Sandberg defends Baker....

[OldHappyCubFan]

On this weekly column..

 

CUBS CORNER

 

Why does Dusty Baker continue to play poorly performing players when he has some choices? Why has Matt Murton not become an everyday player and move up in the lineup? For a young kid to come up and pinch-hit or maybe come into a game late and still hit over .300 at all is amazing. … I could go on and on, but I am sure you could, too. It just hurts a Cubs fan to know that the puzzle pieces are there to make a winning team, but the manager cannot put them together. What the Cubs need is a scrappy old-school manager who can be a real SOB and sit the high-priced talent when they are not doing their job. A couple old-school players would be nice to see again. I miss hearing Dunston to Sandberg to Grace. Ah, the boys of Zimmer.

 

Mark Guttensohn

Memphis, Tenn.

 

Thanks for the reference to our old teams … however, I don't think any three of us could cover much ground in the infield. I would assume that our infield range would be pretty small. … I don't think Dusty is to blame when it comes to not playing young talent. The last thing Dusty wants to do is to hurt the psyche of his young players. He's trying to put Murton into situations where he knows he can succeed. Murton is historically strong against left-handers, so Dusty is trying to use him in those situations.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Murton has also historically been a strong hitter against right handers.

[KatJ]

Murton has also historically been a strong hitter against right handers.

 

You can't have much of a history if your manager lets you ride the pine or sends you down to keep some scrub (I'm not referring to Hairston specifically) on the roster. :evil:

[burnt out cubbie fan]

I was talking about in his minor league career.

[KatJ]

I was talking about in his minor league career.

 

I was making a point that I can't stand Baker is all. Murton might be establishing an ML career if not for Dustbooger.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Oh, ok. Point well taken. :D

[ToupeeOnFire]

If Dusty was the manager of the Cubs back then, Sandberg would have never gotten a chance to play. Instead of Ryno playing everyday in '82 as a 22 year old rookie third baseman, Dusty would have been starting Junior Kennedy.

 

Keep in mind that Ryno got off to a 1-30 start that year. He would have been benched quicker than you can say Matt Murton.

[CubfaninCA]

Yeah Dusty would have ruined Sandberg. :roll:

 

Dusty's the same guy who gave Z a shot back he wasn't all that spectacular.

 

Ryno's right on the money w/ his response. But what does he know. :)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yeah Dusty would have ruined Sandberg. :roll:

 

Dusty's the same guy who gave Z a shot back he wasn't all that spectacular.

 

Ryno's right on the money w/ his response. But what does he know. :)

 

Zambrano put up a 3.66 ERA in 108 innings at age 21. Dusty didn't unearth his talent.

[David]

Yeah Dusty would have ruined Sandberg. :roll:

 

Dusty's the same guy who gave Z a shot back he wasn't all that spectacular.

 

Ryno's right on the money w/ his response. But what does he know. :)

 

Zambrano put up a 3.66 ERA in 108 innings at age 21. Dusty didn't unearth his talent.

 

 

SHHH... don't screw up his argument with your crazy facts, man!!!

[CubfaninCA]

Dusty played a 22 year old!!! What!

[abuck1220]

Dusty played a 22 year old!!! What!

 

a 22 year old who already had a year of success under his belt. his other choices were juan cruz and alan benes.

 

quit acting like dusty and pretending like he unearthed the talents of prior and wood. they were dropped in his lap. even the most incompetent manager would know to have z and prior in the rotation. it's ridiculous to give him credit for having those guys out there.

[frostwyrm]

Dusty played a 22 year old!!! What!

 

Is this the best defense of Dusty you can come up with? That he made a decision that anyone with an IQ above that of a chimpanzee would have made? Your endorsement is so weak that it actually makes Dusty look worse, not better.

[TC3_Hinrich12]

We need a firey manager next year. Someone who will give this team heart and not let them get away with anything. This team has no heart at all.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Dusty played a 22 year old!!! What!

 

A 22-year old who had already put up a good rookie season. Age isn't the key prerequisite for playing for Dusty, it's experience in the big leagues.

[Crash]

We need a firey manager next year. Someone who will give this team heart and not let them get away with anything. This team has no heart at all.

 

It doesn't matter a darn bit if the manager is firey or takes naps in the bottom of the dugout until the 7th inning. This teams problems have nothing to do with mythic concepts about "heart" or "fire" or "chemistry".

 

This team needs a manager who can realize the relative strengths and weaknesses of the players and put them in positions to win not fail. Does he have to be some fire breather that has a stroke every three innings? Not really.

 

And as for players with more heart. How about a few more players who get on base at a better clip. Or better pitching at the back end of the rotation and in middle relief. Teams don't win because they have heart or chemistry or fire. They win because they are talented and know how to use that talent. Heart, Chemsitry and Fire are just terms applied to teams after they win.

[chicubs]

Yeah Dusty would have ruined Sandberg. :roll:

 

Dusty's the same guy who gave Z a shot back he wasn't all that spectacular.

 

Ryno's right on the money w/ his response. But what does he know. :)

 

wow. You obviously have no clue what you are talking about.

[erik316wttn]

We need a firey manager next year. Someone who will give this team heart and not let them get away with anything. This team has no heart at all.

 

I agree. Someone who will be loyal to his players, but someone who also won't make excuses for them when they keep screwing up, someone who will give young players a fair shot, and someone who will kick these guys in the butt when it's warranted.

 

I'm not talking a Billy Martin or a Larry Bowa type guy, but we need someone who won't let these guys slack off.

 

This team needs a manager who can realize the relative strengths and weaknesses of the players and put them in positions to win not fail.

 

We need this, too. That's the most important thing, but he can't possess that and not have any of the other stuff either.