Rusch signed through '07 (Cubs.com)

[ltb]

Mitre or Hill would have posted similar numbers, IMO.

 

and mitre is either somehow in the bigs or traded, since he's out of options.

 

great.

[XZero771679666304]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

You have got to be kidding me. Did we make the playoffs in 2004 or 2005? Maybe you don't know this but we were 4th in our division last year. That is terrible!! All I care about is results and the past two year Hendry and Baker did nothing of the sort.

 

I concede that Hendry sold us short in 2005, but very little of the blame for the 2004 season can be laid at Hendry's feet.

I'm not so sure about that. Although our offense was stacked we still had some glaring holes and the most important being our closer. Everybody and their mother knew that Hawkins should not be in the role and Hendry decided to acquire Jose Mesa after waivers? Of course it was going to get blocked. Hawkins futility in that role, lack of fundamentals, and our sputtering offense cost us a playoff berth.

 

Going into the 2004 season closer wasn't an issue. It didn't become one until late April/May.

 

Going into 2004 ST, the Cubs roster was the strongest in the NL central, IMO. The offense was stacked (excluding SS), in part because Hendry brought in Derrek Lee, Todd Walker and Michael Barrett. The rotation was heralded as the best in the NL, and many said the Cubs had a top 3 bullpen. Remmy was good in 2003, as was Farnsworth. Hendry brought in the top setup man on the market (Hawkins), and perhaps the best loogy (Mercker). Borowski was coming off his best season. He signed Greg Maddux to go with Wood/Prior/Zambrano/Clement.

 

The Bench left a bit to be desired, but you were going to have Grudz/Walker and Hollandsworth as your top PH, so it was far from pitiful.

 

 

Now injuries and Baker undermined the season, but as pitchers and catchers reported in February 2004, you had to feel pretty damn good about our chances.

 

2005 is a different story.

[YearofDaCubs]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

You have got to be kidding me. Did we make the playoffs in 2004 or 2005? Maybe you don't know this but we were 4th in our division last year. That is terrible!! All I care about is results and the past two year Hendry and Baker did nothing of the sort.

 

I concede that Hendry sold us short in 2005, but very little of the blame for the 2004 season can be laid at Hendry's feet.

I'm not so sure about that. Although our offense was stacked we still had some glaring holes and the most important being our closer. Everybody and their mother knew that Hawkins should not be in the role and Hendry decided to acquire Jose Mesa after waivers? Of course it was going to get blocked. Hawkins futility in that role, lack of fundamentals, and our sputtering offense cost us a playoff berth.

 

Going into the 2004 season closer wasn't an issue. It didn't become one until late April/May.

 

Going into 2004 ST, the Cubs roster was the strongest in the NL central, IMO. The offense was stacked (excluding SS), in part because Hendry brought in Derrek Lee, Todd Walker and Michael Barrett. The rotation was heralded as the best in the NL, and many said the Cubs had a top 3 bullpen. Remmy was good in 2003, as was Farnsworth. Hendry brought in the top setup man on the market (Hawkins), and perhaps the best loogy (Mercker). Borowski was coming off his best season. He signed Greg Maddux to go with Wood/Prior/Zambrano/Clement.

 

The Bench left a bit to be desired, but you were going to have Grudz/Walker and Hollandsworth as your top PH, so it was far from pitiful.

 

 

Now injuries and Baker undermined the season, but as pitchers and catchers reported in February 2004, you had to feel pretty damn good about our chances.

 

2005 is a different story.

I felt great about 2004 at the beginning but like I said after those injuries Hendry didn't make the trades necessary to put us over the top. More specifically finding a closer. I don't give a crap how much you had to pay for it, you just had to get one.

[David]

Personally, I was not very confident in Borowski heading into 2004. Sort of the way I'm not all that confident in Dempster now, except even more so amidst reports that his fastball was down to the mid-high 80's. Derrek Lee was considered a slightly above average offensive 1B at best, and Barrett was a huge question mark. Those two definitely worked out (although Lee much moreso in 2005), but I would very much dispute that we looked all that great on paper going in to 04. Also, like you said, shortstop was a HUGE weakness. Oh, and Aramis had yet to show the progress in his game that we have witnessed over the past two seasons.

 

Of course, I was really optimitistic, because I was blinded by our 88 win team having made it to within 5 outs of the World Series. Still, the moves worked out far better than we should have expected (Barrett, ARam especially..then there was the fact that Alou had a season that lived up to his contract for once) and the 2004 team should've won more than 89 games.

 

I think the blame for that lies with Dusty (pitcher overuse, misuse, bad lineups, bad attitude, all of it)...and Hendry seems willing to go down in flames with Dusty B. Goode..

[XZero771679666304]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

You have got to be kidding me. Did we make the playoffs in 2004 or 2005? Maybe you don't know this but we were 4th in our division last year. That is terrible!! All I care about is results and the past two year Hendry and Baker did nothing of the sort.

 

I concede that Hendry sold us short in 2005, but very little of the blame for the 2004 season can be laid at Hendry's feet.

I'm not so sure about that. Although our offense was stacked we still had some glaring holes and the most important being our closer. Everybody and their mother knew that Hawkins should not be in the role and Hendry decided to acquire Jose Mesa after waivers? Of course it was going to get blocked. Hawkins futility in that role, lack of fundamentals, and our sputtering offense cost us a playoff berth.

 

Going into the 2004 season closer wasn't an issue. It didn't become one until late April/May.

 

Going into 2004 ST, the Cubs roster was the strongest in the NL central, IMO. The offense was stacked (excluding SS), in part because Hendry brought in Derrek Lee, Todd Walker and Michael Barrett. The rotation was heralded as the best in the NL, and many said the Cubs had a top 3 bullpen. Remmy was good in 2003, as was Farnsworth. Hendry brought in the top setup man on the market (Hawkins), and perhaps the best loogy (Mercker). Borowski was coming off his best season. He signed Greg Maddux to go with Wood/Prior/Zambrano/Clement.

 

The Bench left a bit to be desired, but you were going to have Grudz/Walker and Hollandsworth as your top PH, so it was far from pitiful.

 

 

Now injuries and Baker undermined the season, but as pitchers and catchers reported in February 2004, you had to feel pretty damn good about our chances.

 

2005 is a different story.

I felt great about 2004 at the beginning but like I said after those injuries Hendry didn't make the trades necessary to put us over the top. More specifically finding a closer. I don't give a crap how much you had to pay for it, you just had to get one.

 

Funny thing about trades, someone has to be willing to give you what you want. But could he have done more in-season? Sure.

 

But I was more referring to the offseason that year. Hendry more than did his job.

 

As for the Rusch signing, I don't like it. But even so, it is far from a crippling move. I'm going to hold off a while before demanding Jim's head.

[Jehrico]

He could have let Rusch go or excersize his option then traded him. Mitre or Hill would have posted similar numbers, IMO.

 

Not likely. I'm not a huge Rusch fan by any means, but I don't think Mitre would be within a whole run ERA wise of Rusch next year. Same for Hill, he doesn't have enough quality pitches to start at the ML level. He needs to be converted to a reliever and forget this starting business. Relievers can live with one exceptional pitch, starters can not. Williams, on the other hand, I'd rather have him penciled in as the 5th starter over Rusch.

[Fred Hornkohl]

My thoughts:

This is a bad signing. Hendry is too loyal, paying players for past performance rather than future probability.

 

He could have let Rusch go or excersize his option then traded him. Mitre or Hill would have posted similar numbers, IMO.

 

I wonder how much this has to do with the walking DL that is Wood.

 

I believe Rusch will be a starter. The Cubs don't need another six inning pitcher with Maddux still pitching. This means the BP will be taxed even more.

 

I beleive Hill/Williams/Mitre or a combination of 2 will be dealt. I also believe they will go on to have a better career than Rusch if not a longer one.

 

The offseason has not gotten off to a very good begining.

 

Hendry didn't have an option to exercise. It was Rusch's option.

[CubfaninCA]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

he tied his own hands with the sammy video drama. no sympathy here, not after watching a 100 million dollar team put up a sub-.500 record.

 

walk on water? hendry is treading water right now. one more '05 performance and we take off the floaties.

 

so he should have brought sosa back?? That was a lost cause any which way.

 

Some people are quite fickle. Some of the people blasting Hendry are the same one's who were advocating signing Beltran last offseason. That wouldn't panned out either.

 

If anyone was saying, sign Pedro, or sign Jermaine Dye or sign Eckstein, then they should be entitled to gripe.

[E.J.]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

he tied his own hands with the sammy video drama. no sympathy here, not after watching a 100 million dollar team put up a sub-.500 record.

 

walk on water? hendry is treading water right now. one more '05 performance and we take off the floaties.

 

so he should have brought sosa back?? That was a lost cause any which way.

 

Some people are quite fickle. Some of the people blasting Hendry are the same one's who were advocating signing Beltran last offseason. That wouldn't panned out either.

 

If anyone was saying, sign Pedro, or sign Jermaine Dye or sign Eckstein, then they should be entitled to gripe.

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Man, I'd much rather prefer Jerome Williams in the rotation with Rich Hill as the 6th man. Angel Guzman (crosses fingers), Ricky Nolasco, Renyel Pinto and Sean Marshall all could be ready to be 5th starters by midseason next year. Rusch is definitely not woth 2/$6 as a swingman or a reliever, and those $3 million could have been better spent.

[CubfaninCA]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

he tied his own hands with the sammy video drama. no sympathy here, not after watching a 100 million dollar team put up a sub-.500 record.

 

walk on water? hendry is treading water right now. one more '05 performance and we take off the floaties.

 

so he should have brought sosa back?? That was a lost cause any which way.

 

Some people are quite fickle. Some of the people blasting Hendry are the same one's who were advocating signing Beltran last offseason. That wouldn't panned out either.

 

If anyone was saying, sign Pedro, or sign Jermaine Dye or sign Eckstein, then they should be entitled to gripe.

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

 

didn't the media catch him?

[CubfaninCA]

Man, I'd much rather prefer Jerome Williams in the rotation with Rich Hill as the 6th man. Angel Guzman (crosses fingers), Ricky Nolasco, Renyel Pinto and Sean Marshall all could be ready to be 5th starters by midseason next year. Rusch is definitely not woth 2/$6 as a swingman or a reliever, and those $3 million could have been better spent.

 

So you don't want to see Williams and Hill traded for hitting??

 

Don't get your hopes up w/ this free agent market.

[E.J.]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

he tied his own hands with the sammy video drama. no sympathy here, not after watching a 100 million dollar team put up a sub-.500 record.

 

walk on water? hendry is treading water right now. one more '05 performance and we take off the floaties.

 

so he should have brought sosa back?? That was a lost cause any which way.

 

Some people are quite fickle. Some of the people blasting Hendry are the same one's who were advocating signing Beltran last offseason. That wouldn't panned out either.

 

If anyone was saying, sign Pedro, or sign Jermaine Dye or sign Eckstein, then they should be entitled to gripe.

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

 

didn't the media catch him?

 

The media were informed by "unnamed team officials".

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Man, I'd much rather prefer Jerome Williams in the rotation with Rich Hill as the 6th man. Angel Guzman (crosses fingers), Ricky Nolasco, Renyel Pinto and Sean Marshall all could be ready to be 5th starters by midseason next year. Rusch is definitely not woth 2/$6 as a swingman or a reliever, and those $3 million could have been better spent.

 

So you don't want to see Williams and Hill traded for hitting??

 

Don't get your hopes up w/ this free agent market.

 

That's all well and good if you trade one or two of them (for a good hitter), but look for a better starter than Rusch in the free agent market then.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

he tied his own hands with the sammy video drama. no sympathy here, not after watching a 100 million dollar team put up a sub-.500 record.

 

walk on water? hendry is treading water right now. one more '05 performance and we take off the floaties.

 

so he should have brought sosa back?? That was a lost cause any which way.

 

Some people are quite fickle. Some of the people blasting Hendry are the same one's who were advocating signing Beltran last offseason. That wouldn't panned out either.

 

If anyone was saying, sign Pedro, or sign Jermaine Dye or sign Eckstein, then they should be entitled to gripe.

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

 

didn't the media catch him?

 

The media were informed by "unnamed team officials".

 

they basically forced the trade with Sosa doing that...and dropped his stock in the process.

 

i didn't want sosa back, but devaluing him more than he was already with a crappy '04 season wasn't the most brilliant decision in the world. we were essentially forced to take the black sticky stuff on the bottom of the trade barrel (ie the offer from Baltimore).

[JC]

I can't believe some of the attitudes around here regarding Hendry. The man was walking on water after '03. He had his hands tied and had very little flexibility to do anything last season, now he's a bum. Let's wait and see what the '06 team looks like when all is said and done, instead of judging him on some "maybe" comment about Burnitz.

 

LOL. Sure, just like at the end of the 2005 offseason, the Hendry loyalists asserted that you can't make a judgment about him until the season played out. But, now, apparently no judgments can be made until 2006. Hell, if Hendry plays his cards right with an extension, he may be immune from judgment until the Tehran Tigers are welcomed into the league in the 2054 expansion.

[SouthSideRyan]

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

 

Becuase if you don't demonize Sosa and make it impossible for him to want to stay in Chicago then he never waives the guaranteed year for '06 and you're stuck with him. Hendry's hands were tied, but not becuase of the video, they were tied because of the huge option that became guaranteed if Sosa was traded.

 

You think Sosa would voluntarily leave 19M on the table if he was still (somewhat) a fan favorite?

[CubfaninCA]

 

He's not saying that Sosa should have been brought back, he's saying why let it be known that Sosa was caught on video tape leaving the final game if you were planning on trading him. That really tied Hendry's hands because it pretty much meant that Sammy had to be traded.

 

Becuase if you don't demonize Sosa and make it impossible for him to want to stay in Chicago then he never waives the guaranteed year for '06 and you're stuck with him. Hendry's hands were tied, but not becuase of the video, they were tied because of the huge option that became guaranteed if Sosa was traded.

 

You think Sosa would voluntarily leave 19M on the table if he was still (somewhat) a fan favorite?

 

Good point. The Cubs were just screwed w/ Sosa. I still can't fault them for doing that 4 year deal though.

[Balsa]

LOL. Sure, just like at the end of the 2005 offseason, the Hendry loyalists asserted that you can't make a judgment about him until the season played out. But, now, apparently no judgments can be made until 2006. Hell, if Hendry plays his cards right with an extension, he may be immune from judgment until the Tehran Tigers are welcomed into the league in the 2054 expansion.

 

Ok so who should he have signed? Beltan? Lowe? Pavano?

 

Let's face it, last offseason looked promising on paper, but most of them have been busts. And expensive busts at that. I'm d#$@ grateful we didn't get tied down to someone who can't hold their weight now.

 

EDIT: I'm sure glad we got rid of Sosa somehow though. He would have been a nightmare in RF this year.

[frostwyrm]

Man, I'd much rather prefer Jerome Williams in the rotation with Rich Hill as the 6th man. Angel Guzman (crosses fingers), Ricky Nolasco, Renyel Pinto and Sean Marshall all could be ready to be 5th starters by midseason next year. Rusch is definitely not woth 2/$6 as a swingman or a reliever, and those $3 million could have been better spent.

 

So you don't want to see Williams and Hill traded for hitting??

 

Don't get your hopes up w/ this free agent market.

 

That's all well and good if you trade one or two of them (for a good hitter), but look for a better starter than Rusch in the free agent market then.

 

My preferences would have been:

 

A)Get Rich Hill some starts in late 2005 to evaluate his potential as an SP for 2006.

 

if Hill was subsequently judged to be an unfit SP:

 

B)Spend a bit more than what Rusch was offered, in order to get someone actually good.

 

Instead Hendry took the well-traveled path of mediocrity.

[Illini Iceman]

Rusch has been a real good arm to have on the staff the last couple years. He gives you a dependable 5th starter or spot starter if needed because of injury. Let's face it, the Cubs have some starters that history shows are likely to get injured at some point in the season.

$3M is not a huge number, especially considering that they have a lot of low cost younger pitchers that keep the total staff payroll very respectable. IMO by the end of the offseason it will look pretty cheap. I read in TSN that some GM's think that a guy like Loaiza will get $6M a year in this free agent class.

If the Cubs go with a starting staff of Zambrano, Wood, Prior, Maddux and Williams I feel much better with Rusch as the next in line in case of any injuries rather than Mitre or Hill.

Hopefully Hendry can trade Williams, Hill or Mitre as part of a package to upgrade RF. Having Rusch signed will make him much more comfortable doing that because of the pitching depth on the roster.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

so, basically we're going to have the same rotation as last year? brilliant.

[Neuby]

I'm waiting for the word from Hendry or Glendon on what kind of role he was promised. For 3 million he won't be a bad second lefty out of the pen that provides insurance in the rotation and long relief.

[Warpticon]

I don't mind having Rusch around as the staff Mulholland. I do mind that his presence virtually assures a poor opportunity for any of the Cubs' young pitchers to break through. And I also mind that he got both a raise and an extra year in this process.

[CUBZ99]

Does anyone doubt that Rusch would have gotten more in Free Agency? Just wondering, it seems like he could have gotten more to start for another team.