CubinNY

You know a funny thing, I think Dusty was the least responsible for this season's train wreck than any other season he managed the Cubs. Regardless, I think he has to be judged on his body of work in Chicago. Every year he managed the team got worse (not record wise from 03 to 04, but in terms of reaching the playoffs). This team needs a change. They need a change in personnel and a change in management. Unless Hendry pulls a miricale out of his hat, I kind of feel sorry for the next manager. This team is not good.

West Virginia is going to end up playing for the National Championship without playing anyone. I am including Louisville in there BTW. It's a shame

I'm torn. I'd like to see if Bochy is available and the best way to find that out is to see the Padres loose. In addition, if the Padres come back and win the series I would have to believe that Bochy would be off the market. On the other hand, seeing the Cardinals loose is never a bad sight. Decisions, decision.

He told Loria to quiet down and let him handle the umpires. Good for him. If you could point to one signle shred of evidence to support he is a control freak you'd have a much stronger argument in that regard. Again, it won't upset me at all if he isn't hired, but he is a viable option. Of course he's viable. I just don't think he's the best as I've seen espoused at every turn. I certainly don't think that the Cubs will be making a monumental mistake not hiring him. In fact, there are likely lesser known guys like Mills and Washington which would be equally good, if not better hires. I definitely don't think this hire is a "match in heaven." Well, I have introduced evidence that he's a control freak, you just choose not to trust the word of Beinfest. The last thing the Cubs need is to hire a manager that has no track record. Not to say that Mills or Washington may not turn out to be fine managers, but with the Cubs payroll and ability to get a proven manager, it would be ignorant for them to take a chance on an unknown. How far have the "proven" managers gotten them so far?

That really sounds like a guy that is reckless with young arms. Don't let the facts get in the way. The fact is he let a guy pitch after an hour and change rain delay. To me what is even more damaging is that he's seen this happen before when he was a player. He was catching Leiber when Baylor sent him out after the rain delay. Learning from past mistakes is a good thing. Repeating them is a bad thing. Starting pitchers come back all the time after rain delays with no ill effects. A lot of things go into that decision. It's not some general rule. People aren't numbers. No they don't generally come back after an 82 minute rain delay. When a manger does that sort of thing it's just plain foolish. You're taking one incident and extrapolating it to Girardi's entire philosophy. No. I'm talking about that one incident. And to repeat myself, the incident although bad is made worse by him being through the experience once before when he was with the Cubs. Josh Johnson is their best pitching prospect. What he did showed bad judgment. In this thread I haven't discussed other judgment decisions that I think are poor. But since it was brought up. Defensive replacements in late innings with a poor bullpen Bunting early in the game with a runner on first and no outs Starting the season with guys in the bullpen who should have been starting and starting guys who should have been in the bullpen. Wanting to put Caberra in at first at the beginning of the season. Wanting to put Dan Ugla in LF at the beginning of the season Wantign to put Josh Willinghan at catcher at the beginning of the season.

That really sounds like a guy that is reckless with young arms. Don't let the facts get in the way. The fact is he let a guy pitch after an hour and change rain delay. To me what is even more damaging is that he's seen this happen before when he was a player. He was catching Leiber when Baylor sent him out after the rain delay. Learning from past mistakes is a good thing. Repeating them is a bad thing. Starting pitchers come back all the time after rain delays with no ill effects. A lot of things go into that decision. It's not some general rule. People aren't numbers. No they don't generally come back after an 82 minute rain delay. When a manger does that sort of thing it's just plain foolish.

No it doesn't. A short series doesn't mean anything. Before the Yankees series that great staff were routed by the Royals in three games.

P.S. Send A-Rod our way, please Love, Cubs

ARod .070 Batting average.

When the Tigers beat the best lineup we'll ever see in our lifetime with superior pitching. (Getting ahead of myself, but Monroe just homered) Anything can happen is a short season. Yeah, but it's funny how often "Anything" happens in the postseason. I really don't feel like going down this road for the 15th time, but if by "anything" you mean the old saw," that good pitching beats good hitting" the data don't support that as far WS champion goes. This same team that is whipping the Yankees lost their last three games of the season to the Royals.

That really sounds like a guy that is reckless with young arms. Don't let the facts get in the way. The fact is he let a guy pitch after an hour and change rain delay. To me what is even more damaging is that he's seen this happen before when he was a player. He was catching Leiber when Baylor sent him out after the rain delay. Learning from past mistakes is a good thing. Repeating them is a bad thing.

Ya, more comments about the "great baseball philosoher" Tony Perez. The entire Big Red Machine walked on water, don't you know.

When the Tigers beat the best lineup we'll ever see in our lifetime with superior pitching. (Getting ahead of myself, but Monroe just homered) Anything can happen is a short season.

Bruce, It seems to me that the entire Cubs organization is in a state of flux. Do you think McDonough is a "care taker" President? What effect if any, do think this will have on the short and long term status of the Cubs? It seems to me like the Cubs are adrift with no real direction. Thanks for contributing to our community. CubinNY

Michigan is marching down the field like State is a high school team. Michigan has been very, very, impressive this year.

In 2001, when the Mariners won a league record 116 games, Piniella was without Griffey (traded to Cincy in the winter of '99), ARod (signed with Texas the winter of 2000), and Johnson (signed in Arizona in '99). He did have Edgar and a washed up Jay Buhner (played in 19 games that season). I'm not a Piniella fan, but lets make sure the facts are straight. He managed one of the best regular season teams of all time and didn't have the big weapons any more. I was clearly talking about the late 90's team. You want to talk 2001, lets do that. We have nowhere near the talent of that team either. His original point was that Piniella has proven he can win with a mix of vets and youth. The obvious point of my sarcastic comment was only when he has great players. In reality anyone is going to win with those teams. If we assemble a team that has the same level of talent as the Griffey, Unit, A-Rod, Buhner, Martinez Mariners or the Ichiro, Edgar, (Juiced up) Boone, Garcia/Moyer/Sele 2001 Mariners we will win if anyone manages, Piniella and Dusty Baker included. In 2001 Ichiro hit .350/.381/.457 Boone hit .331/.372/.578 Edgar hit .306/.423/..543 Olerud had an OBP over .400 Cameron added 25 HR's 3 starters went over 200 IP with sub 4 ERA's in the AL in the "juiced ball era." The Bullpen was one of the best in baseball. How's that for facts? Does anyone think Sweet Lou was the reason why they won 116 games? I don't. I love how when teams win managers are genuises and when they lose they are worthless. MLB managers for the most part are interchangable. Their job is to manage a bullpen and to know how to fill out a lineup card. Amazingly some of them can't do that. If you give any manager great talent, he will win. If you give any manager poor talent, he will lose. Jim Leyland is a sub .500 career manager (another fact), yet this season he is the second coming. Why? Because he has a really talented team. So the bottom line is this: Can Piniella win if we give him a really talented team? Sure. Is he going to be the reason why they win? No way. Do we have a really talented team? Absolutly not. So do I want to spend big money on Piniella who has a reputation of working pitchers like Dusty, has freely admitted on Fox Broadcasts to not being a fan of OBP and not knowing what WHIP is? Heck no! Well written reply. specifically the bolded part. I don't want a manager double switching in the 6th, 7th, or 8th inning for defensive purposes. I don't want a manager going with the "hot hand" in the bullpen. I don't want a manager putting a guy at the top of the order simply becuse he is fast. I don't want a manger allowing a pitcher to pitch after his mechanics start breaking down. But more than anything else, I'll take one of those types if the team has enough talent to overcome the mistakes a manger makes, simply to justify his position and salary.

I bet they'll be hearing from you at the convention anyway. What makes you think Giaradi likes the Cubs over any other organization? It takes two to make a deal.

No on Sheffield and no on Mussina. Both will probably want multi-year deals and for big bucks. However, Shef may retire.

kc tigers, We haven't seen that kind of analysis since Bob's Keeper's last article. But a lot of people don't know what pythagreon win totals mean, let alone runs created, Win Shares, WARP and VORP. That's probably why you didn't get a ton of replys. I think your post was great, but I still take Jeter. He actually diserves the credit this year.

Believe it or not the Yankees are about at their spending limit. They really can't afford to take on much more debt while they are financing the new stadium. With that in mind is this a realistic trade proposal To Cubs A-Rod (minus a few million) Carl Pavano (minus another few million) To Yankees Felix Pie Mark Prior B level pitching prospect ------------- If the Cub invision Colvin becoming a CF Pie becomes expendable (so to speak). The Cubs need another starting Pitcher if they deal Prior and we already know Hendry loves da' 2003 Marlins. To me this is not a bad trade, but I don't know about the financials for the Cubs. They would be taking on a lot of salary.

It's hard to tell. I'd say he doesn't mind giving up outs so I'd put him somewhere like this: Earl Weaver Terry Francona Joe Girardi Lou Piniella Dusty Baker

That reminds me of some lines from Naked Gun 2

Yea, it's kind of like choosing amoung your least favorite vegetables. I don't like cooked carrots or cooked broccoli, but I like broccoli more than carrots. But I agree with those that say the manager doesn't really matter unless and until Hendry Brings in more talent.

Take a look at that roster. A lot of those guys were at AA last season and didn't figure to be ML ready by anyone's imagination outside the Marlins org. Geez, even prospects like Hanley Ramirez had their stock drop substantially the previous season. Someone ironed out the normal rookie ups and downs. That's the coaching staff. Girardi specifically? I have no idea, but he ran the dugout. People who don't like Girardi don't want to give credit where credit is due. How many managers won 50% of their games with a team full of scrubs (refering to hypothetical scenario, not the '06 Marlins)? This isn't Major League with Pedro Cerano and Wild Thing Vaughn. Some of those "scrubs" would have started on the Cubs. They started out terrible becuase Giardi had people in the bullpen who should have been starting and people starting who should have been in the pen. He was then told to start the rookies and they started to win. Many of the best players go directly from AA to the majors. Especially with the talent of the players in the Marlins organization. It doesn't take imagnination to win and it doesn't take "leadership" to win, whatever that is. It takes talent to win and the team had a lot of young talent. In two or three years they will probably win another WS, without their fearless leader.

Agreed. I COULD live with Scott Moore at 3rd base, if it meant getting ARod. But I don't see how the Cubs can get ARod without parting with ARam. It's not feesible otherwise, IMO. If the Cubs re-sign Aramis I don't think they can trade him right away. But I don't know how the rules work.