sure what anyone can expect beyond that.

 

I'm also not sure why anyone thinks Crane's job is safe. I doubt he makes it to opening day. As soon as the Ricketts get their offices in place and running, he pretty much becomes superfluous. Not that it should have any bearing on the on-the-field product.

 

They've said multiple times that Crane will be there for the foreseeable future.

[J.R.]

Kenney is deeply involved with the ballpark renovation project.

 

He's also going to be the hatchet man when it comes time to cut Mesa loose/tell Naples to bug off.

[Cubfanintheknow]

I guess spending money to do a better job of scouting for talent and then actually developing players isn't splashy enough for some people.

 

I've waited a long time for a World Series championship. And if it takes a couple of years to build a perrenial World Series contender, I'm willing to wait on that, too.

 

Look, we all know John McDonough was a major force behind the signing of Alfonso Soriano. McDonough wanted a big splash and he got it. Unfortunately, the waters are still rippling from that signing (in a bad way) and will continue for some time to come. The last thing this organization needs is more clueless moves.

 

There's a plan. Give it a little time.

[Skyballer]

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs today named Wally Hayward Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, a new position within the organization. Hayward will report to Cubs President Crane Kenney.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091123&content_id=7704422&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

I didn't see this posted anywhere and I'm not sure it makes a big impact on the team but I figured I'd post it.

What is an executive VP anyway? Is it any different from a normal VP? And why didn't we have one before?

[J.R.]

The Cubs had the smallest front office in MLB. Ricketts is bringing the staff up to par.

[Soul]

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs today named Wally Hayward Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, a new position within the organization. Hayward will report to Cubs President Crane Kenney.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091123&content_id=7704422&vkey=pr_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

I didn't see this posted anywhere and I'm not sure it makes a big impact on the team but I figured I'd post it.

What is an executive VP anyway? Is it any different from a normal VP? And why didn't we have one before?

 

Sounds like essentially a helper for Mr. Kenney.

[Guest]

okay - there's now a thread in social to discuss the possibilities of people protesting because of Laura Ricketts. Please contain the discussion about that topic to that thread.

 

link

[Bull]

okay - there's now a thread in social to discuss the possibilities of people protesting because of Laura Ricketts. Please contain the discussion about that topic to that thread.

 

link

 

thanks Tim, and my final word on the topic is in that thread. For the record no one has suggested any such protest, it was purely theoretical.

 

Back on topic, I am optimistic that the team is in good hands. I am thankful that the process is over and there's a sense of moving forward with things like expanding the front office. Regardless of who the owner is (corporation or family) it is unfortunate that the transition happened in the middle of the Cubs' window of opportunity, essentially handcuffing the front office for two years.

[Guest]

Back on topic, I am optimistic that the team is in good hands. I am thankful that the process is over and there's a sense of moving forward with things like expanding the front office. Regardless of who the owner is (corporation or family) it is unfortunate that the transition happened in the middle of the Cubs' window of opportunity, essentially handcuffing the front office for two years.

I'm also optimistic about the Ricketts ownership group.

 

However, I have to say that the handcuffing was more Hendry's doing than the ownership. He was given sufficient resources - he just spent himself into a corner.

[Bull]

Back on topic, I am optimistic that the team is in good hands. I am thankful that the process is over and there's a sense of moving forward with things like expanding the front office. Regardless of who the owner is (corporation or family) it is unfortunate that the transition happened in the middle of the Cubs' window of opportunity, essentially handcuffing the front office for two years.

I'm also optimistic about the Ricketts ownership group.

 

However, I have to say that the handcuffing was more Hendry's doing than the ownership. He was given sufficient resources - he just spent himself into a corner.

 

Agreed. I'd say 80/20 it was Hendry's fault.

 

Hopefully we're moving forward now. And hopefully the farm is going to start producing position players, thus expanding the window. But, then, you and I have been hoping that together for almost a decade now. (Which stud to keep: Kelton or Hinske? -- remember that discussion?) I really am optimistic that this time is different! Hope springs eternal.