It's time for change.

[Illini Iceman]

What we all have to realize is that it is a LONG season with a lot of highs and lows. Every team in baseball goes though slumps. The Cubs are going through a frustrating slump now. Just as Vance said, the players, couches, Lou and Hendry all know its a long season. The fans should too. I'm as frustrated as anyone about this pathetic team play this week. As a matter of fact, I just spent this whole road trip in the hospital. The only thing that kept be a little happy was knowing I was going to watch the Cubs. That turned out great. :thumbsup: Everytime the nurses would do their rounds and a game was on, they could count on my BP being elevated. And it always was. The point is, we all have bad weeks at work, does that mean we all deserve to be fired or traded? No. Lets just stick with them and see what they can do. Tha's what being a true fan is all about. I have been a Cubs fan for 25 years and have seen some really bad teams. This is not one of them. Just my input.

 

I heard a rumor from a source inside the clubhouse that the couches were actually so upset that they refuse to let anyone sit on them until the Cubs win a game.

[Soul]

They weren't impressive with Aramis in the lineup either. Of course we aren't better off now but then we had bullpen problems. Now it's hitting and bullpen.

 

Better than they are now without him.

[Arnold Layne]

Anyone who thinks Hendry isn't trying desperately to make this team better given the resources he has available is either fooling themselves or too blinded by their clever use of fat jokes to realize the truth.

 

 

It has nothing to do with Hendry's intentions, but rather the results of his actions.

 

All GM's want to win a world series and be the golden boy at the meetings. That means zero.

[Arnold Layne]

First of all, the biggest criticism against Hendry is that he has made a shambles of a 97-win team. On the other hand, it was Hendry who assembled the 97-win team. Can his moves this offseason be questioned? Certainly.

 

 

I think it's time to let go of the 97 win thing. It was a failure. That was a team that got absolutely destroyed in the playoffs and wasn't worth the dinner expenses. They proved in 2008 that they simply did not belong in MLB post season play.

 

 

I mean, do you really think that just because someone is overweight they must be lazy and not good at his job? From all indications, Hendry is an extremely hard worker...in fact, workaholic would be a good descriptor of him. Now, you may not like the decisions he makes, but it is completely false to assume he's just sitting around eating cake and laughing about how bad this team is. That kind of attitude whether in jest or not could not be further from fact. So, if you like filling posts with falsehoods, be my guest...but it discredits the rest of your ideas. Because if someone blatantly uses lies to further an agenda, I assume they may play loosely with all facts.

 

 

You can work hard and stupid, too.

Edited May 25, 2009 by Arnold Layne

[Little Slide Rooter]

Anyone who thinks Hendry isn't trying desperately to make this team better given the resources he has available is either fooling themselves or too blinded by their clever use of fat jokes to realize the truth.

 

 

It has nothing to do with Hendry's intentions, but rather the results of his actions.

 

All GM's want to win a world series and be the golden boy at the meetings. That means zero.

 

I have little doubt in Hendrys abilities to fill the holes he needs to, but Id be more confident if I heard some news. Every time I check MLBTR, I read about someone else whose team wants to trade them who could be our guy, be it Blalock, Beltre, Uggla, Cantu, DeRosa. Id take any of these guys over our current 3B platoon. If I could just read anything about Hendry exploring his options Id feel much better about the whole thing.

[Larry Horse]

I think it's time to let got of the 97 win thing. It was a failure. That was a team that got absolutely destroyed in the playoffs and wasn't worth the dinner expenses. They proved in 2008 that they simply did not belong in MLB post season play.

 

+1

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

First of all, the biggest criticism against Hendry is that he has made a shambles of a 97-win team. On the other hand, it was Hendry who assembled the 97-win team. Can his moves this offseason be questioned? Certainly.

 

 

I think it's time to let go of the 97 win thing. It was a failure. That was a team that got absolutely destroyed in the playoffs and wasn't worth the dinner expenses. They proved in 2008 that they simply did not belong in MLB post season play.

 

 

I mean, do you really think that just because someone is overweight they must be lazy and not good at his job? From all indications, Hendry is an extremely hard worker...in fact, workaholic would be a good descriptor of him. Now, you may not like the decisions he makes, but it is completely false to assume he's just sitting around eating cake and laughing about how bad this team is. That kind of attitude whether in jest or not could not be further from fact. So, if you like filling posts with falsehoods, be my guest...but it discredits the rest of your ideas. Because if someone blatantly uses lies to further an agenda, I assume they may play loosely with all facts.

 

 

You can work hard and stupid, too.

 

Like or not, but the best thing a GM can do is put together a team that wins in the regular season. The playoffs are a crapshoot. Hendry has put together a team that won 97 wins and made the post season two years in a row. You can discount that because of the resources he had available, but he did his part.

 

They won 97 wins. They did belong in post season play. Your failure to understand an issue of sample size is baffling.

[Derwood]

I think it's time to let got of the 97 win thing. It was a failure. That was a team that got absolutely destroyed in the playoffs and wasn't worth the dinner expenses. They proved in 2008 that they simply did not belong in MLB post season play.

 

+1

 

 

-1000000

 

 

If you're going to weight 3 playoff games the same as 162 regular season games, you just aren't being fair or realistic

[Arnold Layne]

Like or not, but the best thing a GM can do is put together a team that wins in the regular season.

 

 

And so far Hendry is barely above even in that department, despite having a top 5 NL payroll his entire tenure.

 

 

They won 97 wins. They did belong in post season play. Your failure to understand an issue of sample size is baffling.

 

 

Teams that belong in post season play show up for at least one inning.

 

I've faced the facts, you should to:

 

This is a weak baseball team. Our players are not as good as we think they are.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Like or not, but the best thing a GM can do is put together a team that wins in the regular season.

 

 

And so far Hendry is barely above even in that department, despite having a top 5 NL payroll his entire tenure.

 

 

They won 97 wins. They did belong in post season play. Your failure to understand an issue of sample size is baffling.

 

 

Teams that belong in post season play show up for at least one inning.

 

Teams that lead their league in wins belong in post season play. That's the measure of it.

 

I understand the goal is to win a championship. However, the best way to get one is to put together a team that wins in the regular season. Hendry has done that.

[Arnold Layne]

Teams that lead their league in wins belong in post season play. That's the measure of it.

 

 

That gets you *into* the post season, but it is not a measure of you belonging there.

 

 

 

I understand the goal is to win a championship.

 

 

Win a championship? What's that? I'd like to win just one game in the NLDS.

 

 

However, the best way to get one is to put together a team that wins in the regular season. Hendry has done that.

 

Check his record as Cubs GM. He really hasn't.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Furthermore, as bad as it seems right now, it's not over yet. Even after losing 7 in a row, the Cubs are still at 500 and only 4 games out of first. We could be buried, but the team has played well enough in spurts to, at this point at least, withstand a 7-game losing streak without being buried.

 

We do need to turn it around. Firing the GM or manager isn't going to do that. In fact, those moves likely signal the end. I'm not ready to wave the white flag yet.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Teams that lead their league in wins belong in post season play. That's the measure of it.

 

 

That gets you *into* the post season, but it is not a measure of you belonging there.

 

 

 

 

97 wins. You belong in the post season. A bad three game stretch notwithstanding.

[Sosa21MVP]

To be fair to the anti-Hendry crowd they have been after him for quite a while now not just because of this 7 game losing streak.

 

I have mixed feelings about Hendry. On the one hand his tenure has marked an increased frequency in winning seasons compared to the past. On the other hand, with the resources he has available it can be argued he has underachieved at times.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

And to be fair, I've said if we want to talk about firing Hendry, that's a topic for the offseason or end of the season. Firing him now makes little sense. It doesn't change things for this year, and if anything, will do more harm than good.

[RedFlash]

And to be fair, I've said if we want to talk about firing Hendry, that's a topic for the offseason or end of the season. Firing him now makes little sense. It doesn't change things for this year, and if anything, will do more harm than good.

 

Exactly. Firing Hendry won't help the team hit the ball and start winning. Firing Hendry would be a move just to make a move, and those moves more times then not don't work.

[Sosa21MVP]

And to be fair, I've said if we want to talk about firing Hendry, that's a topic for the offseason or end of the season. Firing him now makes little sense. It doesn't change things for this year, and if anything, will do more harm than good.

 

I'm with you for the most part but I just don't see all this back and forth leading anywhere. The people that want him gone will continue to do so. Just seems like an "agree to disagree" situation IMO.

 

I mean I really respect everything you have said in this thread but it is mostly falling on deaf ears. You have more energy than I do, I'll commend you on that. :hello:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I have no work to do for the next 3 months. I can fight the good fight.

[Fred Hornkohl]

What does it say about the state of the world when vance_the_cubs_fan becomes the voice of reason ?????

[Arnold Layne]

97 wins. You belong in the post season. A bad three game stretch notwithstanding.

 

 

They simply didn't get it done. In the context of 101 years of no WS ring, last season was a failure. Same for 2007.

 

Those were not good teams.

[Arnold Layne]

Furthermore, as bad as it seems right now, it's not over yet. Even after losing 7 in a row, the Cubs are still at 500 and only 4 games out of first. We could be buried, but the team has played well enough in spurts to, at this point at least, withstand a 7-game losing streak without being buried.

 

 

Anything is possible.

 

We do need to turn it around. Firing the GM or manager isn't going to do that. In fact, those moves likely signal the end. I'm not ready to wave the white flag yet.

 

Sometimes the end isn't a bad thing.

 

The Cubs can turn it around, but they do not seem to be a team capable of competing for a world series ring at this point.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

97 wins. You belong in the post season. A bad three game stretch notwithstanding.

 

 

They simply didn't get it done. In the context of 101 years of no WS ring, last season was a failure. Same for 2007.

 

Those were not good teams.

 

I'll agree that they didn't achieve the ultimate goal of a championship. That part is true.

Howver, you don't win 97 games not being a good team. That is probably the most asinine statement I've ever read on this board, and that's saying a lot since I probably read every post baseball#### made.

[Fred Hornkohl]

97 wins. You belong in the post season. A bad three game stretch notwithstanding.

 

 

They simply didn't get it done. In the context of 101 years of no WS ring, last season was a failure. Same for 2007.

 

Those were not good teams.

 

I'll agree that they didn't achieve the ultimate goal of a championship. That part is true.

Howver, you don't win 97 games not being a good team. That is probably the most asinine statement I've ever read on this board, and that's saying a lot since I probably read every post baseball#### made.

 

No team in the National League won more games the '07/'08 CUBS..... but hey..... they didn't win any rings. They suck.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Furthermore, as bad as it seems right now, it's not over yet. Even after losing 7 in a row, the Cubs are still at 500 and only 4 games out of first. We could be buried, but the team has played well enough in spurts to, at this point at least, withstand a 7-game losing streak without being buried.

 

 

Anything is possible.

 

We do need to turn it around. Firing the GM or manager isn't going to do that. In fact, those moves likely signal the end. I'm not ready to wave the white flag yet.

 

Sometimes the end isn't a bad thing.

 

The Cubs can turn it around, but they do not seem to be a team capable of competing for a world series ring at this point.

 

Around this time last year, neither did the Phillies.

[Arnold Layne]

97 wins. You belong in the post season. A bad three game stretch notwithstanding.

 

 

They simply didn't get it done. In the context of 101 years of no WS ring, last season was a failure. Same for 2007.

 

Those were not good teams.

 

I'll agree that they didn't achieve the ultimate goal of a championship. That part is true.

Howver, you don't win 97 games not being a good team. That is probably the most asinine statement I've ever read on this board, and that's saying a lot since I probably read every post baseball#### made.

 

No team in the National League won more games the '07/'08 CUBS..... but hey..... they didn't win any rings. They suck.

 

 

Good teams win playoff games. Cheering and celebrating regular season records while being swept out of the playoffs is desperation. I'm not big on this "gosh gee whiz go get 'em next year guyz" lovable loser mentality. I'm more results oriented.

 

0-6 when it counted.

 

Not a good team.

 

There's still plenty of time this season, but I honestly don't expect different playoff results with this crew even if they did make it.

Edited May 25, 2009 by Arnold Layne