CubinNY

wouldn't be enough. You could make it work. Colvin, Pie, Murton, Gallagher, Veal, Marshall, Hill, Wuertz, Marmol, Patterson are all names that could be intriguing to a team in need of cheap talent. Some lower level guys, like Burke, may have made enough of a name for themselves this year to also add value to a trade. Cabrera is going to make over $10 million next year. He should be signed to a longterm contract, and I can't see Florida wanting to do either thing. Yes, other teams have more to offer than the Cubs. But, that doesn't mean those others teams will be willing. People don't generally trade their top prospects, especially when they are elite. I'll be willing to bet that Cabrerra and Willis will be traded this offseason. Florida is averaging 17k fans/game. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance As a side note, I see Boston is averaging 101 % (36k/game). The Cubs are second @ 97. 101% that is amazing.

So, yes. That's one person that used the term "dynasty" towards the Cubs. He was immediately reprimanded. The second quote above -- while perhaps still too sunny -- disagreed with the term "dynasty." You picked out one overly optimistic fan and then portrayed the entire thread as being so. This team should be in contention in the NL Central for the next couple/few seasons -- and even the resident Brewer fan, the one team that could distance itself, agreed. I agree too but, being in contention in the division and being in World Series contention are two completely different things. To me the general tone of the thread is overly optimistic. The Cubs are a medicore team and I see nothing on the horizon that suggests otherwise.

So, yes.

This thread is completely out of control. Completely. The Cubs are coming off of back to back losing seasons and are mediocre this year. They very well could finish below .500. That's the makings of a dynasty? Lee, Aramis, and Soriano are good players and are capeable of putting up all-star calibur numbers. But all are on the wrong side of 30. They need a catcher, SS, CF, LF/RF, and probably a 2nd baseman. Not all of them have to be all-stars. But at least they should be able to get on base at a decent clip. They have Zambrano as a starting pitcher. I like Hill a lot and think he is a very good pitcher, but that is about it. Bullpens are a crapshoot. Now, their minor leagues look to be improved but they aren't Tampa or Arizona. Depending on who the next owner turns out to be, the Cubs certianly should be in contention in this division with the likes of Pittsburgh, Cincinatti, and Houston. But I don't see them as a perenial World Series contender unless some of the minor league talent really steps up and/or they fall into a few Aramis/Lee type trade scenarios.

Everything in life is relative. Rich Hill is incosistent compared to who? Speaking of HRs Lilly has been giving them up a pretty good clip.

I have a theory that I haven't fully explored yet. It goes like this. Hypothesis: Efficent teams are going to win more often then they lose. Efficiency = runs/hit - errors (from the other teams during games played against said team)/games played I have no idea if my hypothisis is correct.

I think its division champion or bust for the Cubs.

While this is true, he not only got Nomar for virtually nothing but he got the Red Sox to give the Cubs Matt Murton as well. But its easier to ignore the facts that disfavor your argument (see the comment about the Lee aquisition above), like the fact that we have had better young pitching under the Hendry regime than perhaps at any other time in franchise history. The pure hate towards Hendry is strange to me. He has done a poor job during at least half of his tenure (if you measure season by season), but he has also done some good things. There also seems to be some discounting or ignorance of MacPhail and Baker's roles in all of this. I don't understand why it is so hard for some of you to acknowledge the things Hendry has done well. It's like the guy owes some of you money. I don't understand why you want to put blame on Baker and MacPhail. Hendry hired Baker and may have been willing to give him an extension before the team tottaly bit the big one. I don't hate Hendry. I have no feelings toward him personally. I do hate what has happend since 2003. The Cubs seemed to be on the brink of something special.

No he didn't. If Lee was traded to Baltimore then Florida wouldn't have been able to trade him to the Cubs. Lee was traded to Baltimore, the deal was done but Lee and and the club couldn't come to an agreement on a contract extension. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/031125lee.html

Honest questions: Is the top GM rated by his team's record? How do you personally calculate GM worth? I don't think there's any one way to do it. But 5 years of near the top payroll producing a record as mediocre as 383-385 is more than enough evidence to indict, try and convict Jim Hendry for being a bad GM. Cubswin, Read this post- it's on the first page of this thread-then apologize to Tim etal for being so obtuse. You're arguing to disprove a point that no one is trying to make. Back to the actual topic: If the Cubs make the playoffs this year that will be twice in 5 years. Does that change anybody's perception of Hendry as a GM? I hate to stick my head in the lion's mouth, but I agree w/ Cubswin to a point. In fact, if I had more time yesterday, I was going to post Dombrowski's record, b/c I had just been discussing it w/ a buddy this week. Goony's post says "5 years, top payroll, 383-385 record = indict, try, convict JH as a bad GM." Dombrowski: 5+ years, roughly equal payroll, 403-528 record. I don't like the repetition of "simple & ridiculous" for this method of evaluating GMs, but I think Cubswin did a good job of pointing out the obvious flaw. No reasonable person would consider Dombrowski a worse GM than Hendry, but he's got a far worse record with roughly the same payroll. Hendry inherited a good/average team and didn't improve it much. Dombrowski inherited a large pile of manure and turned it into a contender in 4 years. Nevertheless, he has a much worse record w/ the Tigers. [the flaw in Cubswin counter is that the Tigers payroll is only similar this year, before 2006, the Cubs payroll was $20-30m more a year than the Tigers] So no, his record over 5 years with payroll considered isn't enough to convict him of anything. That said if you look at the rest of the circumstances too, it's more than enough to convict. Again, consider the point I made when I first posted in this thread. Money is not the only resource a GM has at his disposal. When Hendry took over the Cubs, they had the #1 rated farm system in baseball. When Dombrowski took over the Tigers, they had a farm system in the bottom five in the majors. The talent level at the major league level was also very different. The Cubs had some quality young talent in the bigs and Detroit as a barren wasteland. The example comparing the two on W/L and payroll ignores these other resources that have to be considered when evaluating the performances of the two GM's. I'd also like to add his odd (to put it politely) handling of the 40 man roster. Hendry has not been good on the balance of things. When he's traded well, he's been the recipeient of largess from another GM. -Lee got traded to Baltimore first -Aramis was a disgruntled, hurt, player and Lofton was making a lot of money -Nomar was persona no grata in Boston He's set the market for medicore middle relievers at least twice during his tenure and his, "I decided I like guys who can catch the ball" bears no more elaboration. He's gone and done exactly what he's wanted to in two seasons, make the Cubs competitive within the division. And he's outspent everybody to do it. Those are pedestrian goals by anybody's standard. He's been a bad GM on balance and I hope this is his last season running the Cubs.

GO BRONCOS! Big Upset

"in my day kids didn't hit home runs off pitchers more than twice their age" In his self-absorbed mind he probably thinks it is a sign of respect. What Clemens doesn't know is that that kind of junk only works in the NL thanks to the stupid DH. AL baseball is glorified softball.

Wow! Now that is something to get excited about. 8 ks in one game. That probably represents about 1/4 of his total strikeouts for his entire professional career.

I take back every bad thing I've ever said about JJ. Ilove him. I would have his baby if I were female!

There is still a lot of baseball to be played. I wouldn't pat myself on the back just yet.

Wow. I was wrong. I wonder what took so long? I wonder if this has anything to do with the uncertainty of the sale. Maybe Hendry got the go ahead from MLB b/c the sale is up in the air. Anyway, good news.

I don't think he'll resign with the Cubs. I do think he'll wait and see if the Cubs match the best offer he gets I just doen't think the Cubs will.

If the Brewers end up losing this race Ned Yost has to be fired. I know he can't pitch or hit, but he's presided over a collosal collapse, if it happens. If the Cards win the division and TLR gets manager of the year I will puke.

I wouldn't say without power. Right now his AA numbers project him to hit 30-35 doubles, 6-8 triples, and 15-20 homers over a full season. While that isn't a ton of power, that's certainly not no power. His slugging percentage is .459 That's pretty much no power. It would be 68th out of 176 qualified players in the major leagues. So that would be an above average slugging percentage overall. If you look at just CF's, he would be 6th out of 22 qualified. He would be just behind Grady Sizemore, and ahead of guys like Bill Hall, Mike Cameron, Vernon Wells, and Andruw Jones. If you have a SLG percentage above .450, that is not even close to no power. It's not great, but it is definitely above average. Now, his numbers at Tennessee are not that exciting overall still, but the numbers since the break are much better and are somewhat exciting. Hopefully as time goes on he shows that the first 70 at-bats was just adjusting to AA. When are you going to learn that it is not ok to project from a limited set of data? Colvin may very well be an average to above average power hitter some day, but the numbers don't say it is so.

o m g Because we all know that the 16-8 record the Cubs have is directly related to Hill being behind the plate. What a moronic thing to say. Her baseball acumen is right up there with the average 12-year old.

Save it for after the Superbowl when we are all bored and baseball signing are about done.

Same author. Go Cobs!!! Franswothr sucks.

Seriously? Well, I hope the Cubs either make the playoffs or tank the rest of the season.

What can you say? The dude loves him some bullpen arms.

Is it me or is Hendry a bad roster manager. It seems like every year something happens.