Does Hendry have a plan?

[Jazz]

and if so is it neccessarily a good one.

Im really not liking his targets right now throwing 20 mil over 2 yrs at 2 relievers that could definately flop like remmy and hawkins did, as well as targeting only furcal as the only legit offensive threat on his radar, along the likes of mench, and jaque jones?

 

Where are we headed?

[Drew Doughty]

October Golf is his plan.

[fearthecubs]

Does this need to be its own thread?

[HoopsCubs]

and if so is it neccessarily a good one.

Im really not liking his targets right now throwing 20 mil over 2 yrs at 2 relievers that could definately flop like remmy and hawkins did, as well as targeting only furcal as the only legit offensive threat on his radar, along the likes of mench, and jaque jones?

 

Where are we headed?

 

He indeed has a plan. You (and most here) just don't like it.

 

Pitching

More Pitching

Defense

Lead-off

Right Field

 

For right or wrong, he has decided to model the club like the Astros and White Sox of 2005.

 

Assuming the Howry signing is not fiction, I expect we'll see Hendry do the following in no special order:

 

- sign or trade for another starting pitcher (I'll guess Paul Byrd or Esteban Loaiza)

- sign either Rafael Furcal or Alex Gonzalez

- trade Todd Walker for a prospect

- package Jerome Williams along with a minor prospect for Juan Pierre

- package Corey Patterson, Glendon Rusch and a pitching prospect for a mystery RF (the prospect is a nobody if Kevin Mench or Jay Gibbons is the target; the prospect is grade A if Bobby Abreu is the target)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Oh, he has a plan...and it sucks, IMO.

 

Pitching and more pitching?

 

Yeah, I'm loving the Prior/Z/Maddux/Rusch/whoever rotation we're looking at when Wood spends significant time on the DL next year.

 

Hey, I guess we got some expensive pen arms...where we probably needed the least amount of help considering we have Dempster, Ohman, Wuertz, and Williamson.

[CP_414]

and if so is it neccessarily a good one.

Im really not liking his targets right now throwing 20 mil over 2 yrs at 2 relievers that could definately flop like remmy and hawkins did, as well as targeting only furcal as the only legit offensive threat on his radar, along the likes of mench, and jaque jones?

 

Where are we headed?

 

He indeed has a plan. You (and most here) just don't like it.

 

Pitching

More Pitching

Defense

Lead-off

Right Field

 

For right or wrong, he has decided to model the club like the Astros and White Sox of 2005.

 

Assuming the Howry signing is not fiction, I expect we'll see Hendry do the following in no special order:

 

- sign or trade for another starting pitcher (I'll guess Paul Byrd or Esteban Loaiza)

- sign either Rafael Furcal or Alex Gonzalez

- trade Todd Walker for a prospect

- package Jerome Williams along with a minor prospect for Juan Pierre

- package Corey Patterson, Glendon Rusch and a pitching prospect for a mystery RF (the prospect is a nobody if Kevin Mench or Jay Gibbons is the target; the prospect is grade A if Bobby Abreu is the target)

 

Can they trade Rusch? Would they? If they get Howry, Furcal, Pierre, Byrd, and Abreu that is the best offseason ever. Of course if they get Loaiza, K-Gone II, Pierre, Gibbons thats not so good.

[CubsWin]

Clearly he has a plan. He has created several different contigencies to date. And the setting up of contingencies denotes a plan.

 

If Furcal, then Cedeno to 2B and trade Walker with Perez backing up both.

 

If no Furcal, then Cedeno to SS and Walker remains at 2B with Perez backing up both.

 

If no Furcal, then perhaps sign a starter like Millwood or Burnett.

 

If Furcal, then perhaps trade for a starter like Hoops mentioned.

 

Try to trade for Abreu, if not, try to sign Giles, if not, try to trade for Mench.

 

Try to trade for a CFer, if not, consider Lofton.

 

He already has strengthened the bullpen a bit by extending Dempster, picking up Williamson's option and signing Eyre.

 

Improve your team's defense, ability to score runs, speed, rotation depth, reliability of health and bullpen. Sounds like a plan to me.

[biittner77]

and if so is it neccessarily a good one.

Im really not liking his targets right now throwing 20 mil over 2 yrs at 2 relievers that could definately flop like remmy and hawkins did, as well as targeting only furcal as the only legit offensive threat on his radar, along the likes of mench, and jaque jones?

 

Where are we headed?

 

He indeed has a plan. You (and most here) just don't like it.

 

Pitching

More Pitching

Defense

Lead-off

Right Field

 

For right or wrong, he has decided to model the club like the Astros and White Sox of 2005.

 

Assuming the Howry signing is not fiction, I expect we'll see Hendry do the following in no special order:

 

- sign or trade for another starting pitcher (I'll guess Paul Byrd or Esteban Loaiza)

- sign either Rafael Furcal or Alex Gonzalez

- trade Todd Walker for a prospect

- package Jerome Williams along with a minor prospect for Juan Pierre

- package Corey Patterson, Glendon Rusch and a pitching prospect for a mystery RF (the prospect is a nobody if Kevin Mench or Jay Gibbons is the target; the prospect is grade A if Bobby Abreu is the target)

 

Hoops,

I agree with everything except the bolded parts. Hendry is loading up on pitching but he also been saying that the solution to the OF dilemna is through trades. We'll have to see who those OF are before resigning ourselves to a pathetic White Sox style offense.

 

I would also argue that the Cards BP has had more to do with their success than their killer lineup, especially in 2004.

[Wheelimus]

I get the feeling his plan is to address pitching right now, only diverting from that side to go after Furcal, and then address the offense through trades.

 

Not a terrible plan, not at all, they say "everyone needs pitching", and if we want to turn trade chips into bats, we've got 'em. Rich Hill, Michael Wuertz, Roberto Novoa, Sergio Mitre, Welly, Rule 5 arms, etc., all expendable under the right circumstances.

 

One positive of addressing pitching through the free agent market and bats through trades are, for once we may have spots open on the team when the contract tender deadline passes. Every year there are surprises. We could probably stock our bench just through that.

 

He has a lot of work to do, but he's off to a decent start even if he is overpaying (which, honestly, worries me less than it should. We'll have the top payroll in the NL, for once we're acting like it and just taking who we want instead of haggling for dollars, and maybe missing out on other players who get sick of waiting).

[fearthecubs]

We'll have the top payroll in the NL, for once we're acting like it and just taking who we want instead of haggling for dollars, and maybe missing out on other players who get sick of waiting).

 

Exactly.

[gflore34]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

[Backtobanks]

The bottom line is that it's hard to judge Hendry or his plan until he is finished building the roster. Everyone criticizes Hendry until he pulls off a trade for Abreu or Dunn and then he's a genius. I think JH has done a great job over the past 3 years and those teams would have been competitive but for injuries and Dusty Baker.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

We'll have the top payroll in the NL, for once we're acting like it and just taking who we want instead of haggling for dollars, and maybe missing out on other players who get sick of waiting).

 

Exactly.

 

No. The Mets will have the top payroll in the NL.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

The bottom line is that it's hard to judge Hendry or his plan until he is finished building the roster. Everyone criticizes Hendry until he pulls off a trade for Abreu or Dunn and then he's a genius. I think JH has done a great job over the past 3 years and those teams would have been competitive but for injuries and Dusty Baker.

 

If he gets Dunn, I'll love him long time. The avatar will disappear and JH love will flow freely from my fingers. Until then, I'll judge his offseason on what he's done, not what he might do.

[LuvChicagoSports]

The bottom line is that it's hard to judge Hendry or his plan until he is finished building the roster. Everyone criticizes Hendry until he pulls off a trade for Abreu or Dunn and then he's a genius. I think JH has done a great job over the past 3 years and those teams would have been competitive but for injuries and Dusty Baker.

 

If he gets Dunn, I'll love him long time. The avatar will disappear and JH love will flow freely from my fingers. Until then, I'll judge his offseason on what he's done, not what he might do.

 

It's fine to judge him on what he's done, but in the same sense, Walt Jockety and John Schuerholz are widely considered two of the best GM's in baseball, and what exactly have they done this offseason. Jockety has passed on Giles which many here are all over Hendry for, and done next to nothing else. Schuerholz hasn't done much of anything yet either. He falied to resign his key player of the offseason thus allowing him to enter negotiations with other teams. It doesn't mean Furcal won't sign with the Braves, but I'm sure Schuerholz would have preferred to lock him up before other teams could drive up the price.

 

Let's be fair man and just say we won't judge Hendry's offseason until it is complete. He's pulled some GREAT trades in his time as GM, with one of them being Choi for D-Lee, which came in an offseason and turned out to be an incredible move as we all know. I'm not fond of everything that has taken place especially Rusch and Perez signings, but I'll hold my opinion negative or positive until I get a chance to see the final result.

[brinoch]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

I'd rather have Castillo and Cedeno than Furcal and Cedeno.

[erik316wttn]

His plan is to throw obscene amounts of money at mediocre relievers and crappy utility infielders.

[soapy]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

I'd rather have Castillo and Cedeno than Furcal and Cedeno.

 

Join.

 

I do believe Hendry has a plan. I just don't like it. IMO, the biggest gaping bleeding hole on this team is OBP. I don't believe Hendry sees it that way (except for MAYBE at the lead-off spot). We currently have zero right fielders on this team and Hendry allegedly is going to rely on a trade to fill that hole when a premier RFer is available in exchange for exactly zero players right now.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

I'd rather have Castillo and Cedeno than Furcal and Cedeno.

 

Join.

 

I do believe Hendry has a plan. I just don't like it. IMO, the biggest gaping bleeding hole on this team is OBP. I don't believe Hendry sees it that way (except for MAYBE at the lead-off spot). We currently have zero right fielders on this team and Hendry allegedly is going to rely on a trade to fill that hole when a premier RFer is available in exchange for exactly zero players right now.

 

Sure, but that Giles bum only played in 158 games last year and 159 the year before. And what's with that .955 career OPS?

 

Seriously, how could he not be priority #1?

[St.Paul Cub]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

Plus add a RF, but I'd be happy with that and think that's the way it's going. I think it's way to early to criticize the moves that have or haven't been made.

[gflore34]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

Plus add a RF, but I'd be happy with that and think that's the way it's going. I think it's way to early to criticize the moves that have or haven't been made.

 

I know there's been no indication that Hendry is considering Giles (at least reported) but, after the above additions of Castillo and Pierre. If a Giles is added to the mix, a 1-6 of Pierre, Castillo, Giles, Lee, Ramirez and Barrett could rival anything the Cardinals come up with 1-6.

[goonys evil twin]

I'm beginning to believe Hendry' going to make a deal with the Marlins for Castillo and Pierre. If this deal is made, I believe he'll back off Furcal and use the remainder of his FA money to go after Burnett/Milwood and a RF. When one considers it, a DP combination of Castillo/Cedeno makes sense and could turn out to be one of the better combinations in the NL.

 

Plus add a RF, but I'd be happy with that and think that's the way it's going. I think it's way to early to criticize the moves that have or haven't been made.

 

But Hendry has been making the moves for years now, and his moves have brought the Cubs to where they are now, a sub .500 team coming off back to back seasons that finished up in various forms of disaster. It's last call for Hendry. He's got to acquire some very good players and turn this team into a championship caliber team, quickly.

 

I don't think it's too early to criticize the direction of the team over the past few years, and it's certainly not too early to criticize the organization's blatant disregard for the one problem that has consistently haunted this team for several seasons in a row; that is the lack of walks taken by their hitters which leads to a low OBP which leads to fewer runs scored which leads to fewer wins.

[Magnetic Curses]

i'd like to believe that hendry has a plan for right field, i'd also like to believe that it's not jacque jones.

 

it's absolutely ridiculous on hendry's part to ignore OBP as a stat when it has come up to bite him in the butt the last two years in a row.

 

oh well, hendry's plan probably contains more reliance on the "conventional wisdom" that dusty embraces: walks clog the bases, fast guys who can't get on base are better than guys with average speed who are always on, defense wins championships, bunting is good--especially when it takes the bat out of the hands of a guy who gets on base a lot, carribean players handle the heat of summer better than your average germanic player, and chemistry is vital to a team's success.

 

instead of stopping the bus, turning it around and heading in a different direction, hendry seems to have gunned the engine. his plan is not to change things, but to overdo what he's been doing all along. doing something different would be admitting he was wrong--and besides, a smart, stat-based approach to the game would mean that gary hughes would be out of a job, and we can't be having that.

[JeffH]

Step number one:

 

Don't give 1724 plate appearances to five guys with a combined OBP of .283.

[CubfaninCA]

and if so is it neccessarily a good one.

Im really not liking his targets right now throwing 20 mil over 2 yrs at 2 relievers that could definately flop like remmy and hawkins did, as well as targeting only furcal as the only legit offensive threat on his radar, along the likes of mench, and jaque jones?

 

Where are we headed?

 

He indeed has a plan. You (and most here) just don't like it.

 

Pitching

More Pitching

Defense

Lead-off

Right Field

 

For right or wrong, he has decided to model the club like the Astros and White Sox of 2005.

 

Assuming the Howry signing is not fiction, I expect we'll see Hendry do the following in no special order:

 

- sign or trade for another starting pitcher (I'll guess Paul Byrd or Esteban Loaiza)

- sign either Rafael Furcal or Alex Gonzalez

- trade Todd Walker for a prospect

- package Jerome Williams along with a minor prospect for Juan Pierre

- package Corey Patterson, Glendon Rusch and a pitching prospect for a mystery RF (the prospect is a nobody if Kevin Mench or Jay Gibbons is the target; the prospect is grade A if Bobby Abreu is the target)

 

I think it's more a model of Anaheim, Houston and the White Sox. Since the Cubs and Anaheim spend comparable amounts, I think the plan's more like Anaheim's, as the Hendry wants to build a stronger offense than either Houston or the Sox, but have as strong as rotation and pen.

 

Jmo but some people may get upset cause they want the team built like NY and Boston. Of course, NY has been owned by Anaheim of late, and Boston's only title came when they had Schilling and Pedro as their #1 and #2.