Huge week ahead for Hendry

[WrigleyinEngland]

Starting today with somekind of resolution to the greenberg debacle. To toss this guy away for nothing seems absurd given the pathetic options we have for the OF. Next on the list has to be resolving the Furcal situation so he can plan for the OF. I have seen so much written about how un-interested we are in giles , that could all change if furcal goes back to Atlanta. I am really worried about getting left out in the cold on the OF situation. How would you guys feel if Giles, damon sign and we are left looking at J Jones, P Wilson and Encarnacion, this has to be avoided!!!!.

[Bull]

Starting today with somekind of resolution to the greenberg debacle. To toss this guy away for nothing seems absurd given the pathetic options we have for the OF. Next on the list has to be resolving the Furcal situation so he can plan for the OF. I have seen so much written about how un-interested we are in giles , that could all change if furcal goes back to Atlanta. I am really worried about getting left out in the cold on the OF situation. How would you guys feel if Giles, damon sign and we are left looking at J Jones, P Wilson and Encarnacion, this has to be avoided!!!!.

 

I really believe Hendry's plan for the outfield is via trade, not Free Agency

[WrigleyinEngland]

Fair point but what if that is other teams plans and we are going to have to offer ridiculous packages of players for guys like Kevin Mench.....

[CuseCubFan69]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

[WrigleyinEngland]

I don't see why we don't keep Adam as a 4th OF rather than lose some prospects for a guy like mench who will just be a bench player in starters clothing.

[USSoccer]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

[BigbadB]

No offense, but I wouldn't rate Greenberg any higher than a 5th outfielder at this point.

[CuseCubFan69]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

 

I thought it was to bring up a pitcher that wasn't on the 40 man so he could get lit up for 3 innings.

[CuseCubFan69]

No offense, but I wouldn't rate Greenberg any higher than a 5th outfielder at this point.

 

Are you saying that Greenburg can't hit or you don't want to offend me? :D

 

I think the kid can be a 275/350 hitter that can play 2 OF postions and pinch run. Granted he has no pop but if he is used correctly I think he could be a 4/5 OF guy out there.

[WrigleyinEngland]

'No offense, but I wouldn't rate Greenberg any higher than a 5th outfielder at this point'

 

I wouldn't rate any of the dead beats we might end up with as any more than that either. Difference is Adam won't cost us a whole bunch of $$$$

[BigbadB]

No offense, but I wouldn't rate Greenberg any higher than a 5th outfielder at this point.

 

Are you saying that Greenburg can't hit or you don't want to offend me? :D

 

I think the kid can be a 275/350 hitter that can play 2 OF postions and pinch run. Granted he has no pop but if he is used correctly I think he could be a 4/5 OF guy out there.

 

He'd have to prove he could hit at the major league level before getting bumped from 5th OFer to 4th OFer.

[RockTheIvy]

I think Moonlight Graham..er Adam Greenberg won't amount to very much in the majors as a starter, but could be a decent fourth or fifth outfielder, maybe not on the Cubs, but some team. To throw him away for nothing is absurd in my eyes.

[WrigleyinEngland]

More concearning to me is the route we're going down in the OF. If we leave until only the butchers are available, teams are going to charge us a kings ransom.

[soapy]

I think Moonlight Graham..er Adam Greenberg won't amount to very much in the majors as a starter, but could be a decent fourth or fifth outfielder, maybe not on the Cubs, but some team. To throw him away for nothing is absurd in my eyes.

 

It's just strange. Hendry apparently thought enough of him last year to call him up from West Tenn (albeit only because of Pie's injury) but now may potentially be letting him go for nothing? It just doesn't add up.

 

I think he could be a very servicable 5th OF.

[erik316wttn]

Can someone please explain the Greenburg situation to me? Is he going to be traded or released? What's up?

[YearofDaCubs]

Starting today with somekind of resolution to the greenberg debacle. To toss this guy away for nothing seems absurd given the pathetic options we have for the OF. Next on the list has to be resolving the Furcal situation so he can plan for the OF. I have seen so much written about how un-interested we are in giles , that could all change if furcal goes back to Atlanta. I am really worried about getting left out in the cold on the OF situation. How would you guys feel if Giles, damon sign and we are left looking at J Jones, P Wilson and Encarnacion, this has to be avoided!!!!.

 

I really believe Hendry's plan for the outfield is via trade, not Free Agency

I hope that is true.

[CubsWin]

More concearning to me is the route we're going down in the OF. If we leave until only the butchers are available, teams are going to charge us a kings ransom.

Perhaps thats why other teams are waiting to make that trade. If I believed by waiting a few months, I could get more coming back to me in a trade, I'd wait too.

 

Don't forget, it takes two to tango. Unfortunately, Hendry can't just push a button marked "trade" and make one happen. Given the reports on Pierre and others, he is certainly working the phones.

 

You commented earlier that you believed Mench wouldn't be anything better than a bench player in starter's clothing. I'll grant you that the possibility exists that he will never improve above his current numbers (.264/.328/.469), but there is evidence that suggests otherwise. He put up some monster minor league numbers in Rookie League Pulaski (.362/.420/.638) and High-A Charlotte in 2000 (.334/.427/.615). He put up the High-A numbers over 491 ABs while hitting 27 HRs, driving in 121 runs and walking 78 times against 72 strikeouts. He hit a wall in AA and was nevertheless pushed aggressively to the majors where his strikeout to walk ratio has improved every season. He doesn't strikeout very easily and has some power. His major league OPS has been right around 800 or higher but has been regressing a bit as he gets more ABs showing that he may struggle a bit against tough righties. He turns 28 in January so he is right at that age where some players bust out like DLee did. Is Mench one of those players?

 

Defensively, he improved quite a bit last season, but is still only average. He has better than average speed, but his arm isn't great. He is far from my first choice, but if he can maintain or improve upon, since he is still just 27, his career OPS of .811, it would be difficult to accurately paint him as a reserve in starter's clothing. After all, only 26 OFers with a minimum of 450 ABs had a higher OPS last season than .811. Carlos Lee's OPS last year was exactly that. Is Carlos Lee a reserve in starter's clothing?

[biittner77]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

 

I think it was that they wanted to keep Augie Ojeda because the SS (whose name escapes me) was banged up and they felt that Ojeda could help the team more.

 

The worst part of the move may have been that by releasing GM Jr. it necessitated promoting Patterson to rot on the bench instead of playing every day in Iowa.

[CubfaninCA]

Starting today with somekind of resolution to the greenberg debacle. To toss this guy away for nothing seems absurd given the pathetic options we have for the OF. Next on the list has to be resolving the Furcal situation so he can plan for the OF. I have seen so much written about how un-interested we are in giles , that could all change if furcal goes back to Atlanta. I am really worried about getting left out in the cold on the OF situation. How would you guys feel if Giles, damon sign and we are left looking at J Jones, P Wilson and Encarnacion, this has to be avoided!!!!.

 

It's still too early to panic. Abreu, Dunn, Wilkerson, Floyd and Bradley could all be available via trade & the Cubs have lots of assets to deal. Lets see what happens @ the winter meetings first....

[erik316wttn]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

 

I think it was that they wanted to keep Augie Ojeda because the SS (whose name escapes me) was banged up and they felt that Ojeda could help the team more.

 

The worst part of the move may have been that by releasing GM Jr. it necessitated promoting Patterson to rot on the bench instead of playing every day in Iowa.

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Sarge Jr. couldn't hit for crap?

[CubinNY]

I am starting to believe more and more that Hendry's plan is to acquire Furcal and have a middle IF of Furcal and Neifi. I'm not real sure what his plan is for Cedeno. He could be trade bait. At the end of the season there was talk of having him play 2nd in Venezula. Thanks to the updates from UBlink, we know he hasn't played an inning there. He is have a good Winter season after a slow start.

 

As for the rest of Hendry's plan, I have no idea. There are rumors about Piere but not much else. The frustrating thing for me is that He doesn't seem to be addressing RF. I am begining to beleive it may become like 3rd base after Santo left.

 

I can't wait for next week. Think of all the great rumors we can have useless debates about.

[biittner77]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

 

I think it was that they wanted to keep Augie Ojeda because the SS (whose name escapes me) was banged up and they felt that Ojeda could help the team more.

 

The worst part of the move may have been that by releasing GM Jr. it necessitated promoting Patterson to rot on the bench instead of playing every day in Iowa.

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Sarge Jr. couldn't hit for crap?

 

Sure but at the time neither could Patterson. GM JR was a very good CF and the team's ERA suffered after he left. Given the choice, I would rather have GM JR riding the pine and Patterson in the minors.

[SouthSideRyan]

That wasn't even the worst move(regarding GM Jr.) Losing Cairo to the Cards was.

[erik316wttn]

The Greenburg situation reminds me of the Mathews Jr. debacle. This move really bugs me because I think Greenburg will be a serviceable 4th OF, especially for this team.

 

I remember that. Wasn't is because they wanted to make room for Delino F. DeShields?

 

I think it was that they wanted to keep Augie Ojeda because the SS (whose name escapes me) was banged up and they felt that Ojeda could help the team more.

 

The worst part of the move may have been that by releasing GM Jr. it necessitated promoting Patterson to rot on the bench instead of playing every day in Iowa.

 

Could it have anything to do with the fact that Sarge Jr. couldn't hit for crap?

 

Sure but at the time neither could Patterson. GM JR was a very good CF and the team's ERA suffered after he left. Given the choice, I would rather have GM JR riding the pine and Patterson in the minors.

 

Defense helps, but if you have a team of 8 guys (excluding the pitcher) who are all gold-glove defenders, but can't hit for crap, you'll lose 95 games.

 

A guy like that is ok if you have big bats in the lineup around him. But you can't have a bunch of guys like that as some people around here seem to want.

 

Defense + hitting > hitting and average defense> defense alone.

[WrigleyinEngland]

CubsfaninCa wrote

 

It's still too early to panic. Abreu, Dunn, Wilkerson, Floyd and Bradley could all be available via trade & the Cubs have lots of assets to deal. Lets see what happens @ the winter meetings first....

 

out of that list could Dunn or Floyd handle RF? I am absolutely convinced we will have nothing to do with Bradley( not that i think that is a good thing). So that would leave Wilkerson which goes back to the point, is there isn't alot to choose from and the price could outweigh the gain. Sign Giles Hendry...........