BigbadB

Hendry won several titles in the 2000s? I take back my complaint, I was under the impression that the team Hendry put together actually came up well short. Cmon you're mischaracterizing what I wrote. The way Hendry wants to build this team has been ripped a many occasions. And until there are acceptable results from the way Hendry has built this team, he will likely continue to get ripped.

Wrong! It's okay to call Moneyball stupid and it's okay to call Hendryball stupid. What is not okay is to insult the posters who praise Moneyball or Hendryball, etc.... It's really that simple.

I wouldn't do it, but Hendry might. He's a lot more enamored with Pierre than I am.

No, they don't NEED to trade him, but they WANT to trade him. Even with Thome gone they still have a big payroll and they now have a logjam in the OF. Abreu is an obvious trade commodity on a team with few others (that they would consider parting ways with). Abreu will be gone, but I doubt to the cubbies. I still like the idea of taking the money set aside for Furcal and going after MANNY. New cubs motto: "you liked Sammy? You'll LOVE Manny" They are not only out from under Thome, but Wagner as well. They were able to go cheap to fill both of those spots. I think they are simply dangling Abreu to see what's available. Prospects wouldn't do it. I do agree that Vazquez would have been perfect. Vazquez to Phily, Abreu to Cubs, Cubs send prospects (possibly Williams) to Phily and prospects to Arizona.

Some people like to hurl blanket insults about to make their points. I can't stand it either. Hey, we're only talking about baseball here. It's up to you if you take things personally. Oh, just wow. :shock: I guess lessons will have to be learned the hard way. [-(

Didn't the Marlins sign Willis through his arbitration years and/or beyond? I'd offer A LOT for Cabrera. Not sure if we have what they would want, though. Other teams could offer much more, like the Dodgers.

Who appoints the manager? Exactly, you can't blame Dusty for the way things have gone, without looking at why is there. If Hendry had fired Dusty after the season, I would not have the same feeling I have towards in right now. I'm NOT getting into this argument, but I will say that while Baker was hardly impressive last year - his main problem was just pitching management. Losing Prior and Wood to injuries, and Corey imploding upon himself like the sun - that's what made us lose. He got signed to a three year deal, let him finish it. If we suck this year, can him. Hard to blame him for last year though. Bobby Cox himself couldn't help Hollandsworth either if you noticed. Dusty was signed for 4 years. Baker's main problem was actually plural (problems). Line up cards were, IMO, by far his worst problem last year.

There are so many chuckles in this story, it's funny. I don't know what's worse, the comments, the timing of the story (handing out grades in the middle of the offseason), or the grade itself, because with the moves or nonmoves made so far, I would have given them an "F".

And that's truly sad. I was an optimist about Hendry and this team in 2003. I felt he was brilliant with the farm system and I loved what he started off doing as a GM. While I didn't like a few of the offseason choices (Alfonseca, Estes), I liked the direction the team was headed. Somewhere between 2003 and now, Hendry seems to have a totally different philosophy on how to build a winning team. I believe Baker probably has something to do with it, but putting all that trust in Baker could likely cost both of them their jobs before the end of next season if they don't right the ship soon. I'll never understand the rostering of Jose Macias. I'll never understand the love for Neifi Perez and the ridiculous contract they gave him. I'll never understand their desire for "speed" at the top of the order rather than OBP. I'll never understand their belief that defense is more important than offense. I'll never understand their recent desire to devalue players they wish to get rid of, prior to getting rid of them. The offseason is not over. I expected Hendry to use all that available revenue, along with a plethora of trade bait and put together a strong team this offseason. I never would have guessed that on December 6th, 2005 that John Mabry would be our RF. Not only our starting RF, but our back up RF as well. (Why did Nic Jackson have to get hurt so much?) I'm holding out hope. But, Hendry has frustrated me to the point I have a tough time offering him any support. I've forgiven some of his previous bad choices. This offseason will determine whether I forgive him ever again.

I'm going to assume that the Padres feel that Josh Barfield is ready to be promoted. I'm also going to assume that they didn't believe he was ready to be promoted until Brian Giles signed for 10m a year for the next several years, which in turn makes Barfield's league minimum wage look a lot better than Loretta's 3-4m, or however much it is. Not to mention the fact that Wells will be making more for the Padres this year than they were willing to give him last year.

It's definitely going to to take 3 teams to get Abreu to the Cubs. I don't see Phily trading Abreu for unproven prospects. They will trade Abreu if the right deal comes along. They don't NEED to trade him.

Yes. I have a thread floating around here somewhere about how badly SD botched the whole, Dave Roberts, David Wells, Woody Williams circle of fun.

I was just going to ask you the same thing. They obviously aren't signing Giles tonight, so feel free to get some rest. :D

Whoa, wait a minute..... Furcal is going to make more than Tejada? :shock:

Other than the fact Deivi Cruz is about the size of Macias and Neifi put together, I know of no difference.

I haven't any idea what happened to him. But, given what he was capable of at 20, I wouldn't give up on him quite yet.

You had me interested until I saw Neifi batting 2nd in your line up. :D Wilkerson, Walker and Murton would all hit there before Neifi would. At least on any team not managed by Dusty. Hendry seemed pretty interested in Furcal, and appeared eager to overpend to get him. Other than that, who knows? Good first post. Welcome to NSBB.

Edwin Jackson has basically lost all of his prospect status, for whatever reason. That might not be enough right there. It's probably a bit early to be giving up on Edwin Jackson. He just turned 22 a few months ago.

exactly. the price for kearns in no way inhibits Hendry from pulling off a blockbuster. I agree. If that original deal to get Kearns is true (who knows) then you aren't trading away a lot of high prized talent to get him. Worst case scenario, you have Murton and Kearns as your corner outfielders. That's not good, but it's better than what they have now (and at least has a chance to be productive). The other evaluator is whether Kearns can net you in trade more or less than Mitre and Nolasco would have netted. Personally, I think Kearns has more value than Mitre and Nolasco. Would the A's trade Mark Kotsay to the Cubs for Kearns? Would they trade Kotsay to the Cubs for Mitre and Nolasco? Not necessarily advocating a Kearns/Kotsay trade. I just know the A's want a power righty bat and Kotsay is a CF that can lead off. But, of the two trade proposals, I would imagine the A's would be more tempted with Kearns. That makes the trade even more worth it.

Nope. Macias was traded for. Wilton Chavez for Macias, straight up.

I'd be willing to be more fair if I hadn't heard rumors that Hendry had interest in Preston Wilson. I'll end it there.

I'd make the trade, no matter what. Once Kearns is on board, you have a guy that many teams would have some serious interest. Kearns to Oakland for Kotsay? The 3 way deal that sends Zito to Phily as was suggested. If nothing else, Kearns is a better option in RF right now than John Mabry. But, signing Kearns wouldn't stop me from upgrading RF.

Interest has been expressed. How much did Burnitz get last year? If Pie is asked for in trades for Huff, Pierre, etc.. the likelihood of Preston Wilson becomes more realistic. We expected better than Burnitz in RF last year.

Where's Neifi? I know he hit lead off on numerous occasions.

Can someone give their best guestimate of how much Preston Wilson would be worth per year to be the Cubs RF? 3m? 4m? 5m? 6m? 7m? I'm sure it will be somewhere in that neighborhood. If you say 3m, what will you say if Hendry gives him 7m? Would the 4m that you feel Preston is being overpayed to play RF be better or worse than the 5m more that you feel Giles would be getting overpaid if they gave him 15m to be their RFer? Preston may not come here, so this little test may not have any real point. My point, is that I would have gladly overpaid for Giles. The need, the availability, and the difference he could have made to this offense.