Hendry defends Derosa trade

[Banedon]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-28-mitchellmay28,0,6635577.column

 

"I remember when we signed DeRosa [on Nov. 14, 2006] and there was more second-guessing about that than anything," Hendry said. "Mark's a terrific guy and he was a good player for us. But the thinking in the winter was that we already had five right-handed hitters penciled in that weren't going anywhere. And we were concerned with how [Kosuke] Fukudome was going to come back [as a left-handed power hitter]. ... If he hadn't come back well and we kept Mark, we were probably looking at seven out of eight right-handed hitters every day in the lineup. Then we would have that issue again."

 

"Nobody likes to lose a guy like [DeRosa]," said Hendry. "But there wasn't anywhere else to get left-handed, you know. And over time, I think we will see that we got pretty good guys for him. So we mixed and matched some of the dollars that were made with [DeRosa] and other guys who are not here, and added the guys that we did."

 

"Some of the moves work out right away and some of them take a little time to work out," Hendry said. "And sometimes they don't work. It's just part of the gig."

[dew1679666265]

So it was primarily to get "more left handed."

 

Oh well....

[abuck1220]

good thing the cubs have fontenot's terrible left-handed bat in there.

[MembersOnlyJacket]

good thing the cubs have fontenot's terrible left-handed bat in there.

 

Aaron Miles can hit terribly left or right handed.

[Mark Priors Calves]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-28-mitchellmay28,0,6635577.column

 

"I remember when we signed DeRosa [on Nov. 14, 2006] and there was more second-guessing about that than anything," Hendry said. "

It's the second time in a few months that Hendry has justified a trade because of disapproval when the Cubs originally signed that player. He made similar comments when Marquis was traded to Colorado during the off season. I would really hope Hendry doesn't make decisions based on public reaction from two years earlier.

[erik316wttn]

Jim, just admit you messed up. Stop trying to justify it. You're only making yourself look like an even bigger idiot, and with you, that's quite an accomplishment.

[Tracer Bullet]

I don't think Jim views this as an excuse he's trying to build. I think he honestly thinks that the Cubs needed another LH bat in order to be a better team, even if it meant that the LH bat wasn't likely to be quite as good as the RH bat it was replacing.

 

His infatuation with the side of the plate a guy stands on is but one of the many things that drive me crazy about JH.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well, to be fair, it did help set up the Peavy trade.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wow, who would have thought that trade was about getting more left handed?

[kjfoster 1553]

Well, to be fair, it did help set up the Peavy trade.

 

+1

[Guest]

If he hadn't come back well and we kept Mark, we were probably looking at seven out of eight right-handed hitters every day in the lineup. Then we would have that issue again.

 

Which issue, Jim? The making the playoffs issue?

 

"Nobody likes to lose a guy like [DeRosa]," said Hendry. "But there wasn't anywhere else to get left-handed, you know. And over time, I think we will see that we got pretty good guys for him.

 

So you are admitting you sacrificed winning now for winning later when more than half of the line up is already in their 30's?

 

"Some of the moves work out right away and some of them take a little time to work out," Hendry said. "And sometimes they don't work. It's just part of the gig."

 

I'd like to take that gig and stick it in your........, Hendry.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Maybe he could stop talking and start asking what the Indians want for him.

[dew1679666265]

I don't think Jim views this as an excuse he's trying to build. I think he honestly thinks that the Cubs needed another LH bat in order to be a better team, even if it meant that the LH bat wasn't likely to be quite as good as the RH bat it was replacing.

 

His infatuation with the side of the plate a guy stands on is but one of the many things that drive me crazy about JH.

 

It's not just Hendry, though. Traditional thinking tends to be that balance in a lineup is more important than having the best talent in the lineup.

 

I remember numerous times last year and offseason when ESPN analysts would bemoan the lack of left handed hitting in the Cubs' lineup and that being why they lost to the Dodgers.

 

Hendry is not alone in this thinking.

[Post Count Padder]

Well, to be fair, it did help set up the Peavy trade.

 

+1

+2

 

and nice sig, btw.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think Jim views this as an excuse he's trying to build. I think he honestly thinks that the Cubs needed another LH bat in order to be a better team, even if it meant that the LH bat wasn't likely to be quite as good as the RH bat it was replacing.

 

His infatuation with the side of the plate a guy stands on is but one of the many things that drive me crazy about JH.

 

It's not just Hendry, though. Traditional thinking tends to be that balance in a lineup is more important than having the best talent in the lineup.

 

I remember numerous times last year and offseason when ESPN analysts would bemoan the lack of left handed hitting in the Cubs' lineup and that being why they lost to the Dodgers.

 

Hendry is not alone in this thinking.

 

The fact that other people think the same dumb way doesn't justify it.

[shnsajax]

I could really care less about getting Derosa back, its not like he is going to come back and start hitting great again just because he is with the Cubs. I would rather ask Pitt. for Freddie Sanchez.

[soapy]

everyone knew it was about getting more left-handed. i don't know what else there is for Hendry to say. it's not like he's going to say, "Well, we wanted to sell high before Mark tanked this season." Or, "We brought in those guys to trade for Peavy but, damnit, it didn't happen." it's really not his style.

 

the stuff about fan reaction to the original signing is pretty pointless though.

[dew1679666265]

I don't think Jim views this as an excuse he's trying to build. I think he honestly thinks that the Cubs needed another LH bat in order to be a better team, even if it meant that the LH bat wasn't likely to be quite as good as the RH bat it was replacing.

 

His infatuation with the side of the plate a guy stands on is but one of the many things that drive me crazy about JH.

 

It's not just Hendry, though. Traditional thinking tends to be that balance in a lineup is more important than having the best talent in the lineup.

 

I remember numerous times last year and offseason when ESPN analysts would bemoan the lack of left handed hitting in the Cubs' lineup and that being why they lost to the Dodgers.

 

Hendry is not alone in this thinking.

 

The fact that other people think the same dumb way doesn't justify it.

 

I never said it did. Just that it's not only a Hendry obsession.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

the stuff about fan reaction to the original signing is pretty pointless though.

 

It's part of the Cub front office stubbornness/arrogance.

[Exile on Waveland]

It always, at least partially, about the myopic need for more left handed hitters.

 

As for DeRosa, I'd love to have such a versatile player hitting 266/333/446 with eight homeruns, 31 runs and 32 RBI's. That's after his abysmal start. He's at 295/352/453 for the month of May, 341/426/512 the last 14 days, and 364/440/636 the last seven days. The rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

[kroth1342]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-28-mitchellmay28,0,6635577.column

 

"I remember when we signed DeRosa [on Nov. 14, 2006] and there was more second-guessing about that than anything," Hendry said. "Mark's a terrific guy and he was a good player for us. But the thinking in the winter was that we already had five right-handed hitters penciled in that weren't going anywhere. And we were concerned with how [Kosuke] Fukudome was going to come back [as a left-handed power hitter]. ... If he hadn't come back well and we kept Mark, we were probably looking at seven out of eight right-handed hitters every day in the lineup. Then we would have that issue again."

 

The wanting to score 855 runs again issue?

[Guest]

The need to be more left handed falls into the same trap Hendry has fallen into every single year.

 

After 2003, it was a need to have some playoff veteran leadership.

After 2004, it was a need to be less injured.

After 2005, it was a need to have less jerks on the team.

After 2006, it was a need for guys who can catch the ball.

After 2007, it was a need to have guys with more speed.

After 2008, it was a need to be less right handed.

 

After 2009, hopefully it's a need to have less idiots in the front office.

[YearofDaCubs]

I'm not surprised. What do you expect from a bottom of the barrel GM? The guy doesn't know what he wants on his team year to year. Trying to get more left-handed is just stupid. I can understand making a move or two etc but they overdid it with the left-handed crap. I wonder what next year's pattern will be.

[illiniguy]

I'm not surprised. What do you expect from a bottom of the barrel GM? The guy doesn't know what he wants on his team year to year. Trying to get more left-handed is just stupid. I can understand making a move or two etc but they overdid it with the left-handed crap. I wonder what next year's pattern will be.

Hopefully an overhaul within the front office.

[kjfoster 1553]

It always, at least partially, about the myopic need for more left handed hitters.

 

As for DeRosa, I'd love to have such a versatile player hitting 266/333/446 with eight homeruns, 31 runs and 32 RBI's. That's after his abysmal start. He's at 295/352/453 for the month of May, 341/426/512 the last 14 days, and 364/440/636 the last seven days. The rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

 

Right there is the reason we should have NEVER traded him. Now we are dealing with Aaron Miles and, my new favorite player (back in the minors), Robert Scales.

 

My man crush on DeRo lives on, though. I made sure to get tickets to the interleague series with the Indians at Wrigley \:D/