C.C.

I don't know if this will be his and his only decsion. I think upper management is going to have more input on this issue. I can honestly say that if it was up to Hendry Dusty wouldn've gotten a two year extension.

The only problem I see is that "overhaul" was one Hendry too short. He's still our GM with no plan. Or at least none to speak yet. That's true. But at the very least this has to be a big time wake-up call to Hendry and should tell him that the club will not hesitate to move in another direction if he doesn't do the job. True!

The only problem I see is that "overhaul" was one Hendry too short. He's still our GM with no plan. Or at least none to speak yet.

Um, if you're talking about Chris Speier, he has a drinking problem. I don't think he was "whooping it up" so much as living his disease. Unless you're talking about another of the coaches, but I can't see anyone else hanging out in bars near Wrigley. No, it wasn't Speier. I'm not going to judge a coach for going to a bar after a loss. I would. I just think it furthers the belief that the Cubs are one big Country Club. Win or Loss everybody has fun...

Um, if you're talking about Chris Speier, he has a drinking problem. I don't think he was "whooping it up" so much as living his disease. Unless you're talking about another of the coaches, but I can't see anyone else hanging out in bars near Wrigley. No, it wasn't Speier.

That's funny you say that because I used to see one of Baker's coaches at a bar, right by Wrigley Field, having scotches within 20 min. of the game ending. Whooping it up during loses. I was with a friend from England and he said see that's you problem right there. If this was England you would never see a coach happy after a loss. He would get his arse kicked for doing such a thing. In England we take our football very seriously.

She did. I was just going to write that...

I think all of the speculation (Piniella, Girardi, and Brenly) is probably accurate, so I don't see any reason to wait until November. In all honesty if it takes Hendry until November to get a manager, he should just be fired right now. I'm sure this will impact the RAM signings as well other FA. A player would like to see who they are playing for. The more Hendry waits, the more clueless he looks. No reason to take more then 2 weeks to get this taken care. Espically if the short list is 3 damn names.

Yep. I heard that too. He said the Cubs have not contacted him yet...

Dusty said we'd win one too. Saying "we're going to win a world series is pointless. He'd just have people like you calling him out and say oh yeah MCDUMMY, how you gonna win it with donut eating bacon grease boy as GM eating krispy kremes all day while eating garbage that even tubby glendon rusch threw out even though he's so fat. I know it's not supposed to be funny, but dammit I can't stop laughing.

Say Steve Stone is brilliant.

Gee you freaking thing so! 3 million tickets sold for a team that hasn't won squat in almost 100 years...

Jim wants to get a manager in this month. I sure and the hell hope so!

Or pressure McDonough to pressure Jim... Or pressure Jim to stop crying about Dusty and get on the hunt for the next manager...

I'm not surprised...Jim works in slo-mo.

That is not true at all the Cubs and WGN are under contract meaning they would go together, it would have to be part of the package deal if they are sold. This you can look up and find out. The contract between WGN and the Cubs means they have to be sold as part of a package deal? I doubt that. I just e-mailed my buddy this who is a finianical advisor and follows this closely. I have my doubt also. I'm almost positive WGN TV/Radio plus the Chicago Cubs aren't all-in-package. No way...

No, you can't assure us of that. That's the nature of anonymous internet postings. If you don't believe it than take it for what it is worth, all I can do is tell you what I heard from someone with knowledge of the situation. Now if the Cubs get sold sometime before next season, then my source was right, if not then his specualtion was wrong. These things change all the time and it has been well documented that the Tribune wants to sell off all of their non-core assets and go private again. If the Cubs were to be sold the TV rights would go with them meaning that the employess of WGN and Tribune Production would be going with that sale. No, that's not exactly true. It's two different assets all together. If they sell the team it doesn't mean that the radio and TV goes with it. Let's face it the Cubs aren't really a major factor for WGN anymore. If anything the new owners would sign a contract with WGN to broadcast games or start their own network ala Yanks, Boston, and Mets...

No, you can't assure us of that. That's the nature of anonymous internet postings. But I'm a 15 year old girl with big boobs looking to experiment. It's bogus. A top 5 at the Trib. wouldn't even tell their own son with this type of information. When you are that high up you have a responsibility to keep your mouth shut. You don't mix family and business. Espically with this kind of information.

What do you like about Francona? Francona was on the Discovery Channel's show about the science of baseball (i.e., sabermetrics) and talked glowingly about the *new* types of analytical analysis. I don't know if affects his management though. That he had Youkilis as his leadoff hitter most of the season would make me believe it does affect his management. They actually had Brian Roberts most of the season. Youkilis had 391 AB and Roberts had 560 AB in the leadoff spot. Both had very respectable OBP. although... 951 leadoff at bats? Coco Crisp was #2 at leadoff for Boston with 236. Roberts left Boston a while ago. Sorry guys, I have to lay off the crack. Roberts name was under Youkilis and bos and bal kinda ran together. busy day at work and wasn't thinking. Der!

What do you like about Francona? Francona was on the Discovery Channel's show about the science of baseball (i.e., sabermetrics) and talked glowingly about the *new* types of analytical analysis. I don't know if affects his management though. That he had Youkilis as his leadoff hitter most of the season would make me believe it does affect his management. They actually had Brian Roberts most of the season. Youkilis had 391 AB and Roberts had 560 AB in the leadoff spot. Both had very respectable OBP. although...

Oh god! 'Tis the season of "My friend who is on the inside tells me" or the famous "My sister-husbands-uncle-knows a person...". Why do these post always come from first time posters? I call it bogus...

What do you like about Francona? Mainly the fact that Francona seems to thoroughly get the importance of OBP. Well regardless, as far as I know he's still the manager of the Red Sox, so why are we talking about him being the manager of the Cubs? Hence the "not gonna happen" in my previous post - but it's a pleasant thought nonetheless. I laughed at that report in the paper too, but then again after the disappointing season the Red Sox had, I wouldn't be THAT surprised to see them part ways with Francona. If they were going to part ways they would've did it by now.

Joke all you want. But a new manager who is strict and who is not "a buddy" will preach hustle and not tolerate mistake and excuses. It's just this "sentiment" of playing the game a certain way can help to get MORE out of your players. Same thing in a work force. You are going to work harder if you have a boss who is a "means business" type of boss. And I don't mean in a bad way. I mean in a way where he expects results and you respect him for that and work harder. Haven't we all seen that this team has been underacheiving for years? Dusty Baker was a big part in that in how he managed his ballclub. And I don't mean we shouldn't go out and get some offensive and pitching upgrades either. Doesn't anyone agree with me here, even a little? I don't know. I think for the most part Dusty's players played hard for him.

What do you like about Francona? Mainly the fact that Francona seems to thoroughly get the importance of OBP. Well regardless, as far as I know he's still the manager of the Red Sox, so why are we talking about him being the manager of the Cubs? Because of newspaper reports that the Cubs asked for, or will ask for, permission to speak with him. If that OBP nugget is true, I'd settle for laissez-faire clubhouse rules. I read that also, but disregarded it. Why in gods name would he want to leave Boston to come manage the Cubs. I laughed at that report.

I'd probably go with Brenly. I don't like the issues and baggage that belong to Girardi. I'd hope that some of Len's knowlede had at least rubbed off on Brenly and that he might consider things like run expectancy in making decisions. What issues? Him telling Loria to quit yelling at the umpires? It's Girardi's job to communicate with the umpires, not the owner. thats not necessarilly "baggage." I'd also have to have a stronger endorsement of Brenly other than he's sat with a PBP guy the past two years. It probably won't be either one of these guys anyway. No. It seems pretty well known that Girardi didn't listen to suggestions or directives from the GM either. You may find that admirable, but in most lines of work it's insubordination. As I've said elsewhere, it's ironic that someone who wants his players to toe the line and be subjected felt he didn't have to answer to anyone. It's those issues I have concerns about. I'm not so sure Girardi's issue is that he's a diciplinarian or an egotistical control freak. It's likely somewhere in between, but I'm not sure I'd want to chance having a Showalter-type manager. Given the choice between Girardi and Brenly, I'd take Brenly. I think the difference is (everything I've read) the players seem to really like playing for Girardi. And the Ranger players liked Buck in his first year. But from what I'm hearing in Arlington, Showalter has grated on them. I don't think veteran players will like Girardi's "My Way, or the Highway" mannerisms. That plays well with rookies or thank-ful to have a job Joe Borowski-types, but not so much with some of the FA's we'll be trying to lure to Wrigley Field. I don't know about that. Everyone manager is different how he relates to the players. Ozzie is basically a "My Way, or the Highway" type of manger and his Vet players respond to him and enjoy playing for him.