08/13 Positive G/T: Phillies (Lee) @ Cubs (Demp) 1:20 CSN

[Sammy Sofa]

anyone with half a brain could understand that a new GM for this team is going to have their share of obstacles...they would not be held accountable for hendry's mistakes

 

So then explain why hiring someone new when they can do almost nothing (smart) of significance to make changes for the forseeable future makes any sense? They can't do anything. Hendry can't do anything. It's Hendry's team/mess, so what's the point of hiring someone new to do basically nothing? Fire Hendry and hire someone new when the team actually has money to make changes.

[dew1679666265]

Lowe 25 GS 12-7 4.08 ERA 1.41 WHIP 8 HR 49 BB

Dempster 21 GS 6-5 4.16 ERA 1.38 WHIP 17 HR 59 BB

 

How is Dempster better this year?

 

You don't give somebody the contract he gave Dempster just because he had a good year when everything was going for him.

 

Demp has a worse ERA and has given up more homers in your stats, but he had a better K:BB ratio before today and his K/9 is 7.3 vs 4.7 for Lowe. Demp's WHIP is also better in those stats.

 

As for everything going for him last year, Dempster had a better WHIP on the road last year and a better K/9 away from home. He was very good at home and on the road last season.

 

I don't think the K/9 is a valid argument when comparing these two. Lowe works toward contact on the ground. He never has been a big K pitcher. Again, I'm glad the Cubs avoided Lowe, but I don't see that Dempster has been better than him. 147 K is his career high.

 

And when you pitch to contact, you rely more on defense and luck to to keep good numbers. Because Dempster has a higher K rate, he's more likely to be better the rest of this season.

 

I'm not crazy about the contract either, but given their similar numbers this year, Dempster's better numbers last year, Dempster being cheaper and Dempster being younger, Dempster was the better signing.

[Outshined_One]

I always love how, when the Cubs reach their lowest point of the season, the Pirates have been there to pick them back up again.

 

Smacked around by Detroit and the White Sox? Pirates to the rescue!

 

Losing streaks on the road at STL and SD? The Pirates were there!

[Magdal]

This is the worst Game thread I have ever seen!Trying to keep track on this horrible Gameday and have no clue what's really going on as you guys just talkin' about GM's and next year and Lou!

 

An occasional description of this game would be appreciated. Thank you, boys.

 

You poor thing

Why so mean Mr. Keener? What did I do to you?! And where is Fred with all those crazy stats? I hope we come back and win the game to teach you guys a lesson!

[illiniguy]

I always love how, when the Cubs reach their lowest point of the season, the Pirates have been there to pick them back up again.

 

Smacked around by Detroit and the White Sox? Pirates to the rescue!

 

Losing streaks on the road at STL and SD? The Pirates were there!

Yep. The gift that keeps on giving. Being in the same division as the Pirates.

[Schwarber Fan]

LOL @ Mike Rivera hitting 2 HRs for the Brewers today

[Careless]

Play the "how slow a runner would have to be batting to not be safe there" game

[Sammy Sofa]

Holy God.

 

What a weak arm.

[Sammys Boombox]

He needed to save money. He traded DeRosa. This created a need at second base. He signed Miles. So, Miles + $2.5-$3 million for DeRosa. Then he gave that money he saved to Dempster/Bradley. I'm sure there have been other options that would have lifted the Cubs to the playoffs that wouldn't have strapped them for 8 years.

 

Which is completely different than he "he traded Derosa so he could resign Dempster and sign Miles."

 

Disagree.

 

There was a number of reasons as to why DeRosa was traded (some of which were and are very smart). To say he was traded simply to resign Dempster and sign Miles simply is not correct. Dempster would have likely been resigned regardless of whether DeRosa was traded or not. Miles was signed BECAUSE DeRosa was traded. DeRosa was not traded so Miles could be signed.

 

Or Hendry could have decided to let Dempster walk and kept DeRosa and never even thought of Aaron Miles. I'm just pointing out that he only saved $3 million on having Miles over DeRosa, and Dempster is overpaid. So while he may not have traded DeRosa so he could sign Miles, it was a by-product. Dempster's contract definitely took money away that could have gone to DeRosa. That is not completely different than what I originally said. I'm sorry I didn't take the time in the game thread to completely explain the situation we all already understand until now.

[Butterscup1679666578]

has wrigley sounded this dead all day? can't blame em

[Old Style]

GO CUBS GO

GO CUBS GO

HEY CHICAGO WHADDYA SAY

THE CUBS ARE GONNA WIN TODAY

[Little Slide Rooter]

At least Justin Berg had a nice debut. Better than anything Samardjiza did all season anyway.

[Sammy Sofa]

Or Hendry could have decided to let Dempster walk and kept DeRosa and never even thought of Aaron Miles. I'm just pointing out that he only saved $3 million on having Miles over DeRosa, and Dempster is overpaid. So while he may not have traded DeRosa so he could sign Miles, it was a by-product. Dempster's contract definitely took money away that could have gone to DeRosa. That is not completely different than what I originally said. I'm sorry I didn't take the time in the game thread to completely explain the situation we all already understand until now.

 

Or they could have let Dempster walk AND traded DeRosa since the latter was actually a smart move given the player's age and cost. You're looking at this through wishful thinking that acts like DeRosa would have automatically been immune to the cold stretches this team has gone through. DeRosa is not a gamechanger along those lines. When this team went cold in the 2 years he was here he typically would as well. Besides, the Cubs would have signed a new pitcher regardless and that's far more important than holding on to someone like DeRosa. If you truly think he was traded just to make money for a pitching contract then he would have been gone no matter what.

[A-Cal]

anyone with half a brain could understand that a new GM for this team is going to have their share of obstacles...they would not be held accountable for hendry's mistakes

 

So then explain why hiring someone new when they can do almost nothing (smart) of significance to make changes for the forseeable future makes any sense? They can't do anything. Hendry can't do anything. It's Hendry's team/mess, so what's the point of hiring someone new to do basically nothing? Fire Hendry and hire someone new when the team actually has money to make changes.

 

i would think that if hendry were to be fired and a new GM hired then there would also be some other changes in the front office...not saying for certain, but i think they would bring in a couple of new guys to flank them...

 

also...the GM, i thought, was the headmaster...in charge of the final decisions in relation to acquisitions (both statewide and foreign) and also in charge of final decisions on draft selections, as well as managing the farm system...

 

why in the world would you not someone new doing this very important job?

[CyHawk_Cub]

I only wish more of our younger guys (Vitters, Castro, Lee, Jackson, etc.) we're closer to being MLB ready as it would be cool to see them in September. It'd give me more of a reason to watch. I haven't totally given up on the big club for this season, but that time is drawing near.

[TruffleShuffle]

also...the GM, i thought, was the headmaster...in charge of the final decisions in relation to acquisitions (both statewide and foreign) and also in charge of final decisions on draft selections, as well as managing the farm system...

 

no. there's no way a GM would have time to do all of those things effectively. the farm system is managed by someone else, foreign acquisitions (except for maybe one top guy, if you're signing a guy like inoa for $4M) are done by other people, and the drafting/scouting is delegated out too... the GM may have some input on the first round selection and strategy later in the draft (how much can be spent, mostly - whether to draft with the intention of signing guys above slot) but generally those things are done by the draft director and scouting department.

[Outshined_One]

I only wish more of our younger guys (Vitters, Castro, Lee, Jackson, etc.) we're closer to being MLB ready as it would be cool to see them in September. It'd give me more of a reason to watch. I haven't totally given up on the big club for this season, but that time is drawing near.

 

Of those guys, I'd say Jackson is the only realistic possibility for a callup in 2010. The other three need at least another full year of development before being ready for the show, unless something unexpected happens and they break out in an impressive fashion.

[Sammy Sofa]

anyone with half a brain could understand that a new GM for this team is going to have their share of obstacles...they would not be held accountable for hendry's mistakes

 

So then explain why hiring someone new when they can do almost nothing (smart) of significance to make changes for the forseeable future makes any sense? They can't do anything. Hendry can't do anything. It's Hendry's team/mess, so what's the point of hiring someone new to do basically nothing? Fire Hendry and hire someone new when the team actually has money to make changes.

 

i would think that if hendry were to be fired and a new GM hired then there would also be some other changes in the front office...not saying for certain, but i think they would bring in a couple of new guys to flank them...

 

also...the GM, i thought, was the headmaster...in charge of the final decisions in relation to acquisitions (both statewide and foreign) and also in charge of final decisions on draft selections, as well as managing the farm system...

 

why in the world would you not someone new doing this very important job?

 

The drafts and the farm system have noticeably improved over the last 3 seasons, so even if the GM was as hands-on in these matters like you describe that rather effectively counters your argument.

 

And you keep dancing around the money issue like it doesn't matter: it doesn't matter how much you shuffle the staff if the money is not there. That's the crux of my suggestion in keeping Hendry through next season: there likely isn't going to be any money for major changes to the team for him or anyone new that would be hired. There's no point in firing Hendry and having to pay him and hiring someone new who is also going to effectively be paid to do nothing. Fire Hendry when the means are there for someone to come in and make changes. Change just for the sake of change in this situation doesn't accomplish squat.

[Flames24Rulz]

Jesus, 25 years since we were last swept at home by the Phillies?

[E.J.]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Broom_icon.svg/400px-Broom_icon.svg.png

[Wolfgangbucks]

I only wish more of our younger guys (Vitters, Castro, Lee, Jackson, etc.) we're closer to being MLB ready as it would be cool to see them in September. It'd give me more of a reason to watch. I haven't totally given up on the big club for this season, but that time is drawing near.

 

We need to get on a serious roll soon or the end is in sight..................................

[Sammy Sofa]

If only even just a fraction of all the promises to give up were true.

[Schwarber Fan]

Well, we definitely gotta sweep the Pirates and we need some help from anyone playing the Cards and Rockies to climb back in this.

[CyHawk_Cub]

If only even just a fraction of all the promises to give up were true.

 

Not sure if that was directed at me, but I can say that I understand some of the disgust over the doom & gloom that is pronounced here almost every day. Speaking for myself, I DO get "down" within gamethreads, but mostly it's me being sarcastic/tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes I do a poor job of relating that in my posts. I seriously haven't given up on the season. I DO give up on certain games, because this team has been so frustrating this year. But as far as the season goes, I think any rational poster here would agree that a fully healthy team could still make a serious run at the post-season. And if we can sneak in, anything is possible...

[A-Cal]

anyone with half a brain could understand that a new GM for this team is going to have their share of obstacles...they would not be held accountable for hendry's mistakes

 

So then explain why hiring someone new when they can do almost nothing (smart) of significance to make changes for the forseeable future makes any sense? They can't do anything. Hendry can't do anything. It's Hendry's team/mess, so what's the point of hiring someone new to do basically nothing? Fire Hendry and hire someone new when the team actually has money to make changes.

 

i would think that if hendry were to be fired and a new GM hired then there would also be some other changes in the front office...not saying for certain, but i think they would bring in a couple of new guys to flank them...

 

also...the GM, i thought, was the headmaster...in charge of the final decisions in relation to acquisitions (both statewide and foreign) and also in charge of final decisions on draft selections, as well as managing the farm system...

 

why in the world would you not someone new doing this very important job?

 

The drafts and the farm system have noticeably improved over the last 3 seasons, so even if the GM was as hands-on in these matters like you describe that rather effectively counters your argument.

 

And you keep dancing around the money issue like it doesn't matter: it doesn't matter how much you shuffle the staff if the money is not there. That's the crux of my suggestion in keeping Hendry through next season: there likely isn't going to be any money for major changes to the team for him or anyone new that would be hired. There's no point in firing Hendry and having to pay him and hiring someone new who is also going to effectively be paid to do nothing. Fire Hendry when the means are there for someone to come in and make changes. Change just for the sake of change in this situation doesn't accomplish squat.

 

what money issue am i exactly dancing around here?

 

i already asked how much hendry is making since it isn't up on Cot's...however...he is signed through 2012...so keeping him around for one more season is almost as stupid as letting him go at the end of this season by your reasoning