Perspective on Furcal from Atlanta

[UBlink]

Maybe if we're going to count on lack of injuries to improve performance, the Cubs ought to hand out HOPE bracelets instead of BELIEVE.

[craig]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

"He cuts corners repeatedly", you say, and to me that implies not spending enough. That complaint lacks merit.

 

The argument that "he's spent it like a freaking moron" and "I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control", that's a different argument.

[goonys evil twin]

"He cuts corners repeatedly", you say, and to me that implies not spending enough. That complaint lacks merit.

 

The argument that "he's spent it like a freaking moron" and "I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control", that's a different argument.

 

You are the one who chose to change the argument to not spending. I never said he didn't spend all he had available, or close to it. I've said all along the Cubs problems have been about spending stupidly, not spending enough. You interpreted the line incorrectly. I was making the argument that he spends on mediocrity all along.

[CubfaninCA]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

[craig]

On injuries: Hendry is clearly attempting to improve the club. His strategy may be moronic or whatever, or not, time will tell. But he's obviously attempting in his own way to improve the team. Whether his strategy is stupid or smart is another question, as is whether he'll have the player assessment smarts to get good value players in the guys he does pick up.

 

But while it's true that all teams have injuries, I think it's also only being honest to recognize that the Cubs have been hit very hard, harder than most, by injuries in the last two seasons. The number of teams who win the World Series despite that level of injury is limited, I think.

 

Also, I think some of the injury risks are unchangeable. Can you say, "Well, Prior and Wood are risky, lets just replace them with comparable guys who are risk-free"? The only big-time pitcher I see is Burnitz, and he's as injury-risky as Prior and Wood. To the degree that the would-be stars in the rotation are injury-risky, I don't see Hendry having any power to change that. If Z-Wood-Prior all have surgery in April, I don't think there's much of anything Hendry can do within his $100 budget to built a WS winner anyway.

 

The success of the rotation is pivotal to the outcome of the upcoming season. The big-three are injury risky. That's just reality. I don't think Hendry or Beane or any genius in baseball history would be able to change that reality.

[goonys evil twin]

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

 

I think it's perfectly fair. They could have become creative, they chose not to. The only time they've gotten creative is with the Nomar signing, which was basically trading for a guy a team was desperate to get rid of and nobody else wanted, and the Dempster move to closer, which was talked about forever before it was actually implemented. There's always been an excuse not to go after the big fish. Excuses for mediocrity defines this franchise.

[UBlink]

 

Also, I think some of the injury risks are unchangeable. Can you say, "Well, Prior and Wood are risky, lets just replace them with comparable guys who are risk-free"? The only big-time pitcher I see is Burnitz, and he's as injury-risky as Prior and Wood.

 

Well, that explains his hitting issues - what do you expect from a big-time pitcher? :D

[BigbadB]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

 

Sosa was horrible in RF from 2002 on. They very easily could have put Sosa in LF and Guerrero in RF. With only a year remaining on Alou's contract, they could have worked a deal with San Fran for a number of options to offset the cost of Alou's final season. Alfonso would have been nice as a back up to Ramirez and Walker in 2004.

 

As stated before, they could have gotten creative to make it work. Just like they would have needed to get creative to make a Beltran deal work. Just like they could have been creative to make a Tejada deal work.

 

Obviously, they never would have gotten Tejada, Guerrero and Beltran. But, they missed the mark on getting ANY of them when there was availability. Giles could end up being the next in a long line. There is no creativity needed to sign Giles. Just pony up the cash. Simple. Painless. Obvious. Once that's done, then figure out how much cash you have left to possibly upgrade over Walker, upgrade over Cedeno at SS, upgrade over Patterson in CF, upgrade the lead off situation, etc...

 

It was upgrading over Burnitz, but we don't have him anymore. Now, we need an upgrade over????? We don't have any in house options to upgrade over in RF. That is the biggest hole. Period.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

 

Sosa was horrible in RF from 2002 on. They very easily could have put Sosa in LF and Guerrero in RF. With only a year remaining on Alou's contract, they could have worked a deal with San Fran for a number of options to offset the cost of Alou's final season. Alfonso would have been nice as a back up to Ramirez and Walker in 2004.

 

As stated before, they could have gotten creative to make it work. Just like they would have needed to get creative to make a Beltran deal work. Just like they could have been creative to make a Tejada deal work.

 

Obviously, they never would have gotten Tejada, Guerrero and Beltran. But, they missed the mark on getting ANY of them when there was availability. Giles could end up being the next in a long line. There is no creativity needed to sign Giles. Just pony up the cash. Simple. Painless. Obvious. Once that's done, then figure out how much cash you have left to possibly upgrade over Walker, upgrade over Cedeno at SS, upgrade over Patterson in CF, upgrade the lead off situation, etc...

 

It was upgrading over Burnitz, but we don't have him anymore. Now, we need an upgrade over????? We don't have any in house options to upgrade over in RF. That is the biggest hole. Period.

 

What's especially annoying about the Giles situation is that he fills one of our biggest needs precisely, we have over $30MM in money to spend, and his contract looks to be extremely affordable. I just saw a blurb today saying the Yankees could offer him 3/30. That's it? Given our needs, I'd happily pay Giles up to 3/35, and it is sounding like that will get the deal done. Hendry sure as heck better see it the same way, or the pitchforks will be out.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

 

Sosa was horrible in RF from 2002 on. They very easily could have put Sosa in LF and Guerrero in RF. With only a year remaining on Alou's contract, they could have worked a deal with San Fran for a number of options to offset the cost of Alou's final season. Alfonso would have been nice as a back up to Ramirez and Walker in 2004.

 

As stated before, they could have gotten creative to make it work. Just like they would have needed to get creative to make a Beltran deal work. Just like they could have been creative to make a Tejada deal work.

 

Obviously, they never would have gotten Tejada, Guerrero and Beltran. But, they missed the mark on getting ANY of them when there was availability. Giles could end up being the next in a long line. There is no creativity needed to sign Giles. Just pony up the cash. Simple. Painless. Obvious. Once that's done, then figure out how much cash you have left to possibly upgrade over Walker, upgrade over Cedeno at SS, upgrade over Patterson in CF, upgrade the lead off situation, etc...

 

It was upgrading over Burnitz, but we don't have him anymore. Now, we need an upgrade over????? We don't have any in house options to upgrade over in RF. That is the biggest hole. Period.

 

What's especially annoying about the Giles situation is that he fills one of our biggest needs precisely, we have over $30MM in money to spend, and his contract looks to be extremely affordable. I just saw a blurb today saying the Yankees could offer him 3/30. That's it? Given our needs, I'd happily pay Giles up to 3/35, and it is sounding like that will get the deal done. Hendry sure as heck better see it the same way, or the pitchforks will be out.

 

The ONLY reason Giles should be shied away from is if he got crazy with his demands for contract length. Everything so far has been 3 years, which means that if we don't get him, it's on Hendry's head.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

I just can't believe that we're pursuing the most expensive option at a position we can conceivably fill cheaply (SS). That is just insane.

[TB_11]

It was upgrading over Burnitz, but we don't have him anymore. Now, we need an upgrade over????? We don't have any in house options to upgrade over in RF. That is the biggest hole. Period.

 

Exactly. The dropoff from Giles to the next best available option for RF is larger than the dropoff from Furcal to the next best option. Hendry should be devoting more resources to acquiring Giles than any other free agent.

[brinoch]

I don't see Hendry "cutting corners". He's had a growing budget, and he's spent the money he's received.

 

The issue isn't "cutting corners". He's going to spend the $30 million, if indeed he has that much (or more) available. .

 

And he's spent it like a freaking moron. When guys like Tejada and Vladdy are out there, he's giving raises to Alfonseca, Macias and Neifi. Before he even gets a chance to spend on the impact players, he spends significant chunks on replacables like Rusch. He cuts corners repeatedly. I'm not saying he doesn't eventually spend the money. I'm saying he spends it on mediocrity, and that is exactly why this team has been barely above average under his control.

 

Where were they going to put Vladdy?? LF?? Cmon that's not a fair criticism. Seems like he wanted to go west as he chose between LA and Anaheim.

 

When you have a chance to sign the best FA available, you make the attempt. And then you trade Alou or Sosa.