Dodgers fire Jim Tracy

[CuseCubFan69]

Dare I hope?

 

How long have you been a Cubs fan? Ten Minutes?

 

You have to hope BWKB...if you don't, you go insane.

[Derwood]

multiple sources and articles (one of which i posted yesterday) have shot down the rumors of dusty going to LA.....sorry to pee on your parade

[Bruce Miles]

Guys, Dusty is NOT going to the Dodgers, for multiple reasons. You can forget that one.

[rawaction]

Guys, Dusty is NOT going to the Dodgers, for multiple reasons. You can forget that one.

 

HE can go to Tampa then.

[Tracer Bullet]

Guys, Dusty is NOT going to the Dodgers, for multiple reasons. You can forget that one.

 

Exactly. DePo is a Beane disciple. There's no way he hires Dusty Baker. The guy hit some combination of Patterson, Neifi, and Macias 1-2 for a large chunk of this year. They walked a combined, what, 4 times this year?

 

Bruce - is there any chance Baker isn't back w/ the Cubs next year?

[Bruce Miles]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

[Tracer Bullet]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

Ugh.

[CuseCubFan69]

Guys, Dusty is NOT going to the Dodgers, for multiple reasons. You can forget that one.

 

Exactly. DePo is a Beane disciple. There's no way he hires Dusty Baker. The guy hit some combination of Patterson, Neifi, and Macias 1-2 for a large chunk of this year. They walked a combined, what, 4 times this year?

 

You both are right and I think the only way the Cubs lose Baker is if Hendry sees the light and I highly doubt he will.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Dare I hope?

 

How long have you been a Cubs fan? Ten Minutes?

 

:roll:

 

yeah, since 2003. [/sarcasm]

[JC]

Guys, Dusty is NOT going to the Dodgers, for multiple reasons. You can forget that one.

 

HE can go to Tampa then.

 

Man, that would be perfect for Dusty. No expectation of winning. Established atmosphere of playing veterans over young guys. Nobody at the dome to boo his players or him. Close to big game fishing. What's not to like?

[UK1679666180]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

 

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

[TheDude]

I'm just curious, but why is Jim Tracy such a hot name around here. I mean, he gets my vote because he isn't Dusty, but, does he have a better understanding of OBP and how to use it? Or is he just a better in-game manager?

Several thing likely contribute to his perceived value around:

 

-His only big league playing time came as a Cub and he was a minor league manager within the Cubs system. So people have some familiarity with him, particularly those with more knowledge of the minor leagues.

 

-He was fairly successfull in LA over 5 years. The team he managed just before Depodesta's meddling was a fairly strong team based around pitching and unbelievable defense up-the-middle, something many Cubs fans covet (only with some actual offense to support it).

 

-He isn't Dusty Baker.

[goonys evil twin]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts.

 

I'm just crazy enough to still be holding out hope that Andy is getting this story out there in order to put the ball in Baker's court and force him to make a move. Baker's time in SF was filled with this sort of political maneuvering. Dusty likes to play the innocent victim. The "woe is me, I've never had a longterm deal" routine has always been his way of claiming management is screwing him over, and he's just doing the best he can with what they give him. If Dusty was visibly annoyed at questions about his contract extension talks, perhaps he's feeling a little squeezed knowing he'll be the one who has to quit if he wants out, leaving money on the table.

 

Here's to hoping that Andy is trying to save his boy Hendry from having to take the fall with his first major blunder, Baker, being let go. I've always thought Hendry's future was tied to Dusty's, but if Dusty quits, as opposed to being fired, there might be less pressure to fire Jim as well.

 

Then again, if the only way to rectify Jim's biggest error is by having Andy step in and CHA, perhaps we'd be better off with Hendry gone as well. If he can't learn from, and fix his own mistakes with the manager decision, how can we possibly expect him to wake up to the lack of walks, lack of OBP, lack of OF offense, incompetent overpaid veterans on the bench, and a pitching staff that hates throwing strikes.

 

Great, I just went from mildly optimistic about Baker potentially leaving to once again depressed at the lack of ability for the front office to affectively carry-out a winning philosophy.

[Backtobanks]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

 

I think that there is no way Baker doesn't sign the 2-year extension. For all of the griping and complaining, I think Dusty knows a good thing when he sees it. Dusty knows that the Cubs have a chance to compete every year with a large payroll and if the Cubs win their division, let alone the WS, he will be more popular than Elvis. As for more than 2 years being offered, the Tribune article made a big deal that Dusty always had 2 year deals until he signed with the Cubs. Obviously, 2 more years after 2006 will say a lot about Baker, Hendry, & MacPhail.

[Bruce Miles]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

 

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

 

Those weren't "rumors" about the contract extensions. Those were strong indications given to media members close to the team _ given to us by various members of the Cubs family.

There are several "extension" scenarios regarding Baker: He could be offered a one-year extension. He could be offered a two-year extension. He could be offered a "lowball" extension. And as I've said, there is no guarantee he'll accept. I don't think he particularly likes Chicago all that much.

A good start will be important regardless, especially since I have a feeling Baker will make the whole extension thing moot by not accepting it. Nice use of the word "perpendicular," though.

[burnt out cubbie fan]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

 

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

 

Those weren't "rumors" about the contract extensions. Those were strong indications given to media members close to the team _ given to us by various members of the Cubs family.

There are several "extension" scenarios regarding Baker: He could be offered a one-year extension. He could be offered a two-year extension. He could be offered a "lowball" extension. And as I've said, there is no guarantee he'll accept. I don't think he particularly likes Chicago all that much.

A good start will be important regardless, especially since I have a feeling Baker will make the whole extension thing moot by not accepting it. Nice use of the word "perpendicular," though.

So basically we need to make Dusty feel as unwelcome in Chicago as possible so he won't accept the extention. I think I can help out on that.

[CuseCubFan69]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts.

 

I'm just crazy enough to still be holding out hope that Andy is getting this story out there in order to put the ball in Baker's court and force him to make a move. Baker's time in SF was filled with this sort of political maneuvering. Dusty likes to play the innocent victim. The "woe is me, I've never had a longterm deal" routine has always been his way of claiming management is screwing him over, and he's just doing the best he can with what they give him. If Dusty was visibly annoyed at questions about his contract extension talks, perhaps he's feeling a little squeezed knowing he'll be the one who has to quit if he wants out, leaving money on the table.

 

Here's to hoping that Andy is trying to save his boy Hendry from having to take the fall with his first major blunder, Baker, being let go. I've always thought Hendry's future was tied to Dusty's, but if Dusty quits, as opposed to being fired, there might be less pressure to fire Jim as well.

 

Then again, if the only way to rectify Jim's biggest error is by having Andy step in and CHA, perhaps we'd be better off with Hendry gone as well. If he can't learn from, and fix his own mistakes with the manager decision, how can we possibly expect him to wake up to the lack of walks, lack of OBP, lack of OF offense, incompetent overpaid veterans on the bench, and a pitching staff that hates throwing strikes.

 

Great, I just went from mildly optimistic about Baker potentially leaving to once again depressed at the lack of ability for the front office to affectively carry-out a winning philosophy.

 

You had me at "I'm just crazy".

[Magnetic Curses]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

 

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

 

Those weren't "rumors" about the contract extensions. Those were strong indications given to media members close to the team _ given to us by various members of the Cubs family.

There are several "extension" scenarios regarding Baker: He could be offered a one-year extension. He could be offered a two-year extension. He could be offered a "lowball" extension. And as I've said, there is no guarantee he'll accept. I don't think he particularly likes Chicago all that much.

A good start will be important regardless, especially since I have a feeling Baker will make the whole extension thing moot by not accepting it. Nice use of the word "perpendicular," though.

 

i've always thought that dusty has had a certain level of narcissism regarding chicago and midwestern folks in general. i never thought that he wanted to be here, that he would have stayed on the west coast had seattle extended an offer to him.

 

i don't know, maybe i have an inferiority complex or something, but i just get the idea that dusty thinks he's better than the cubs and cubs fans in general. i think if dusty could get away with it, he'd say lee elia-like things everyday that he's in this perceived purgatory.

[UK1679666180]

Baker is back next year. I'd say a good start is a must or things could change. But he'll be there to start the season.

 

What is your take on the rumors surrounding Hendry/Baker extending their contracts. So far, I would say thru the media it appears that Hendry will get offered a two year deal next Spring and Baker as well. The only difference is that Baker might not accept unlike Hendry.

 

Stating a good start is needed, runs perpendicular to recent hints that Baker would be offered before the season.

 

If you were to put odds on the situation, what are the odds of Baker being offered 2 more years before the season?

 

Those weren't "rumors" about the contract extensions. Those were strong indications given to media members close to the team _ given to us by various members of the Cubs family.

There are several "extension" scenarios regarding Baker: He could be offered a one-year extension. He could be offered a two-year extension. He could be offered a "lowball" extension. And as I've said, there is no guarantee he'll accept. I don't think he particularly likes Chicago all that much.

A good start will be important regardless, especially since I have a feeling Baker will make the whole extension thing moot by not accepting it. Nice use of the word "perpendicular," though.

 

That's the 1st time I've heard other scenarios exist surrounding Baker and potential off-season contract negotiations, the common theme appeared to be Baker being offered the 2 years and nothing else as far as a one year deal or nothing offered at all.

 

I'm content with spelling perpendicular correctly and not properly using it in a sentence, although it was used correctly as well. :)

 

I think your prediction is correct of Baker remaining next year and then off to "greener" pastures.

[Bruce Miles]

UK,

 

Just yankin' your chain!!

[UK1679666180]

UK,

 

Just yankin' your chain!!

 

I expect to see "perpendicular" in an upcoming article!

 

Have you heard the name Jason Michaels of the Phillies mentioned by anyone from the Cubs or any other names that might surprise some?

[Bruce Miles]

Not yet. I'll have a better idea after some of their initial meetings this week and heading into their organizational meetings.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Not yet. I'll have a better idea after some of their initial meetings this week and heading into their organizational meetings.

 

Bruce,

 

I have a question you might not want to answer and I understand if you don't. How do you go about getting information from things like organizational meetings? Do you pick up the phone and call people? It would seem easier to get information during the regular season when you're at the ballpark everyday than it would be in the offseason when you're the team. You don't need to give names or anything but how do you get your information from the organization? Thanks.

[Bruce Miles]

I pick up the phone and call people. Simple as that. I talk with several people within the organization. Hendry is very accessible. He won't compromise confidential information, but he'll answer every question, even if he says he can't say something. During the Maddux negotiations two winters ago and the Sosa saga last winter, I was talking with Jim every day, sometimes two and three times a day. He always answered or got back to me.

[YearofDaCubs]

I pick up the phone and call people. Simple as that. I talk with several people within the organization. Hendry is very accessible. He won't compromise confidential information, but he'll answer every question, even if he says he can't say something. During the Maddux negotiations two winters ago and the Sosa saga last winter, I was talking with Jim every day, sometimes two and three times a day. He always answered or got back to me.

Sounds like Jim is a straight-up guy.