Levine: Hendry secure but firesale could begin

[dew1679666265]

What about the possibility of keeping Hendry through the waiver trade deadline, and then firing him? You can for the most part operate the remainder of the season without a GM, openly search, and the moment teams are eliminated from the post season, begin asking for permission to interview. Hopefully having your choice ready, and in the position as the WS ends, if not before.

 

The earliest I'd consider firing Hendry would be August. That way, the risk of a desperate interim GM making short-sighted moves is gone and it makes the minimal benefits (if any) stand out more.

 

I don't think it makes much difference whether you fire him August 1 or the day after game 162, though.

[dew1679666265]

There may not be a benefit to firing him now, but I'm not sure there's a drawback, either.

 

There's the potential risk that the interim GM makes short-sighted moves in an effort to impress his bosses with a meaningless W/L record. It may not make a difference to the Ricketts, but it might and that may be enough for an interim to buy instead of sell at the deadline.

[davearm2]

There may not be a benefit to firing him now, but I'm not sure there's a drawback, either.

 

There's the potential risk that the interim GM makes short-sighted moves in an effort to impress his bosses with a meaningless W/L record. It may not make a difference to the Ricketts, but it might and that may be enough for an interim to buy instead of sell at the deadline.

Why would the bosses be impressed by a meaningless W/L record?

 

Seems to me that taking a 15-under club and making them deadline buyers would be a great way to ensure you *don't* get the job fulltime.

 

I mean seriously, have at least a little faith that the Ricketts can see what's what here.

[CubColtPacer]

There may not be a benefit to firing him now, but I'm not sure there's a drawback, either.

 

There's the potential risk that the interim GM makes short-sighted moves in an effort to impress his bosses with a meaningless W/L record. It may not make a difference to the Ricketts, but it might and that may be enough for an interim to buy instead of sell at the deadline.

Why would the bosses be impressed by a meaningless W/L record?

 

Seems to me that taking a 15-under club and making them deadline buyers would be a great way to ensure you *don't* get the job fulltime.

 

I mean seriously, have at least a little faith that the Ricketts can see what's what here.

 

Yeah, I'd be more worried that Bush wouldn't be able to get as many assets from selling as Hendry would. I don't see Bush even being tempted into buying unless Hendry was fired tomorrow and the Cubs got quite a bit closer in July.

[dew1679666265]

Why would the bosses be impressed by a meaningless W/L record?

 

Seems to me that taking a 15-under club and making them deadline buyers would be a great way to ensure you *don't* get the job fulltime.

 

I mean seriously, have at least a little faith that the Ricketts can see what's what here.

 

My concern isn't that the Ricketts would be impressed by a meaningless W/L record nor that they would bring him back because of it. My concern is that Bush (or any interim GM) might believe that to be the case and make poor, short-sighted deals in an attempt to win himself the job.

 

Even if he doesn't do that - which he may not - the concern is greater that he would do it than that Hendry would, thus making firing Hendry midseason without a longterm replacement ready to take over a more risky move than simply keeping Hendry until the day after game 162 is played and then firing him. When the benefits are extremely minimal (at best) to a move, it doesn't take a massive risk to make the move not worth it, it takes a minimal risk - and that's what promoting an interim GM is.

[dew1679666265]

Yeah, I'd be more worried that Bush wouldn't be able to get as many assets from selling as Hendry would. I don't see Bush even being tempted into buying unless Hendry was fired tomorrow and the Cubs got quite a bit closer in July.

 

That's definitely a concern too, but if the Cubs are kind of on the fringe of being competitive around July is my concern. If we're 15-20 games out by the deadline, he probably won't buy. But if we're 8-12 games out like we are now, Bush might buy in the hopes that we can get hot and get back in it.

 

It may not be extremely likely, but it's a needless risk to take on with a move that has no real benefits.

[erik316wttn]

What about the possibility of keeping Hendry through the waiver trade deadline, and then firing him? You can for the most part operate the remainder of the season without a GM, openly search, and the moment teams are eliminated from the post season, begin asking for permission to interview. Hopefully having your choice ready, and in the position as the WS ends, if not before.

 

The earliest I'd consider firing Hendry would be August. That way, the risk of a desperate interim GM making short-sighted moves is gone and it makes the minimal benefits (if any) stand out more.

 

I don't think it makes much difference whether you fire him August 1 or the day after game 162, though.

 

Firing Hendry on August 1st would be one heck of a birthday present for me.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

That's a pretty shameless way of plugging your birthday.

[erik316wttn]

That's a pretty shameless way of plugging your birthday.

 

Yeah, I'm a whore. I admit it.

[Scotti]

There may not be a benefit to firing him now, but I'm not sure there's a drawback, either.

 

There's the potential risk that the interim GM makes short-sighted moves in an effort to impress his bosses with a meaningless W/L record. It may not make a difference to the Ricketts, but it might and that may be enough for an interim to buy instead of sell at the deadline.

 

I'm not one for firing Hendry but given that TR highly values the farm system (as assets) there is no reason that he couldn't merely say to any interim guy, "Don't go selling the farm to try to impress me--it will do the opposite." Simple as that.

[dew1679666265]

I'm not one for firing Hendry but given that TR highly values the farm system (as assets) there is no reason that he couldn't merely say to any interim guy, "Don't go selling the farm to try to impress me--it will do the opposite." Simple as that.

 

I'd hope he'd do that and that may fix the problem, but he also may be enough of a hands-off executive that he may just put Bush in charge and let him do his thing without comments like that.

[Tryptamine]

There may not be a benefit to firing him now, but I'm not sure there's a drawback, either.

 

There's the potential risk that the interim GM makes short-sighted moves in an effort to impress his bosses with a meaningless W/L record. It may not make a difference to the Ricketts, but it might and that may be enough for an interim to buy instead of sell at the deadline.

 

I'm not one for firing Hendry but given that TR highly values the farm system (as assets) there is no reason that he couldn't merely say to any interim guy, "Don't go selling the farm to try to impress me--it will do the opposite." Simple as that.

 

That or he could just say that he wants final approval on all trades.

[dew1679666265]

That or he could just say that he wants final approval on all trades.

 

That may be too micro-managerial for what Ricketts' style appears to be. My guess is he'd be more likely to throw out a cautionary warning (like Scotti mentioned) if he were going to dissuade an interim GM from trying a desperation effort to win now.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Right now, firing Hendry would be nothing more than a punishment and something to appease fans, unless Ricketts has a long term replacement in his sights. He really shouldnt be extended, but theres no reason to fire him at this point, as the moves that need to be made are obvious ones that any GM can take care of, and hopefully, a few deadline trades which is the one thing Hendrys good at. We basically need to sign Fielder or Pujols, and it doesnt matter whose at the helm for it. Then just let his contract expire, and move on to the next guy. Obviously, if we do happen to win it all in 2012 with Hendry at the helm, it would be hard not to extend him, but if that were to happen, Id be OK with the extension, even if it did give him free range to run the team back into the ground for the following 3-5 years.

[Scotti]

You seriously think the Ricketts would judge an interim GM on his W-L record in August and September?

 

Goodness let's hope they're not quite that clueless.

 

I think part of the reason (and perhaps a large part of the reason) that Mike Quade is the manager of the Cubs today is because the Cubs went on a tear at the end of the season last year under his leadership.

 

TR would hire the GM with (perhaps) input from the team president. Hendry hired the manager (Q) with input from TR. However, from TR's perspective, Q's pluses were that he is a hands on teacher with the understanding that we will have young players on board (compaired to the prior manager), he knows the system, he knows the City and long-standing issues with the team (born and raised in the area), he is a hands on manager and very positive during trying times (compaired to the other manager). The fact that he works well with the press (as compaired to the other manager) and the fact that he handled the team well through adversity (prior manager, coming off a losing record, Zambrano) certainly didn't detract from his credentials. However, the fact that he was hands on with the young players, IMO, was the #1 selling point for Q with TR.

 

Beliveing that TR was "duped" (so to speak) by a short-term winning record sells TR very, very, very short IMO.

[dew1679666265]

TR would hire the GM with (perhaps) input from the team president. Hendry hired the manager (Q) with input from TR. However, from TR's perspective, Q's pluses were that he is a hands on teacher with the understanding that we will have young players on board (compaired to the prior manager), he knows the system, he knows the City and long-standing issues with the team (born and raised in the area), he is a hands on manager and very positive during trying times (compaired to the other manager). The fact that he works well with the press (as compaired to the other manager) and the fact that he handled the team well through adversity (prior manager, coming off a losing record, Zambrano) certainly didn't detract from his credentials. However, the fact that he was hands on with the young players, IMO, was the #1 selling point for Q with TR.

 

Beliveing that TR was "duped" (so to speak) by a short-term winning record sells TR very, very, very short IMO.

 

I didn't mean to imply that it was the only reason Ricketts used, simply a reason and maybe a large one. I do think his status increased certainly in Hendry's mind because of the winning record and maybe Ricketts as well, though he wasn't the guy making the hiring - he just approved it.

[questionmarkgrace]

You seriously think the Ricketts would judge an interim GM on his W-L record in August and September?

 

Goodness let's hope they're not quite that clueless.

 

I think part of the reason (and perhaps a large part of the reason) that Mike Quade is the manager of the Cubs today is because the Cubs went on a tear at the end of the season last year under his leadership.

 

TR would hire the GM with (perhaps) input from the team president. Hendry hired the manager (Q) with input from TR. However, from TR's perspective, Q's pluses were that he is a hands on teacher with the understanding that we will have young players on board (compaired to the prior manager), he knows the system, he knows the City and long-standing issues with the team (born and raised in the area), he is a hands on manager and very positive during trying times (compaired to the other manager). The fact that he works well with the press (as compaired to the other manager) and the fact that he handled the team well through adversity (prior manager, coming off a losing record, Zambrano) certainly didn't detract from his credentials. However, the fact that he was hands on with the young players, IMO, was the #1 selling point for Q with TR.

 

Beliveing that TR was "duped" (so to speak) by a short-term winning record sells TR very, very, very short IMO.

 

Not a major point but I think Ricketts had the final say over who was going to be the manager between Q and Sandberg.

 

 

at any rate I think alot of people including myself would like to see Hendry fired now for his flaws as a gm but also as a symbolic statement of the direction of the club. But dew makes a good point chances are candidates arent leaving an organization mid season to go to another club and randy bush would probably only be worse.

[apete6]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

[Guest]

With the obvious caveat that the whole thing might be made up, there's some good news there. I don't really know anything about Hahn, but being willing to take on some money to move Soriano and not wanting to just throw away Zambrano are some encouraging signs, as is obviously recognizing that Hendry hasn't gotten the job done.

[NOLA]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

 

Who knows how accurate any of that is, but I like just about everything in there. Especially the part regarding Ricketts "eating money" in trades.

[apete6]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

 

Who knows how accurate any of that is, but I like just about everything in there. Especially the part regarding Ricketts "eating money" in trades.

 

And the part about wanting to look at the advanced metrics, not "scoff" at them.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

 

Tom Ricketts will indeed be willing to eat some of the money necessary to make Alfonso Soriano disappear.

 

 

Read more: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html#ixzz1QZpTL2Sn

 

Sure, lets pay a guy to hit in the .260s, OPS in the .800s and hit 20-25 HRs to play in Baltimore while we platoon Tony Campana and Lou Montanez.

[Guest]

More on Hahn:

 

Amazin' Avenue[/url]"]

• Hahn grew up a Cubs fan and graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.
   
  As a 12-year-old he would send letters to Cubs GM Dallas Green with trade proposals. Green would occasionally write back.
   
  He holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Harvard Law School, and Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
   
  At Kellogg he studied things like "finance, statistical analysis, regression analysis, [and] accounting methods", which he thought would be useful tools to have when he eventually joined a big league front office.
   
  While still at Kellogg, Hahn took a position with the sports agency Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn, the firm of superagent Jeff Moorad (who now owns parts of the Padres and Diamondbacks). Hahn's time there would provide him valuable experience he would later use while negotiating player contracts from the other side of the table.
   
  He left Moorad's agency in 2000 and was hired shortly thereafter as an assistant to newly-appointed White Sox GM Kenny Williams (who was previously the team's farm director).
   
  He was a candidate for the Cardinals GM job after the 2007 season but withdrew his name before John Mozeliak got the job.
   
  He declined to meet with the Pirates regarding their GM vacancy in September 2007. That job went to Neal Huntington.
   
  Hahn was not given permission to interview with the Mariners following the 2008 season for the GM position that eventually went to Jack Z.
   
  He has negotiated a half-billion dollars worth of contracts for the White Sox, including those of Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle.
  In discussing Gavin Floyd's slow start in 2009 (and most years), Hahn cited Floyd's FIP and how it was lower than his ERA as a rationale for not worrying needlessly (ed. note: this was relayed to me anecdotally by The Cheat at South Side Sox).

 

He was also BA's #1 GM candidate last March.

[erik316wttn]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

 

Gone when, exactly?

[Banedon]

Chicago Now blogger says "unnamed sources" think Hendry is gone. A pretty bad example of "journalism", but let's hope it's true.

 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/cubs-insider/2011/06/sources-say-expect-change-at-gm-for-cubs.html

 

Gone when, exactly?

 

He linked the article.