Brutal, brutal season - worst I can remember

[illiniguy]

I am worried that '03-'08 might end up being the closest we get in a long time. I hope I am wrong. But I am a worrier, that's why my friends call me whiskers.

[Sammy Sofa]

What are the financial implications of effectively cleaning house in the front office?

 

Seriously, I have no idea, so I'm asking.

I'm not sure, but if you were gonna be this cash strapped that you can't do anything for a long while, why did you even buy the team? Better yet, why did MLB approve you to buy the team? I would assume they have enough money to be able to clean house and start over.

 

Maybe they need a year or two to rebound financially before they start making sweeping "philisophical" and personnel changes; I don't know. Myabe they're thinking that until they have more leeway to make changes they don't want to saddle a new front office with a team where not much can be changed. I'm not saying that's the right move, but I could see why someone might come to that conclusion.

[illiniguy]

What are the financial implications of effectively cleaning house in the front office?

 

Seriously, I have no idea, so I'm asking.

I'm not sure, but if you were gonna be this cash strapped that you can't do anything for a long while, why did you even buy the team? Better yet, why did MLB approve you to buy the team? I would assume they have enough money to be able to clean house and start over.

 

Maybe they need a year or two to rebound financially before they start making sweeping "philisophical" and personnel changes; I don't know. Myabe they're thinking that until they have more leeway to make changes they don't want to saddle a new front office with a team where not much can be changed. I'm not saying that's the right move, but I could see why someone might come to that conclusion.

Well that's so counter-productive. Hendry still will be given the ability to sign free agents, he still will be allowed to make trades, and he still will in some way be heading up the international signings. I still think you have to make the change. Hendry has benn given way too long already, he's done more than enough damage.

[Sammy Sofa]

Definitely. I'm probably just making excuses to try and figure why people who claim to be baseball fans and who own the team would keep Hendry on. It's baffling, so I keep telling myself there has to be a "good" reason, because some of the other conclusions are just too depressing.

[CubColtPacer]

Definitely. I'm probably just making excuses to try and figure why people who claim to be baseball fans and who own the team would keep Hendry on. It's baffling, so I keep telling myself there has to be a "good" reason, because some of the other conclusions are just too depressing.

 

For Ricketts the reason seems to be that they don't want to lose Wilken. It seems like they think Hendry has done OK but that the scouting/development is the best it's ever been and it's not worth it to replace the GM and lose that farm system.

[Sammy Sofa]

What, they can't fire Hendry without losing Wilken?

 

Again, I'm really asking.

[CubColtPacer]

What, they can't fire Hendry without losing Wilken?

 

Again, I'm really asking.

 

Wilken like many in the organization is fiercely loyal to Hendry and people are certain that he'd quit as soon as Hendry was fired.

[illiniguy]

What, they can't fire Hendry without losing Wilken?

 

Again, I'm really asking.

 

Wilken like many in the organization is fiercely loyal to Hendry and people are certain that he'd quit as soon as Hendry was fired.

Being as there are like 5 people on this board who I think would draft as well, if not better than Wilken, I wouldn't let that faze me at all.

[Sammy Sofa]

What, they can't fire Hendry without losing Wilken?

 

Again, I'm really asking.

 

Wilken like many in the organization is fiercely loyal to Hendry and people are certain that he'd quit as soon as Hendry was fired.

 

Huh, I had no idea. So it's assumed that firing Hendry would essentially result in an effective cleaning house of the front office regardless if anyone else is fired?

[CubColtPacer]

What, they can't fire Hendry without losing Wilken?

 

Again, I'm really asking.

 

Wilken like many in the organization is fiercely loyal to Hendry and people are certain that he'd quit as soon as Hendry was fired.

 

Huh, I had no idea. So it's assumed that firing Hendry would essentially result in an effective cleaning house of the front office regardless if anyone else is fired?

 

I believe that yes that is the assumption.

[Sosa21MVP]

I started following the Cubs in 1987 and two seasons that stand out to me as brutal were 1997 and 1999. The 0-14 start in 1997 was about as bad as it gets. Nothing says awesome like seeing all hope get crushed in the first 2 weeks of April.

 

The 1999 team I remember for starting pretty well through April and part of May from what I recall. They had a lot of exciting come from behind wins early. Then the bottom fell out completely. It was especially painful because the 1998 season was so much fun and I was hoping the Cubs would build upon that.

[davell]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

[daske17]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

[KingCubsFan]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

Kenney's job is to build the business, and he's really good at it. He's probably the only one good at his job in the entire front office.

[davell]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

Kenney's job is to build the business, and he's really good at it. He's probably the only one good at his job in the entire front office.

 

Well, then couldn't you put him in charge of marketing and give someone else his job? It just seems to me that the President of the Cubs should be someone who knows the game.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

 

He had extremely well respected baseball man Andy MacPhail as his boss for several years and it didn't do any good, other than the gift contract Andy gave him on the way out the door.

 

I really don't care what they do with the presidents role. I really don't see the need for a president who is a baseball man and then a GM under him. But if that's what it takes to get somebody who will replace Hendry, fine. The GM can run baseball operations with his assistants and staff. Crane can run the business of the Cubs probably as well or better than most any traditional club president. It's the least important move they can make.

[daske17]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

 

He had extremely well respected baseball man Andy MacPhail as his boss for several years and it didn't do any good, other than the gift contract Andy gave him on the way out the door.

 

I really don't care what they do with the presidents role. I really don't see the need for a president who is a baseball man and then a GM under him. But if that's what it takes to get somebody who will replace Hendry, fine. The GM can run baseball operations with his assistants and staff. Crane can run the business of the Cubs probably as well or better than most any traditional club president. It's the least important move they can make.

 

From my understanding, president oversees baseball AND business operations, serving under the direction of the owner. I would love if the Cubs would sign Stan Kasten for that purpose.

[erik316wttn]

Why hasn't Ricketts gotten rid of Crane Kenney? He's the Cubs President and to my knowledge, isn't a baseball guy whatsoever. What exactly does he do and why is he a better fit than someone who's title would be something more along the lines of President of Baseball Operations? Without having any idea of what Kenney's job actually is, it seems to me having a President that actually knows the game makes more sense......

 

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs.

 

I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team.

 

I KNEW there was a reason we lost that year!

[davell]

I was always under the impression that MacPhail tried to run the Cubs in much the same way he had run the Twins, when he could have made more "impact" type moves than what he had done with the Twins. Basically, just way too conservative for a major market team. If I'm wrong about this, I apologize up front, but that's what I always thought anyway.

 

At any rate, I think a hire of a baseball mind for Hendry to answer to is a very important move myself. But, not one I see the Ricketts' making, because I think it would have been one of the very first things they would have done, since it really wouldn't have required firing anyone. Just moving some people around to different spots.

[jersey cubs fan]

I was always under the impression that MacPhail tried to run the Cubs in much the same way he had run the Twins, when he could have made more "impact" type moves than what he had done with the Twins. Basically, just way too conservative for a major market team. If I'm wrong about this, I apologize up front, but that's what I always thought anyway.

 

At any rate, I think a hire of a baseball mind for Hendry to answer to is a very important move myself. But, not one I see the Ricketts' making, because I think it would have been one of the very first things they would have done, since it really wouldn't have required firing anyone. Just moving some people around to different spots.

 

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry.

[daske17]

I was always under the impression that MacPhail tried to run the Cubs in much the same way he had run the Twins, when he could have made more "impact" type moves than what he had done with the Twins. Basically, just way too conservative for a major market team. If I'm wrong about this, I apologize up front, but that's what I always thought anyway.

 

At any rate, I think a hire of a baseball mind for Hendry to answer to is a very important move myself. But, not one I see the Ricketts' making, because I think it would have been one of the very first things they would have done, since it really wouldn't have required firing anyone. Just moving some people around to different spots.

 

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry.

 

Because it's a reasonable expectation to have someone with authority over the GM regardless of who it is. No GM should have complete autonomy which it looks like Hendry does once he gets his budget from ownership.

[jersey cubs fan]

I was always under the impression that MacPhail tried to run the Cubs in much the same way he had run the Twins, when he could have made more "impact" type moves than what he had done with the Twins. Basically, just way too conservative for a major market team. If I'm wrong about this, I apologize up front, but that's what I always thought anyway.

 

At any rate, I think a hire of a baseball mind for Hendry to answer to is a very important move myself. But, not one I see the Ricketts' making, because I think it would have been one of the very first things they would have done, since it really wouldn't have required firing anyone. Just moving some people around to different spots.

 

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry.

 

Because it's a reasonable expectation to have someone with authority over the GM regardless of who it is. No GM should have complete autonomy which it looks like Hendry does once he gets his budget from ownership.

 

But he's had a baseball man as boss and failed. He's had businessmen as boss and failed. He's a failure. If all you do is bring in a baseball man you are just adding to your expenses. Jim Hendry is still going to run things the way Jim Hendry does. Maybe a president would chance the way the minor leagues work, but he's not going to make Jim Hendry a good GM. The problem is Hendry, not Crane Kenney.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't know what annoys me more people who argue for relegation or people who argue that the Cubs need a team president whose background is in baseball. Can you name more than 4 other team presidents that aren't team president/GM?

[daske17]

I was always under the impression that MacPhail tried to run the Cubs in much the same way he had run the Twins, when he could have made more "impact" type moves than what he had done with the Twins. Basically, just way too conservative for a major market team. If I'm wrong about this, I apologize up front, but that's what I always thought anyway.

 

At any rate, I think a hire of a baseball mind for Hendry to answer to is a very important move myself. But, not one I see the Ricketts' making, because I think it would have been one of the very first things they would have done, since it really wouldn't have required firing anyone. Just moving some people around to different spots.

 

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry.

 

Because it's a reasonable expectation to have someone with authority over the GM regardless of who it is. No GM should have complete autonomy which it looks like Hendry does once he gets his budget from ownership.

 

But he's had a baseball man as boss and failed. He's had businessmen as boss and failed. He's a failure. If all you do is bring in a baseball man you are just adding to your expenses. Jim Hendry is still going to run things the way Jim Hendry does. Maybe a president would chance the way the minor leagues work, but he's not going to make Jim Hendry a good GM. The problem is Hendry, not Crane Kenney.

 

Read the bolded portion. I am not advocating for Hendry. I'm saying that I would want someone as president regardless of GM.

[jersey cubs fan]

Read the bolded portion. I am not advocating for Hendry. I'm saying that I would want someone as president regardless of GM.

 

Then why are you asking what kind of job Hendry could have done with a baseball man as his boss? It's already been done. It's just not important, unless it's the only way to get rid of Jim Hendry (which of course it is not). The solution is getting rid of Hendry. There are plenty of non baseball men running baseball teams from the president's office.