6/11 Cubs (Dempster) @ Astros (Ortiz) 1:05 CSN

[TruffleShuffle]

It won't. This mess will take some time to fix. But, if we fire Hendry, we can take a step in the direction of rebuilding the farm, stop giving out some of the worst contracts in baseball, and stop trying to build around certain "needs" percieved only by Hendry (guys who can catch the ball, leadoff hitter, getting more left-handed, etc).

 

Are you suggesting we keep him?

 

no, i'm suggesting that when there's a discussion about how to improve the 2009 cubs, "fire hendry" isn't really helpful.

[Sammy Sofa]

Just keep your head to the grindstone, fellas. No changes necessary. One day luck will fall on our side. Now let's go get some Dairy Queen.

 

You're a moron.

 

 

I'm not interested in talk radio anger. Thanks for the reply though.

 

You keep spouting the "radio talk" line at other people but yourself only offer suggestions along the lines of firing Hendry as if that will automatically fix the team. My response to your analogy was because I was surpsised at how simplistic and incorrect it was. Does Hendry have his faults? Of course. Has he made a lot of mistakes? Hell yes. But to compare him with something that does NO good whatsoever is just completely faulty and kneejerk pessimism. In any evaluation of Hendry you have to take the good with the bad: you cannot simply focus on the bad and act like everything else does not exist because that's of course going to make the "anyone else would probably better" line of thinking you seem to be supporting seem like the right move. It's the same perspective you have to take towards this season so far: yes, there are parts of it where Hendry clearly dropped the ball. There are also key aspects of it that are out of the control of any GM. It's not as simple as "Hendry fucked this up and needs to go."

[Little Slide Rooter]

Theres no question we need help of some kind. This isnt a few bad games mixed in here or there. Its a whole bunch of bad offensive games with a few good ones mixed in here and there. All teams can put together a good game here and there.

 

Basically, at this point, the game is to try and hang in there for the 3-5 weeks or whatever until Aramis comes back. The wat things are going, thanks to a steller starting staff, the answer to that is we probably can. However, the offense has been too consistantly bad to go as isn for any lenght of time, and we need something.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Just keep your head to the grindstone, fellas. No changes necessary. One day luck will fall on our side. Now let's go get some Dairy Queen.

 

You're a moron.

 

 

I'm not interested in talk radio anger. Thanks for the reply though.

 

You keep spouting the "radio talk" line at other people but yourself only offer suggestions along the lines of firing Hendry as if that will automatically fix the team. My response to your analogy was because I was surpsised at how simplistic and incorrect it was. Does Hendry have his faults? Of course. Has he made a lot of mistakes? Hell yes. But to compare him with something that does NO good whatsoever is just completely faulty and kneejerk pessimism. In any evaluation of Hendry you have to take the good with the bad: you cannot simply focus on the bad and act like everything else does not exist because that's of course going to make the "anyone else would probably better" line of thinking you seem to be supporting seem like the right move. It's the same perspective you have to take towards this season so far: yes, there are parts of it where Hendry clearly dropped the ball. There are also key aspects of it that are out of the control of any GM. It's not as simple as "Hendry [expletive] this up and needs to go."

 

Whenever he brings up the radio talk, I get the impression that hes one of those callers that Boers nand Bernstein are constantly going off on. Did anyone else catch that Dennis guy a few days ago? Hilarious stuff. Sometimes I wonder if these callers are guys that they pay to call in and say crazy things to get those 2 going.

[Arnold Layne]

Just keep your head to the grindstone, fellas. No changes necessary. One day luck will fall on our side. Now let's go get some Dairy Queen.

 

You're a moron.

 

 

I'm not interested in talk radio anger. Thanks for the reply though.

 

You keep spouting the "radio talk" line at other people but yourself only offer suggestions along the lines of firing Hendry as if that will automatically fix the team. My response to your analogy was because I was surpsised at how simplistic and incorrect it was. Does Hendry have his faults? Of course. Has he made a lot of mistakes? Hell yes. But to compare him with something that does NO good whatsoever is just completely faulty and kneejerk pessimism. In any evaluation of Hendry you have to take the good with the bad: you cannot simply focus on the bad and act like everything else does not exist because that's of course going to make the "anyone else would probably better" line of thinking you seem to be supporting seem like the right move. It's the same perspective you have to take towards this season so far: yes, there are parts of it where Hendry clearly dropped the ball. There are also key aspects of it that are out of the control of any GM. It's not as simple as "Hendry [expletiv

e] this up and needs to go."

 

Removing Hendry is just a small step towards creating an intelligent baseball operation. It won't solve anything instantly and it's a knee-jerk reaction on your part to assume that is the meaning. When looking at the Chicago Cubs, you can come to a few conclusions:

 

This isn't a smart team. The GM isn't exactly a bright guy either. Firing Hendry will not in itself fix the Cubs. But it is like moving the couch out into the garage before you start painting the walls and finishing the floors.

[Sammy Sofa]

Theres no question we need help of some kind. This isnt a few bad games mixed in here or there. Its a whole bunch of bad offensive games with a few good ones mixed in here and there. All teams can put together a good game here and there.

 

Basically, at this point, the game is to try and hang in there for the 3-5 weeks or whatever until Aramis comes back. The wat things are going, thanks to a steller starting staff, the answer to that is we probably can. However, the offense has been too consistantly bad to go as isn for any lenght of time, and we need something.

 

I agree with this basic idea, but at the same time I just don't realistically see anyone available that can truly turn this offense around. I'm hesitant to start doling out prospects for guys that ultimately aren't enough to turn around an offense that will potantially have this many holes for most of the season.

[Arnold Layne]

Whenever he brings up the radio talk, I get the impression that hes one of those callers that Boers nand Bernstein are constantly going off on. Did anyone else catch that Dennis guy a few days ago? Hilarious stuff. Sometimes I wonder if these callers are guys that they pay to call in and say crazy things to get those 2 going.

 

What does this have to do with today's Cubs game, or the state of the Cubs? Please try to keep up.

[Arnold Layne]

Theres no question we need help of some kind. This isnt a few bad games mixed in here or there. Its a whole bunch of bad offensive games with a few good ones mixed in here and there. All teams can put together a good game here and there.

 

Basically, at this point, the game is to try and hang in there for the 3-5 weeks or whatever until Aramis comes back. The wat things are going, thanks to a steller starting staff, the answer to that is we probably can. However, the offense has been too consistantly bad to go as isn for any lenght of time, and we need something.

 

I agree with this basic idea, but at the same time I just don't realistically see anyone available that can truly turn this offense around. I'm hesitant to start doling out prospects for guys that ultimately aren't enough to turn around an offense that will potantially have this many holes for most of the season.

 

So what is the plan? You seem to shoot down everything but offer nothing specific of your own.

[Sammy Sofa]

Just keep your head to the grindstone, fellas. No changes necessary. One day luck will fall on our side. Now let's go get some Dairy Queen.

 

You're a moron.

 

 

I'm not interested in talk radio anger. Thanks for the reply though.

 

You keep spouting the "radio talk" line at other people but yourself only offer suggestions along the lines of firing Hendry as if that will automatically fix the team. My response to your analogy was because I was surpsised at how simplistic and incorrect it was. Does Hendry have his faults? Of course. Has he made a lot of mistakes? Hell yes. But to compare him with something that does NO good whatsoever is just completely faulty and kneejerk pessimism. In any evaluation of Hendry you have to take the good with the bad: you cannot simply focus on the bad and act like everything else does not exist because that's of course going to make the "anyone else would probably better" line of thinking you seem to be supporting seem like the right move. It's the same perspective you have to take towards this season so far: yes, there are parts of it where Hendry clearly dropped the ball. There are also key aspects of it that are out of the control of any GM. It's not as simple as "Hendry [expletiv

e] this up and needs to go."

 

Removing Hendry is just a small step towards creating an intelligent baseball operation. It won't solve anything instantly and it's a knee-jerk reaction on your part to assume that is the meaning. When looking at the Chicago Cubs, you can come to a few conclusions:

 

This isn't a smart team. The GM isn't exactly a bright guy either. Firing Hendry will not in itself fix the Cubs. But it is like moving the couch out into the garage before you start painting the walls and finishing the floors.

 

Firing Hendry right now might as well be the textbook definition of a kneejerk reaction. It's also kneejerk to just declare that neither he nor the team are "smart," especially when so much of this team is made up of the same players from last year. Not being "smart" implies they got lucky last year, and they most certainly did not. You're talking like firing Hendry is something that is a 110% sure thing that needs to be done to make the team better than it has been during his time as GM. That's not a sure thing at all. You lose his strengths as well as his weaknesses.

 

Besides, Hendry has had a reputation in his various positions of being a "smart" baseball guy. If you think he's not smart, then by what standard do you expect him to be replaced by someone "smarter?"

Edited June 11, 2009 by Sammy Sofa

[Sammy Sofa]

Theres no question we need help of some kind. This isnt a few bad games mixed in here or there. Its a whole bunch of bad offensive games with a few good ones mixed in here and there. All teams can put together a good game here and there.

 

Basically, at this point, the game is to try and hang in there for the 3-5 weeks or whatever until Aramis comes back. The wat things are going, thanks to a steller starting staff, the answer to that is we probably can. However, the offense has been too consistantly bad to go as isn for any lenght of time, and we need something.

 

I agree with this basic idea, but at the same time I just don't realistically see anyone available that can truly turn this offense around. I'm hesitant to start doling out prospects for guys that ultimately aren't enough to turn around an offense that will potantially have this many holes for most of the season.

 

So what is the plan? You seem to shoot down everything but offer nothing specific of your own.

 

Right now I don't know. There might not be a plan available at any point. The team might be in one of those spots this season where there's nothing that can be done to right the ship because of the sheer number of guys underperforming or who are injured. Sometimes enough seems right on paper and then it falls apart for a number of reasons a la the Tigers of last year. I'm leaning more towards it being a situation along those lines as opposed to something fixable that Hendry or any other GM would be able to work with or around.

[Arnold Layne]

Firing Hendry right now might as well be the textbook definition of a kneejerk reaction. It's also kneejerk to just declare that neither he nor the team are "smart," especially when so much of this team is made up of the same players from last year. Not being "smart" implies they got lucky last year, and they most certainly did not.

 

That's up for debate.

 

 

Besides, Hendry has had a reputation in his various positions of being a "smart" baseball guy. If you think he's not smart, then by what standard do you expect him to be replaced by someone "smarter?"

 

Aaron Miles had a good reputation as a "grinder" too among his peers. The state of the Cubs is bleak IMHO. The team is loaded with two huge unreleasable contracts (Soriano and Lee) while having a very weak farm system. Our outfield is incredibly questionable and has been since the demise of Sosa and Alou.

 

The point is that this is not a good team. It was created bya GM who spent like a pirate at a Persian brothel but without any real thought or concern for the long term implications.

 

If you don't think firing Hendry is reasonable, then you need to proivde reasons for keeping him.

[Arnold Layne]

Right now I don't know. There might not be a plan available at any point. The team might be in one of those spots this season where there's nothing that can be done to right the ship because of the sheer number of guys underperforming or who are injured.

 

What injuries are depleting the team of talent besides Ramirez? And shouldn't a $140 mil payroll cover for that?

 

 

 

Sometimes enough seems right on paper and then it falls apart for a number of reasons a la the Tigers of last year. I'm leaning more towards it being a situation along those lines as opposed to something fixable that Hendry or any other GM would be able to work with or around.

 

Stuff happens I guess. Except it always happens to the Cubs, every time.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Theres no question we need help of some kind. This isnt a few bad games mixed in here or there. Its a whole bunch of bad offensive games with a few good ones mixed in here and there. All teams can put together a good game here and there.

 

Basically, at this point, the game is to try and hang in there for the 3-5 weeks or whatever until Aramis comes back. The wat things are going, thanks to a steller starting staff, the answer to that is we probably can. However, the offense has been too consistantly bad to go as isn for any lenght of time, and we need something.

 

I agree with this basic idea, but at the same time I just don't realistically see anyone available that can truly turn this offense around. I'm hesitant to start doling out prospects for guys that ultimately aren't enough to turn around an offense that will potantially have this many holes for most of the season.

 

I think Branyan is the guy. We can use him when Ramirez comes back, and he shouldnt be too expensive. Granted, we'll be buying high, but were pretty desperate at this point. We could probably offer a few major league ready guys like Fox/Hoffpauir and Hart and mix with a few AA or lower prospects. hes a guy who can be planted at the 4 or 5 spot, and move everyone else up a spot.

[Sammy Sofa]

Firing Hendry right now might as well be the textbook definition of a kneejerk reaction. It's also kneejerk to just declare that neither he nor the team are "smart," especially when so much of this team is made up of the same players from last year. Not being "smart" implies they got lucky last year, and they most certainly did not.

 

That's up for debate.

 

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

 

Besides, Hendry has had a reputation in his various positions of being a "smart" baseball guy. If you think he's not smart, then by what standard do you expect him to be replaced by someone "smarter?"

 

Aaron Miles had a good reputation as a "grinder" too among his peers. The state of the Cubs is bleak IMHO. The team is loaded with two huge unreleasable contracts (Soriano and Lee) while having a very weak farm system. Our outfield is incredibly questionable and has been since the demise of Sosa and Alou.

 

Then by whose standards do you want a "smarter" GM? Any reputation of being baseball "smart" is going to largely come from within the world of MLB. Sound outside baseball savant isn't going to come in and get that job. If you slam the standards by which someone is considered baseball smart, don't then flip around and expect those same standards to result in someone you'd consider even smarter.

 

Soriano's contract is a beast, nobody is going to deny that, but it was more of a statement move than anything else to show that the Cubs weren't screwing around in terms of the FA market now that payroll had been increased. Hendry couldn't know at the time how the sale of the team would play out: nobody could have. You bank on what you have available to you at the time. At the time, Lee's contract wasn't that bad at all. Nobody expected him to repeat his 2005, but the results and reasons as to his success made him look to be a guy you want to have anchoring 1B for several years. Nobody could have forseen that he's break his wrist and accelerate his natural decline. That's not the kind of thing that bringing in a new GM would avoid.

 

The point is that this is not a good team. It was created bya GM who spent like a pirate at a Persian brothel but without any real thought or concern for the long term implications.

 

Again you insist on the analogies and similes to cover up that you have nothing but vitriol and simply want to see someone fired because you want change for the sake of change. Hendry has obviously made his share of mistakes, especially going into this season, but much of the failure so far this year is due to things that no GM could have predicted coupleed with the nebulous nature of the team's payroll due to the sale. That latter point is a HUGE spanner in the works of any GM.

 

If you don't think firing Hendry is reasonable, then you need to proivde reasons for keeping him.

 

The success this team has had while he's been GM as well as the numerous excellent trades he's pulled off.

 

I'm not totally opposed to firing Hendry at some point: I just think it would be stupid to do in the middle of the season.

[Sammy Sofa]

Right now I don't know. There might not be a plan available at any point. The team might be in one of those spots this season where there's nothing that can be done to right the ship because of the sheer number of guys underperforming or who are injured.

 

What injuries are depleting the team of talent besides Ramirez? And shouldn't a $140 mil payroll cover for that?

 

Aramis' is the big one, but Soto has had nagging injuries as had Soriano. Anyone would know Bradley was going to miss time but for him to be this ineffectual when able to play indicates hes likely playing hurt. Right there are 4 critical bats (and the 3 best hitters on the team) that this team needs, and no, that's not something that a team even with a payroll that large can just overcome.

 

 

Sometimes enough seems right on paper and then it falls apart for a number of reasons a la the Tigers of last year. I'm leaning more towards it being a situation along those lines as opposed to something fixable that Hendry or any other GM would be able to work with or around.

 

Stuff happens I guess. Except it always happens to the Cubs, every time.

 

What is "it?" The nature of this season is not something that "always happens to the Cubs." You can't look at it that broadly. And yes, sometimes stuff just happens. You really think that's not possible in this game? It can't just be bad luck that that many good hitters with recent prior success end up hurt and/or underperforming? It HAS to be the fault of someone?

[illiniguy]

Mojo I am not arguing with your points, but explain how it was ok to not offer Kerry Wood arbitration. Can you also explain how it was a good idea to trade away are only real back up third baseman for nothing, or at least nothing within the context of being able to help us out this year.

[Arnold Layne]

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

0-3, failed to even show up for an inning in the NLDS. That's a very strong indicator that they were flukey, or lucky.

 

 

Soriano's contract is a beast, nobody is going to deny that, but it was more of a statement move than anything else to show that the Cubs weren't screwing around in terms of the FA market now that payroll had been increased. Hendry couldn't know at the time how the sale of the team would play out: nobody could have. You bank on what you have available to you at the time. At the time, Lee's contract wasn't that bad at all. Nobody expected him to repeat his 2005, but the results and reasons as to his success made him look to be a guy you want to have anchoring 1B for several years. Nobody could have forseen that he's break his wrist and accelerate his natural decline. That's not the kind of thing that bringing in a new GM would avoid.

 

If you looked at Lee's numbers before his freak 2005 season, you could see that it wasn't such a huge surprise. Lee never proved he could sustain that kind of performance, but Hendry gave out the contract anyway. I'm not blaming Hendry for paying Lee that money, but rather the NTC. Also, the NTC was completely idiotic for Soriano.

 

 

Again you insist on the analogies and similes to cover up that you have nothing but vitriol and simply want to see someone fired because you want change for the sake of change.

 

 

Accountability is required in a streamlined and competent organization. There's nothing wrong with making changes to make changes if they are intelligent moves.

 

 

Hendry has obviously made his share of mistakes, especially going into this season, but much of the failure so far this year is due to things that no GM could have predicted coupleed with the nebulous nature of the team's payroll due to the sale. That latter point is a HUGE spanner in the works of any GM.

 

A "huge" spanner that allowed for a $140 million payroll? I bet Neil Huntington would love to have that spanner fall out of the sky and hit him on the head.

 

The success this team has had while he's been GM as well as the numerous excellent trades he's pulled off.

 

Scraping above .500 while having a top 5 NL payroll the entire time? Given more than any Cub GM in the history of the franchise? Out-payrolling the next closest in-division team by $35 million and struggling?

 

I'm not totally opposed to firing Hendry at some point: I just think it would be stupid to do in the middle of the season.

 

The middle of the season doesn't matter. If you have to make a move, make it. That reminds me of Baker playing his .310 OBP favorite vets at the end of the year "to be fair to the rest of MLB in the spirit of competition" rather than trying to develop some young talent during garbage time.

[illiniguy]

So you are going with the "hey the 3 game sample size is worth more than the 162 they just played theory?"

[Arnold Layne]

Aramis' is the big one, but Soto has had nagging injuries as had Soriano. Anyone would know Bradley was going to miss time but for him to be this ineffectual when able to play indicates hes likely playing hurt. Right there are 4 critical bats (and the 3 best hitters on the team) that this team needs, and no, that's not something that a team even with a payroll that large can just overcome.

 

I'm sorry Mojo but this is some epic apologizing. Hendry taks the blame for Bradley, period. That was on the wall and is not hindsight at all. Soriano seems to always have nags. He's getting older(and who even knows his true age?). It looks like Soto put on a Freshman 50. Also, he was not guaranteed to repeat his 2008 performance. To blame the offense on injuries is ridiculous.

 

 

What is "it?" The nature of this season is not something that "always happens to the Cubs." You can't look at it that broadly. And yes, sometimes stuff just happens. You really think that's not possible in this game? It can't just be bad luck that that many good hitters with recent prior success end up hurt and/or underperforming? It HAS to be the fault of someone?

 

Yes it is the fault of hitters who aren't hitting as well as they should. That does not mean they should get the boot. But what is disturbing is that this team plays like this as a complete unit. When they flop, there's not a set ot two guys who lift them out. Ramirez and Soriano are the Cubs best bets in this regard. Soriano needs to get his [expletive] together.

[Arnold Layne]

So you are going with the "hey the 3 game sample size is worth more than the 162 they just played theory?"

 

No, I'm saying that 0-3 in back to back NLDS's is not flukey, but rather an indicator of a weak team. Also, these are not robots out there. It's perfectly reasonable to accept that the playoff chokiness has saturated their psyche.

[mhuber92211]

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

0-3, failed to even show up for an inning in the NLDS. That's a very strong indicator that they were flukey, or lucky.

 

 

 

So a 3 game losing streak makes a 162 game season "Lucky or Flukey' That is not solid logic.

 

Your suggestion to Fire Hendry and it will be a step towards fixing the problem. Okay, who do you replace him with two thirds of a season remaining. I think there needs to be a realization here that there is still a Majority of the season left and the Cubs still have a winning record. Adding up the variables here, it is more likely that the Cubs are in contention now then not in contention.

[illiniguy]

So you are going with the "hey the 3 game sample size is worth more than the 162 they just played theory?"

 

No, I'm saying that 0-3 in back to back NLDS's is not flukey, but rather an indicator of a weak team. Also, these are not robots out there. It's perfectly reasonable to accept that the playoff chokiness has saturated their psyche.

It's a three game sample size, it happens. I'm of the theory the more times we keep getting there the more apt we are to break through. I also won't give up on this year because our starting pitching has the chance to win any short series. We just have to find a way to get in.

[illiniguy]

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

0-3, failed to even show up for an inning in the NLDS. That's a very strong indicator that they were flukey, or lucky.

 

 

 

So a 3 game losing streak makes a 162 game season "Lucky or Flukey' That is not solid logic.

 

Your suggestion to Fire Hendry and it will be a step towards fixing the problem. Okay, who do you replace him with two thirds of a season remaining. I think there needs to be a realization here that there is still a Majority of the season left and the Cubs still have a winning record. Adding up the variables here, it is more likely that the Cubs are in contention now then not in contention.

I want Hendry gone as well, but realize it can't happen during the season. Hendry is a problem though.

[E.J.]

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

0-3, failed to even show up for an inning in the NLDS. That's a very strong indicator that they were flukey, or lucky.

 

 

 

So a 3 game losing streak makes a 162 game season "Lucky or Flukey' That is not solid logic.

 

Your suggestion to Fire Hendry and it will be a step towards fixing the problem. Okay, who do you replace him with two thirds of a season remaining. I think there needs to be a realization here that there is still a Majority of the season left and the Cubs still have a winning record. Adding up the variables here, it is more likely that the Cubs are in contention now then not in contention.

I want Hendry gone as well, but realize it can't happen during the season. Hendry is a problem though.

 

There is just no way Hendry would be fired during the sale of the team. Ricketts could fire him when he takes over, but who knows when that's going to happen.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So debate it. Explain how the 2008 Cubs were lucky when they actually finished the season just under their projected numbers.

 

0-3, failed to even show up for an inning in the NLDS. That's a very strong indicator that they were flukey, or lucky.

 

 

 

So a 3 game losing streak makes a 162 game season "Lucky or Flukey' That is not solid logic.

 

Your suggestion to Fire Hendry and it will be a step towards fixing the problem. Okay, who do you replace him with two thirds of a season remaining. I think there needs to be a realization here that there is still a Majority of the season left and the Cubs still have a winning record. Adding up the variables here, it is more likely that the Cubs are in contention now then not in contention.

I want Hendry gone as well, but realize it can't happen during the season. Hendry is a problem though.

 

If you get rid of Hendry, you dont want to do it mid season. A. it does nothing, its more of a punishment and it doesnt help us. B. Hendry is a wiz at mid season trades.