Laura

Maybe they used that parking garage money.

The Chicago National League BallClub blog did a quick analysis of Hendry's comments that's worth reading.

The pitching needs to be addressed, and I think it will be. But ... part of the problem over the past couple of years has been the failure to address needs both in the off-season and during the season. So I'd like to believe, but I'm not there yet due to having been burnt before.

That the Cubs don't have an OBP problem?

He's still not addressing the walk, which is the core of his OBP problem. He doesn't respect the walk as an offensive weapon. Agreed. The Cubs (Jim Hendry) still see the offensive problem as having to do with a failure to hit in the clutch / hit with RISP / as a straight hitting problem vs an on-base problem. Someone linked to a Dan Fox chat at Baseball Prospectus the other day. He received a lot of Soriano questions and, while answering a question about the Cubs' philosophy on free agents, he referred to a joint Baseball Digest / Bleed Cubbie Blue Blog interview with Jim Hendry this past August. Fox then wrote: You can read the full BP writeup at the link above. The Cubs were last in the NL and 29th out of 30 MLB teams in OBP last year ... so, sorry, Jim, you didn't manage to get too many guys on base. It's true that the Cubs needed to get more slugging, and Soriano should certainly help in that respect. But the quote reflects a continued tendency to dismiss OBP as strictly a function of hitting and to downplay the importance of getting on base as a function of scoring. His philosophy has not changed despite the Tribune opening up the wallet. They went out and signed Soriano and DeRosa because they hit, not because either has a demonstrated ability to get on base consistently. I'm not knocking either player ... but the OBP has to come from somewhere and Derrek Lee can't do it all by himself, as we saw in '05. I'm glad that the Tribune Co. is ramping up spending. But if the Cubs are to ever be consistently good, there has to be a fundamental change in how the front office views OBP. They have to start finding guys who can get on base, whether those guys are obtained through free agency or obtained through drafting / signing players into the farm system. They're trying to outspend their mistakes right now, but that can't last forever.

Sign Schmidt --I'll get onboard the bandwagon if that happens.

Sullivan doesn't think the Cubs will compete at all for Schmidt. Yay?

With a healthy DLee, and replacing Neifi and Pierre with Derosa and Soriano, you are going to be disappointed in that projection. But they invested a boatload of cash -- the most money EVAH -- into Soriano, and he's not an OBP guy. He's not. The Cubs like guys who hit the ball. Always have, always will Unless new ownership shocks us all. Dusty's gone, this isn't about Dusty anymore. If the Cubs take slugging % over fielding %, I'll be ok with that. Slug away. If I had a choice of building a Wrigley Field team? Theoretically, OBP always wins out. But I wouldn't mind seeing what a lineup of sluggers could do, either.

I was there, I suppose I should post it in the get-together thread, but it was awesome. I haven't met anyone from here whom I haven't liked. So far, anyway. Ugggh .. it was this game. That's pretty bad. The Brewers scored 4 runs in the 9th to win 8-5. Admittedly, we were voicing our displeasure over a lot of personnel and managerial moves during this complete collapse. Basically, this really drunk guy in front of UMF got really pissed off at the slow, slow, horrible breakdown that occurred in the 9th inning and resorted to shouting at UMF that all Cubs Fans needed to support Dusty Baker no matter what. "He's our manager, man!" He also said that UMF shouldn't be wearing a Cubs jersey because he criticized the Cubs. UMF earned my respect that night by stating the facts and avoiding the fight with Drunk Guy. Despite all of us being there to back him up. He did not back down, in fact he laughed through most of it. Drunk Guy couldn't accept that we were laughing sarcastically at the breakdown. Which might sound terrible, but when you witness that kind of breakdown in person and know it's coming ... humor really is the only healthy alternative. The Cubs really really sucked, and this guy was blaming us for the Cubs sucking. Just because we knew it was coming. Apparently he hadn't been watching a lot of '06 Cubs games. Drunk guy was also angry because we got along with a couple of funny Brewers fans who showed up in full regalia and secured front row bleacher seats. They were psyched to win in the 9th inning. I don't blame them, but Drunk Guy thought they should be beaten for rooting for their team.

What a turnaround! It's not just the spending, it's the weird tire-screeching 180's that define Cubs fans' existence. Just last off-season, we received the much-mocked quote, "I like guys who can catch the ball." Unfortunately, a lot of them couldn't hit ... or pitch ... or throw the ball. This off-season? They're buying bats -- and HOPEFULLY pitching -- and sorting out the bodies and gloves later. Where's Soriano going to play ultimately? Who cares? Whatever. He's 40-40. Maybe 40-40-40. I can't remember. On to the next target. I have to admit, I'm surprised. They still don't have a clue about OBP, but baby steps ... baby steps ...

Steve Wilson was recently named the Pacific Rim scout. Any word on what that means in terms of dedicating resources there?

Not working. It should be now if it wasn't before. You have to enter a sight verification code to download it.

I'm reserving some judgment until I see who they get in the way of starting pitching. I do have some faith that they will get someone ... which would be an improvement over years past. I'm glad that there was a priority on slugging vs guys who can catch the ball (though it's a bit strange that this year, Hendry is all, "we'll worry about who plays where on Opening Day"). It still seems that OBP is given short shrift, and the Cubs still need the guys who aren't going to hit 30+HRs a year to get on base for those who can.

You can download the interview in mp3 format here.

Please check the last few pages of the Aramis Ramirez Signs with the Cubs thread in the Transactions Forum. People posted about the press conference there.

I didn't think so. He was standing behind a podium the whole time. Was Boers literally there? Aramis has chubby cheeks. Always has, always will. Maybe Boers was ripping on that.

Comcast Sportsnet will carry the press conference live.

The Score will be carrying the 3:30pm press conference live. (link)

John Dewan publishes the Stat-of-the-Week online. This week's is the projected 2007 MLB leaderboard from the Bill James Handbook 2007. Who's projected to lead the NL in strikeouts with 241? Rich Hill :D I just ordered the handbook and haven't received it yet.

Just let Hendry point out that Aramis made a commitment to the team for a lot less than he could have made on the open market. I'd just stick with that. Maybe a little bit. :)

The most recent ESPN1000 update said that the Cubs were targeting Schmidt next. No further details. Oh YEEAH!

:( on Dope and Harben Now someone can claim them and only needs to hold them on the 40 right? You forgot to hit the 40man tab, they are still there. Argh, thought I did. I'm an idiot.

Thanks, neuby! I was hoping someone else might have mentioned it. I'm all for adding Schmidt and trading for Westbrook as starters. I think Lou was quoted as wanting 3 more starting pitchers. :)