Baker Forcing a Trade??

[nilodnayr]

I believe the next experiment is going to be what we saw today - Hairston, Walker in the 1 and 2 spots. Yes, Walker went 0 for 6 today but, Hairston got on base three times and we all know Walker will hit and get on base.

 

Walker also hit the snot out of the ball...it was just one of those days for him. Hairston-Walker-Lee is definitely the best top of the order for this team.

 

And thats why I'd be more than happy to trade CPatt for a power hitter to place inbetween Lee and ARAM. Our top of the order situation can be solved in house.

[Electron Blue]

I believe the next experiment is going to be what we saw today - Hairston, Walker in the 1 and 2 spots. Yes, Walker went 0 for 6 today but, Hairston got on base three times and we all know Walker will hit and get on base.

 

Walker also hit the snot out of the ball...it was just one of those days for him. Hairston-Walker-Lee is definitely the best top of the order for this team.

 

Brenly even made some comments about the bad decisions of Neifi and CPatt in the 1 and 2 spots (although I'm not sure he called them by name.) Bob said that putting higher OBP guys like Hairston and Walker in those spots would result in more than 100 more baserunners in the season. Better yet, those baserunners would be on for D Lee, ARam, and Burnitz to drive in. I know it's common sense, but it was refreshing to hear. Maybe Bob will get run out of town for offering a valid opinion.

 

If the 2005 Cubs was the novel Animal Farm, Brenly would be Squealer "Dusty is always right" to Steve Stone's Snowball.

 

As much as I like the Animal Farm reference, you gotta admit that Brenly, at least in the part you quoted, wasn't blindly praising or supporting Dusty.

[biittner77]

I believe the next experiment is going to be what we saw today - Hairston, Walker in the 1 and 2 spots. Yes, Walker went 0 for 6 today but, Hairston got on base three times and we all know Walker will hit and get on base.

 

Walker also hit the snot out of the ball...it was just one of those days for him. Hairston-Walker-Lee is definitely the best top of the order for this team.

 

Brenly even made some comments about the bad decisions of Neifi and CPatt in the 1 and 2 spots (although I'm not sure he called them by name.) Bob said that putting higher OBP guys like Hairston and Walker in those spots would result in more than 100 more baserunners in the season. Better yet, those baserunners would be on for D Lee, ARam, and Burnitz to drive in. I know it's common sense, but it was refreshing to hear. Maybe Bob will get run out of town for offering a valid opinion.

 

If the 2005 Cubs was the novel Animal Farm, Brenly would be Squealer "Dusty is always right" to Steve Stone's Snowball.

 

As much as I like the Animal Farm reference, you gotta admit that Brenly, at least in the part you quoted, wasn't blindly praising or supporting Dusty.

 

I only get the WGN games so it's a smaller sample but I've yet to hear Brenly say anything that in any way questioned any of Baker's moves. It seems like Brenly defends Dusty even if it's just saying "Dusty's just doing what he thinks will help the team win." which is true but a far cry from the openly critical Steve Stone.

 

To be fair, Brenly is in a difficult position. Being a former manager it would be easy to become a threat in Baker's eyes. Also, he replaced a guy that got fired for speaking his mind. Brenly is smart enough to know why he was hired: to defend the field manager at all costs- especially when his moves defy logic.

[dime]

I'm not sure a lot of you watch the games...I know that as soon as Stone quit there was a knee-jerk reaction here that the new guy would be Dusty's boy or something...Brenly never had a chance because of the preconceptions here that he would always praise Baker.

 

To be honest, I've never heard him go out of his way to praise Dusty. Just because he isn't sniping the way Stone did doesn't mean he's a lapdog. Get some perspective.

[JC]

Paraphrasing:

 

Pat Hughes after the game last night, "I know that this is portion is known as the highlight show, but I honestly can't think of one play in which a Cub player distinguished himself."

 

Ron Santo after the game, "This team just can't do it. Jim Hendry has to do something drastic, maybe blow it up."

[louisvillecub]

Paraphrasing:

 

Pat Hughes after the game last night, "I know that this is portion is known as the highlight show, but I honestly can't think of one play in which a Cub player distinguished himself."

 

Ron Santo after the game, "This team just can't do it. Jim Hendry has to do something drastic, maybe blow it up."

 

Wow...preach it Pat!

[HoopsCubs]

Paraphrasing:

 

Pat Hughes after the game last night, "I know that this is portion is known as the highlight show, but I honestly can't think of one play in which a Cub player distinguished himself."

 

Ron Santo after the game, "This team just can't do it. Jim Hendry has to do something drastic, maybe blow it up."

 

And they are the consummate company men! Imagine how bad it really must be now.

[CubinNY]

Paraphrasing:

 

Pat Hughes after the game last night, "I know that this is portion is known as the highlight show, but I honestly can't think of one play in which a Cub player distinguished himself."

 

Ron Santo after the game, "This team just can't do it. Jim Hendry has to do something drastic, maybe blow it up."

 

And they are the consummate company men! Imagine how bad it really must be now.

 

Exactly. It is time to seperate the keepers from the cast-offs. Cast-off #1a and #1b has to be Baker and Rothschild. They need to see who has value and who doesn't and start building for next year and beyond.

 

I also wouldn't object that much if Hendry was fired as well. He built this mess.

[Tedward]

I also wouldn't object that much if Hendry was fired as well. He built this mess.

 

He surely did build a mess didn't he? Ramirez and Lee in the corner infielder spots just hasn't worked out. Neither has HIS idea of Dempster in the closer position. Of course that recent trade of Hawkins for Aardsma and Jerome Williams....that's been a real clunker too.

[CubinNY]

I also wouldn't object that much if Hendry was fired as well. He built this mess.

 

He surely did build a mess didn't he? Ramirez and Lee in the corner infielder spots just hasn't worked out. Neither has HIS idea of Dempster in the closer position. Of course that recent trade of Hawkins for Aardsma and Jerome Williams....that's been a real clunker too.

 

What is the record of the Cubs TEAM?

 

What has Williams or Aardsma brought to this TEAM?

 

How do you know it was Hendry's idea to use Dempster as a closer? About 20 people here suggested it last year.

 

When one evaluates the Cubs TEAM one needs to look at the big picture. IMO Hendry hasn't done enough and I think the results pretty much speak for themselves.

[Tedward]

I also wouldn't object that much if Hendry was fired as well. He built this mess.

 

He surely did build a mess didn't he? Ramirez and Lee in the corner infielder spots just hasn't worked out. Neither has HIS idea of Dempster in the closer position. Of course that recent trade of Hawkins for Aardsma and Jerome Williams....that's been a real clunker too.

 

What is the record of the Cubs TEAM?

 

What has Williams or Aardsma brought to this TEAM?

 

How do you know it was Hendry's idea to use Dempster as a closer? About 20 people here suggested it last year.

 

When one evaluates the Cubs TEAM one needs to look at the big picture. IMO Hendry hasn't done enough and I think the results pretty much speak for themselves.

 

I don't disagree with you that he hasn't done enough as you suggest, but he has done a heck of a lot of good things, and I don't believe his performance warrants his being fired. I'm well aware of what the big picture is.....winning a world championship. Problem is, only one team can do that, and he has gotten us close. I've seen a lot of bad Cub GM's through the years, and IMO, Hendry isn't one of them.

[XZero771679666304]

I also wouldn't object that much if Hendry was fired as well. He built this mess.

 

He surely did build a mess didn't he? Ramirez and Lee in the corner infielder spots just hasn't worked out. Neither has HIS idea of Dempster in the closer position. Of course that recent trade of Hawkins for Aardsma and Jerome Williams....that's been a real clunker too.

 

What is the record of the Cubs TEAM?

 

What has Williams or Aardsma brought to this TEAM?

 

How do you know it was Hendry's idea to use Dempster as a closer? About 20 people here suggested it last year.

 

When one evaluates the Cubs TEAM one needs to look at the big picture. IMO Hendry hasn't done enough and I think the results pretty much speak for themselves.

 

Did Jim injure Nomar, Prior and Wood? Does Jim fill out the lineup card? Did Jim ruin LaTroy and Chad Fox? Did Jim end Borowski's career? I don't think it was Dusty who suggested Dempster be the closer, and I sincerely doubt the people who suggested it here had anything to do with it. Getting Williams and Aardsma for Hawkins was brilliant. Devaluing that move just because it hasn't paid off yet is extremely short sighted. I really doubt GM's were lining up to give impact players to the Cubs for LaTroy. And there can be little doubt at this point that while the Sosa trade wasn't a master stroke, the team is better off without him.

 

The players that were on the roster for opening day were more than capable of winning at least the wild card. 99.9% of what has happened since then has been beyond Hendry's control. I am as anxious as anyone to see Jim add some talent, but who knows what is available and how much talent it will cost.

 

I'm not saying Hendry should be free from blame, but there are a plethora of reasons for the mess as it stands today, and he is not the dominant one.

[CubinNY]

Did Jim injure Nomar, Prior and Wood? Does Jim fill out the lineup card? Did Jim ruin LaTroy and Chad Fox? Did Jim end Borowski's career? I don't think it was Dusty who suggested Dempster be the closer, and I sincerely doubt the people who suggested it here had anything to do with it. Getting Williams and Aardsma for Hawkins was brilliant. Devaluing that move just because it hasn't paid off yet is extremely short sighted. I really doubt GM's were lining up to give impact players to the Cubs for LaTroy. And there can be little doubt at this point that while the Sosa trade wasn't a master stroke, the team is better off without him.

 

The players that were on the roster for opening day were more than capable of winning at least the wild card. 99.9% of what has happened since then has been beyond Hendry's control. I am as anxious as anyone to see Jim add some talent, but who knows what is available and how much talent it will cost.

 

I'm not saying Hendry should be free from blame, but there are a plethora of reasons for the mess as it stands today, and he is not the dominant one.

 

Jim hired Dusty

[XZero771679666304]

Did Jim injure Nomar, Prior and Wood? Does Jim fill out the lineup card? Did Jim ruin LaTroy and Chad Fox? Did Jim end Borowski's career? I don't think it was Dusty who suggested Dempster be the closer, and I sincerely doubt the people who suggested it here had anything to do with it. Getting Williams and Aardsma for Hawkins was brilliant. Devaluing that move just because it hasn't paid off yet is extremely short sighted. I really doubt GM's were lining up to give impact players to the Cubs for LaTroy. And there can be little doubt at this point that while the Sosa trade wasn't a master stroke, the team is better off without him.

 

The players that were on the roster for opening day were more than capable of winning at least the wild card. 99.9% of what has happened since then has been beyond Hendry's control. I am as anxious as anyone to see Jim add some talent, but who knows what is available and how much talent it will cost.

 

I'm not saying Hendry should be free from blame, but there are a plethora of reasons for the mess as it stands today, and he is not the dominant one.

 

Jim hired Dusty

 

Jim and MacPhail. And I didn't hear anyone complaining at the time. I wonder if they had it to do over again, the Cubs would hire Dusty Baker, knowing what they know now.