Everyone of you is wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Claiming that Dusty Baker is the sole reason to why the Cubs were pretty much dead by July this year. I think that even the best managers in baseball, probably Mike Scioscia and Bobby Cox could not overcome these significant players being on the DL for as long as they were.

 

Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Todd Walker, Nomar, Aramis Ramirez(even though late in the season). And then add in the fact that our starting CF(Corey Patterson), our closer(LaTroy Hawkins), and pretty much the entire bullpen(until Dempster came along) had terrible years.

 

Again, no manager in baseball could overcome this many injuries(to key players) and effectiveness and have a playoff or winning season. NO MANAGER!

 

Dusty Baker I think gets too much credit from the media and so called experts for being a great manager for some unknown reason but I also don't think he is as bad as a lot of fans make him out to be. He does make plenty of mistakes but its the GM job to create less of a chance to make those mistakes(LIKE GET BETTER PLAYERS) or hire someone to make sure Wood can freaking stay healthy.

 

So, the GM desires most of blame for this team as well as Dusty but its really the GMs fault for not addressing the needs that everyone knew the Cubs needed.

Edited October 3, 2005 by Anonymous

[Tim]

I believe the sentence you are looking for is, "Every one of you is wrong!"

 

And I think you're making a mistake to assume that everyone on the forum has the same opinion of Dusty.

[rawaction]

Claiming that Dusty Baker is the sole reason to why the Cubs were pretty much dead by July this year.

 

Strange, considering I don't remember a single person saying Dusty is the sole reason the Cubs were out in July. In fact, there was just a thread in which several other reasons were given much, much more blame. I believe "injuries" was the most popular reason.

[Guest]

yes, that is the sentence I was looking for. I knew it sounded funny.

 

I didn't mean to generalize the statement meaning all Cub fans but everywhere I look, people are blaming Dusty and they just need to open their eyes a little.

[Guest]

Raw, I remember you, actually I spent most of my time with the idiots over at the Cubs message board. Not post all that must but just reading what they say.

 

Most Cub fans over there it seems like is blaming Dusty.

 

I am Cubs200079 but I dought you remember me.

[Magnetic Curses]

dusty gets a lot of blame, true, but it's warranted. batting neifi perez at leadoff, in itself, should be enough.

[YearofDaCubs]

Dusty is terrible but Hendry is as much to blame.

[rawaction]

Raw, I remember you, actually I spent most of my time with the idiots over at the Cubs message board. Not post all that must but just reading what they say.

 

Most Cub fans over there it seems like is blaming Dusty.

 

I am Cubs200079 but I dought you remember me.

 

Yeah, I remember you. Welcome. What took you so long?

[mg420]

i have nothing against him personally but often question his poor on field strategy, misuse of the bullpen & mental block when it comes to starting young players. if the cubs do win under baker, imo it will be in spite of him and not because of him.

[CubinNY]

How did the Cardinals make the playoffs with their injuries?

 

But more to the point why make such a silly comment over-generalizing the opinon of people you don't even know. Are you looking for an argument?

[CubfaninCA]

How did the Cardinals make the playoffs with their injuries?

 

But more to the point why make such a silly comment over-generalizing the opinon of people you don't even know. Are you looking for an argument?

 

Their rotation held up unlike the Cubs.

[CubinNY]

How did the Cardinals make the playoffs with their injuries?

 

But more to the point why make such a silly comment over-generalizing the opinon of people you don't even know. Are you looking for an argument?

 

Their rotation held up unlike the Cubs.

 

And whose fault is that?

[CubfaninCA]

Claiming that Dusty Baker is the sole reason to why the Cubs were pretty much dead by July this year. I think that even the best managers in baseball, probably Mike Scioscia and Bobby Cox could not overcome these significant players being on the DL for as long as they were.

 

Mark Prior, Kerry Wood, Todd Walker, Nomar, Aramis Ramirez(even though late in the season). And then add in the fact that our starting CF(Corey Patterson), our closer(LaTroy Hawkins), and pretty much the entire bullpen(until Dempster came along) had terrible years.

 

Again, no manager in baseball could overcome this many injuries(to key players) and effectiveness and have a playoff or winning season. NO MANAGER!

 

Dusty Baker I think gets too much credit from the media and so called experts for being a great manager for some unknown reason but I also don't think he is as bad as a lot of fans make him out to be. He does make plenty of mistakes but its the GM job to create less of a chance to make those mistakes(LIKE GET BETTER PLAYERS) or hire someone to make sure Wood can freaking stay healthy.

 

So, the GM desires most of blame for this team as well as Dusty but its really the GMs fault for not addressing the needs that everyone knew the Cubs needed.

 

Actually there was a recent thread criticizing Hendry. The Dusty bashing gets relentless, but it's definitely not the sole opinion here.

 

The lists of reason why this team was sub .500 this year is quite lengthy.

 

Dusty's peculiar lineups.

 

Hendry's questionable signings of Burnitz, Nomar and Maddux.

 

Key injuries.

 

Bad drafting and poor minor league development.

 

Poor situational and fundamental baseball.

 

Patterson imploding.

 

Not signing Bartolo Colon or Pedro Martinez.

 

I could keep going, but will stop here.

[CubfaninCA]

How did the Cardinals make the playoffs with their injuries?

 

But more to the point why make such a silly comment over-generalizing the opinon of people you don't even know. Are you looking for an argument?

 

Their rotation held up unlike the Cubs.

 

And whose fault is that?

 

The baseball gods??

[Tim]

How did the Cardinals make the playoffs with their injuries?

 

But more to the point why make such a silly comment over-generalizing the opinon of people you don't even know. Are you looking for an argument?

 

Their rotation held up unlike the Cubs.

 

And whose fault is that?

Hmm...in no particular order:

 

- Hendry for extending an injury prone Kerry Wood

- Wood for not doing more to smooth his mechanics

- Baker for his usage of Wood in 2003

 

- The dude that hit Prior with the line drive

- Prior for not getting his elbow out of the way of the line drive

 

- Hendry for signing an over the hill Maddux (still love ya' though, Greg!)

 

- Baker for being wishy-washy about the fifth starter

- Hendry for rewarding Rusch for what he did in 2004 instead of signing someone else for what the could do in 2005 and beyond

 

Oh yeah:

 

- all the minor leaguers for nobody stepping up to claim the 5th spot

- Stockstill for not picking a guy who could step up and instead picking guys who got injured or flamed out

- The development staff for not keeping the high-end talent healthy and teaching them enough to break out

[goonys evil twin]

Anybody who tries to deflect criticism away from Dusty has a much tougher challenge than somebody who rightfully holds him responsible for much of the prodlem.

 

He's one of many problems with this team, not the sole problem, but without a doubt an enormous problem. Defending him is pointless. He's absolutely the wrong man for this job, and has been since before he was hired. The team is heading in the wrong direction and he deserves enormous amounts of blame for that fact.

 

Hendry also deserves blame for his failures. But this is not a black or white, either/or situation. You aren't giving a free pass to anybody else by saying Dusty screwed up and must go. You're simply holding a leader responsible for the rudderless direction of the team.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Dusty is to blame for this team finishing in fourth place.

 

Hendry's not perfect but he gave Baker enough to earn a playoff spot even with the injuries to Nomar, ARam, Wood and Prior.

 

If the following had happened, this team is on its way to Atlanta today:

 

Dempster is the closer on opening day as Hendry wanted.

 

If Hairston is used more in CF and at the top of the order.

 

If Walker is used more at the top of the order.

 

If Matt Murton plays every day after the all-star break

 

If Ronny Cedeno plays regularly over Neifi.

 

Every single one of those decisions was up to Baker and he made the wrong decision in every single situation.

[frostwyrm]

Horrible offense from the corner OF positions really hurt. Other than the Cubs, I can't imagine any contender actually wanting Hollandsworth and Burnitz as opening day starters at the corners.

[YearofDaCubs]

We knew going into the season that Baker was a liability and after Hendry pulled the worst moves possible to assemble the team a good amount of us knew we were not playoffs contenders. I def dont want Baker her anymore and I coudl care less if Hendry was fired tomorrow. That's how bad this team is. Never in my life have I seen a manager worse than Baker. I dont care if I get criticized for my comments but Baker has been the worst manager I have ever seen. He's terrible and now we ALL know why the Giants were so quick to relieve a manager who made it to the WS. Another Hendry blunder.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Seriously, what did Baker do right this year? Bat DLee 3rd? lol

[YearofDaCubs]

Seriously, what did Baker do right this year? Bat DLee 3rd? lol

That pretty much sums it up. He also had Burnitz in the 4 spot and Aramis in the 5 for a looong time while we knew it should have been the opposite. I'm telling you Baker is out of control and terribly sucks at his job.

[Guest]

Raw, I remember you, actually I spent most of my time with the idiots over at the Cubs message board. Not post all that must but just reading what they say.

 

Most Cub fans over there it seems like is blaming Dusty.

 

I am Cubs200079 but I dought you remember me.

 

Yeah, I remember you. Welcome. What took you so long?

 

what took me so long? :) well, for me its always hard to change from one place to the next but damn, ESPN message board has gotten bad.

 

Its also was very easy for me to check baseball scores and then go right to the message board.

[Guest]

all of you guys have valid points but you forget you assembled this team. It was Jim Hendry.

 

I also think that if the Cubs were healthy all year. Nomar, ARam, Wood, Prior, and Walker they would be playing in October.

 

The reason Dempster didn't close right out of the gate was because of the injuries to Prior and Wood and we needed a 5th starter.

 

Though I agree with many of you it should have been Glendon Rusch(Baker mistake) it was also a mistake when Wood and Prior came back to put Dempster in the closer role right away(another mistake).

[Balsa]

Seriously, what did Baker do right this year? Bat DLee 3rd? lol

That pretty much sums it up. He also had Burnitz in the 4 spot and Aramis in the 5 for a looong time while we knew it should have been the opposite. I'm telling you Baker is out of control and terribly sucks at his job.

I think this is very possibly the worst move Baker made all year. That cost us a #$@&LOAD of runs.

[mg420]

Dusty is to blame for this team finishing in fourth place.

 

Hendry's not perfect but he gave Baker enough to earn a playoff spot even with the injuries to Nomar, ARam, Wood and Prior.

 

If the following had happened, this team is on its way to Atlanta today:

 

Dempster is the closer on opening day as Hendry wanted.

 

If Hairston is used more in CF and at the top of the order.

 

If Walker is used more at the top of the order.

 

If Matt Murton plays every day after the all-star break

 

If Ronny Cedeno plays regularly over Neifi.

 

Every single one of those decisions was up to Baker and he made the wrong decision in every single situation.

 

dont forget starting hollandsworth over dubois for the majority of the 1st half of the season. bay was traded 4 times before he got a shot with the pirates & look how he turned out.