Hendry strikes again

[Schwarber Fan]

"In Rudy's own words, he said he [byrd] might have been the best guy in the clubhouse, and the best team guy they had there," Hendry said. "So, he fit the whole package; we needed the position. In a perfect world, you look at it and say, 'Gee, I wish Marlon was left-handed,' but Marlon hit, I think, .208-something, .283 against right-handed pitching. So, it's not a big weakness in his game, righties vs. lefties."

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=4930919

 

LOL

[Guest]

There's nothing wrong with anything he said.

[Bruno7481]

Some will look for anything to criticize. I don't think it is any secret that despite all the LH hoopla the past year, the Cubs really could use a little more LH balance.

[KingCubsFan]

Some will look for anything to criticize. I don't think it is any secret that despite all the LH hoopla the past year, the Cubs really could use a little more LH balance.

I think we could use some better hitters, regardless of whether they are right-handed or left-handed.

[Schwarber Fan]

There's nothing wrong with anything he said.

 

Remember "Murton's life would be easier if he were left-handed" or whatever?

 

To me, it's just a ridiculous thing to say.

[Guest]

There's nothing wrong with anything he said.

 

Remember "Murton's life would be easier if he were left-handed" or whatever?

 

To me, it's just a ridiculous thing to say.

 

The Cubs have at most 2 LH hitters in their lineup, one of whom is coming off a season where you wonder if he were actually supposed to be hitting right handed. Like he said, in a perfect world, Byrd would provide balance by being left handed. He even eliminates the thought that he only cares about handedness instead of production by explaining Byrd's splits.

[Guest]

Defend him all you want, but they are ridiculous comments. Wishing the guy YOU signed was different handed is ridiculous. Especially when you take into consideration that the GM is responsible for all the guys in the line up in the first place.

 

It's almost as if he's setting that excuse up again in the event of failure. The 2003 team only had one everyday starter that was left handed, and that was Lofton. Choi and Simon got some at bats, but this team almost went to the World Series with a right hand dominant line up. And it wasn't the failure of the bats that put a stop to that season. They averaged 6 runs a game in the NL Championship series.

[Guest]

Defend him all you want, but they are ridiculous comments. Wishing the guy YOU signed was different handed is ridiculous. Especially when you take into consideration that the GM is responsible for all the guys in the line up in the first place.

 

You are wrong. Very wrong.

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm wrong in that I meant the GM is responsible for everyone on the roster rather than the line up.

 

Wishing your brand new CFer was something other than what he is is ridiculous. Plain and simple. It does not instill confidence to basically say that you are settling on less than what you really wanted. What you really wanted was a left handed version of Marlon Byrd. Since there isn't one of those, he settled on the next best thing.

 

Instead of smacking Byrd in the face with some shoe leather because you settled on something you didn't really want, how about just simply stating that Byrd was the guy they wanted all along, and never mention the fact that he is right handed instead of left handed.

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm wrong in that I meant the GM is responsible for everyone on the roster rather than the line up.

 

Wishing your brand new CFer was something other than what he is is ridiculous. Plain and simple. It does not instill confidence to basically say that you are settling on less than what you really wanted. What you really wanted was a left handed version of Marlon Byrd. Since there isn't one of those, he settled on the next best thing.

 

Instead of smacking Byrd in the face with some shoe leather because you settled on something you didn't really want, how about just simply stating that Byrd was the guy they wanted all along, and never mention the fact that he is right handed instead of left handed.

 

Saying "In a perfect world, Byrd would be left handed, but he hits RHP well so it works out the same", is nowhere close to "wishing he were something else" or "smacking him in the face with some shoe leather" (whatever that means). Be honest, if Hendry had come out and said "Marlon was our number one target, he's exactly what we were hoping for", would you not have angrily responded about Marlon Byrd not being a cure all and Hendry being an incompetent evaluator?

[Sammy Sofa]

He slapped his noggin with a dirty jockstrap.

[Guest]

Yeah, I'm wrong in that I meant the GM is responsible for everyone on the roster rather than the line up.

 

Wishing your brand new CFer was something other than what he is is ridiculous. Plain and simple. It does not instill confidence to basically say that you are settling on less than what you really wanted. What you really wanted was a left handed version of Marlon Byrd. Since there isn't one of those, he settled on the next best thing.

 

Instead of smacking Byrd in the face with some shoe leather because you settled on something you didn't really want, how about just simply stating that Byrd was the guy they wanted all along, and never mention the fact that he is right handed instead of left handed.

 

Saying "In a perfect world, Byrd would be left handed, but he hits RHP well so it works out the same", is nowhere close to "wishing he were something else" or "smacking him in the face with some shoe leather" (whatever that means). Be honest, if Hendry had come out and said "Marlon was our number one target, he's exactly what we were hoping for", would you not have angrily responded about Marlon Byrd not being a cure all and Hendry being an incompetent evaluator?

 

I probably wouldn't have responded at all if he just said Byrd was the guy he wanted all along. Hendry's comments are an insult to Byrd. In a perfect world is basically saying Byrd was not the perfect choice. It's an insult to Byrd.

 

The whole handedness thing is a ridiculous argument to start with. As was already pointed out with the 2003 team, the team they lost to only had 1 regular lefty in their line up, and he only got on base via infield singles.

[Guest]

The whole handedness thing is a ridiculous argument to start with. As was already pointed out with the 2003 team, the team they lost to only had 1 regular lefty in their line up, and he only got on base via infield singles.

 

Handedness can be overblown, but balance(which Hendry was truly speaking about) is important. The 2003 offense was 9th in the NL in runs, 11th in OPS. They were not good.

[Guest]

The whole handedness thing is a ridiculous argument to start with. As was already pointed out with the 2003 team, the team they lost to only had 1 regular lefty in their line up, and he only got on base via infield singles.

 

Handedness can be overblown, but balance(which Hendry was truly speaking about) is important. The 2003 offense was 9th in the NL in runs, 11th in OPS. They were not good.

 

Handedness does get overblown. Balance CAN be important, but it's not important if all the RH hitters on your roster are better than any LH bats you can find. And the difference between 11th and 5th in OPS is how many points? Florida was 8th in runs scored, and they won a World Series being mostly right hand dominant. Look at all the lefty bats the Yankees sported in that World Series. While it's nice to have a nice compliment of lefty bats to go with your righty bats, good hitters (regardless of handedness) is what teams should be striving for.

 

If I recall correctly, Miguel Cabrera replaced Hollandsworth in the outfield, which made their line up even more right handed than it was before. Do you believe this was a bad decision by Florida since you believe that balance is important?

[Sammy Sofa]

I really don't see where the "insult" is. He's basically saying in a more idealized lineup Byrd would hit left handed. It's not like he slammed him for not being able to hit leftie or bemoaned having him on the team.

[Guest]

If I recall correctly, Miguel Cabrera replaced Hollandsworth in the outfield, which made their line up even more right handed than it was before. Do you believe this was a bad decision by Florida since you believe that balance is important?

 

Yes, good hitters are more important than bad hitters, no one has ever in the history of the world tried to argue otherwise. The point is that ideally you'd be able to balance your lineup with the abilities of the players you have, which is exactly what Hendry was getting at by saying that in a perfect world Byrd would be LH.

[Guest]

I really don't see where the "insult" is. He's basically saying in a more idealized lineup Byrd would hit left handed. It's not like he slammed him for not being able to hit leftie or bemoaned having him on the team.

 

How about saying that in an idealized line up, we would have more left handed hitters? Why name anyone? Why did Hendry choose Byrd as if he is the only guy who Hendry wished hit left handed? Does Hendry not wish that Ramirez was a power hitting lefty hitting directly behind Lee? Does Hendry not wish Theriot hit 40 HR's while hitting .350?

 

Why is Byrd Hendry's target in regards to the perfect world line up?

 

It's a negative comment directed at one of your brand new team members, and it's on the heels of a very ugly parting of ways between Hendry and Bradley, and Hendry was just as ugly with his comments towards Bradley, if not more.

 

Why start the season on a negative note? Sure, I'm negative. I'm not overly fond of the team that Hendry has put together. But Hendry should be proud of what he has on the field. This is the team he wanted. This is what he spent the offseason creating, so rather than saying in a perfect world, blah, blah, blah, say I'm confident that this team can win the division and take us deep into the World Series, blah, blah, blah. This instills confidence in the players rather than makes them wonder why you bothered trading for them in the first place if it's not the player you really wanted.

[Guest]

Why is Byrd Hendry's target in regards to the perfect world line up?

 

Because he's the only new addition to the lineup? Because someone asked him about how Byrd would fit in the lineup?

[Guest]

I just believe Hendry shouldn't say anything that might be construed as negative towards one of his players, and I believe wishing the player was something that he isn't is definitely a negative.

[Sammy Sofa]

Presumably the comment was after someone specifically asked about or brought up Byrd because he was the one significant signing. I highly doubt that Hendry, out of nowhere, just went off on that tangent as you seem to be implying. It's not really anything to get worked up over since someone has to really jump through hoops to see this as being negative.

[Guest]

Presumably the comment was after someone specifically asked about or brought up Byrd because he was the one significant signing. I highly doubt that Hendry, out of nowhere, just went off on that tangent as you seem to be implying. It's not really anything to get worked up over since someone has to really jump through hoops to see this as being negative.

 

Who's worked up? My opinion differs from yours. Because of that, you somehow come to the conclusion that I'm worked up? Weird.

 

And as far as my opinion goes, I suppose a lot of my concern comes from the whole Bradley debacle, where Hendry certainly ran his mouth way more than he should of. Why even risk damaging the psyche of one of your players before they ever take the field? Since Bradley and Byrd were/are friends, it might be a good idea if Hendry walks on eggshells with Byrd at this point. Start putting your players on pedestals instead of dragging them through the mud. Maybe they will retain a little value before they get shipped off somewhere else for next to no return.

[Guest]

Who's worked up?

 

Read this aloud.

 

Defend him all you want, but they are ridiculous comments. Wishing the guy YOU signed was different handed is ridiculous. Especially when you take into consideration that the GM is responsible for all the guys in the line up in the first place.

[17 Seconds]

I just believe Hendry shouldn't say anything that might be construed as negative towards one of his players, and I believe wishing the player was something that he isn't is definitely a negative.

 

lol

[imb]

if he had said "man i wish marlon byrd was white but oh well" then there might be a complaint (maybe)

[Sammy Sofa]

Why even risk damaging the psyche of one of your players before they ever take the field?

 

This is crazy talk. Your ridiculous, scrambling take on this non-issue is why I said you're "worked up."