Elrhino

How did the Pierre trade end up being the "signature" bad trade? While that one was most certainly horrible, I like the Greg Maddux for Cesar Izturis one better. Not only did the Cubs just give away Maddux to a team in the hunt for the playoffs, but when they realized just how bad Izturis was the following year, they traded him AND cash for a PTBNL. And another one that some may like but I absolutely despise is the trade where the Cubs just gave away an outfielder (Jacque Jones) for crap, and paid cash to make that deal as well. What we end up with that deal is Jacque Jones and Will Ohman for a minor league reliever. Should I bring up the Steve Tracshel trade, or have I just pissed off the entire board for reminding them again that the Cubs actually made this deal? The Sammy Sosa trade still pretty much sucks, also. In all those cases, it was pretty much the Cubs trading garbage for other garbage. The Cubs may not have ended up for optimal value (which would be completely impossible to prove, unless you know for a fact what else is on the table). I just find it funny how those trades are talked about on a weekly basis on this board and gone over and over again, but nobody ever brings up how Hendry stole Michael Barrett from Billy Beane for peanuts. What was it? Damian Miller and a little cash? For a catcher who put up three very good offensive years, including one year for .880+ OPS?

Anyone could have made those trades. Baltimore failed to come to terms on a long term contract for Lee after he was traded by the Marlins. I supposed Hendry gets credit for the first person to say, "I'll take him". Aramis was traded after questions about his "make up" and ability to play defense. Two things that still haunt him today. Hendry should get credit for the Nomar deal, but again Boston couldn't get rid of him fast enough. But all that is beside the point, Hendry has demonstrated repeatedly that he's real good at putting together mediocre to terrible teams, year in and year out. Frankly, I want more. If anyone could have made them, why didn't they. How come another team didn't snatch them up? How come we got them from for so cheaply, when they were made available to the entire league? Funny how those deals became hindsight "no brainers" that anyone could have made, but the board nearly melted down when they were made going on and on about how badly we were fleeced. Because we gave up Bobby Hill and Hee Seop Choi who were "just as good, but cheaper".

Anyone could have made those trades. Baltimore failed to come to terms on a long term contract for Lee after he was traded by the Marlins. I supposed Hendry gets credit for the first person to say, "I'll take him". Aramis was traded after questions about his "make up" and ability to play defense. Two things that still haunt him today. Hendry should get credit for the Nomar deal, but again Boston couldn't get rid of him fast enough. But all that is beside the point, Hendry has demonstrated repeatedly that he's real good at putting together mediocre to terrible teams, year in and year out. Frankly, I want more. Funny how those deals became hindsight "no brainers" that anyone could have made, but the board nearly melted down when they were made going on and on about how badly we were fleeced. Because we gave up Bobby Hill and Hee Seop Choi who were "just as good, but cheaper".

SALARY DUMP Then it's amazing someone else didn't get them first, or that we didn't have to give up for competition for their services, considering all we had to give up to get them was a couple of ridiculously overrated prospects Hee Seop Choi and Bobby Hill. Or was there some unspoken rule known to the rest of the league that only the Marlins and Pirates would only deal with the Cubs.

I don't agree with his philosophies, but I do take issue with the fact that the Pierre trade has become the signature Hendry trade that we talk about years after the fact and everyone just brushes aside the ARam and DLee trades as though anyone could have made them. Especially the DLee trade, which was universally panned on this board. Even the ARam trade drew a lot of growls because we gave up freaking Bobby Hill. Compared to awesomeness of those two trades, the suckiness (and no one is debating it sucked) of the Pierre trade pales by comparison. Everyone acts like Hendry gets fleeced on every trade, but when you look at the track record objectively he's ended up on top at a pretty good clip.

To be a bit fair, Teahen played against tougher pitching in the AL, especially considering how utterly putrid the pitching was in the NL Central was this year. Also, it was kind of an outlier year for Comerica this year, but since it's inception it's always been one of the ten toughest parks for hitters.

Can we at least wait until this deal is complete before we crown him as our savior? Sure, but it's certainly not too soon to proclaim he's going to be more valued in the organization than Pie.

We need a backup CF, whether he's left handed or not, and getting a 26 year old with a $390k salary coming off a .810 OPS season for a spare reliever part (especially after the Ascaino aquisition) would be a pretty nice deal in the current free agent market.

I would be much more hesitant to spend money and resources on Santana instead of an offensive player if not for the fact that all the offensive players currently attainable (at least those linked to the Cubs) are utter crap. Now, if it was a question of Cabrerra or Santana, I pick Cabrerra, but sorry, I think Fukodome struggles to crack the .800 OPS marker as a corner outfielder in the MLB. Santana is a great pitcher, and I'lll take my chances with great players. And if the Cubs end up with an overplus of starting pitchers, all the more valuable come end of July and trade deadline time to aquire a bat.

Imagine Omar Infante and Corey Patterson at the top of the lineup. DLee might reach 50 RBIs if he hits 40 HRs.

I was going to say ... I won't judge the move until I see what's in store down the line, but I really get the terrible feeling that this this move + a bad Kaz contract puts DeRosa in the starting RF spot. In Hendry's mind, DeRosa simply hit too well for a middle infielder last year .. it's time to ship that kind of production off to right field where it belongs.

I'm hoping the Astros blow 4/48 on him. Last year the Twins were really struggling as to whether or not they wanted to pick up his $4 option

After these FA's sign their contracts, JJ with 1 year left at $5 million will be quite a bargain. The Rangers are said to be looking to trade for a CF at the GM meetings, becuase they deem the FA class too expensive and under productive. I'd be surprised if they weren't one of the teams sniffing around JJ. Frankly, I wouldn't let JJ go unless it was for good value. He's an asset on a team and should be treated like one. Just dumping him would be supremely idiotic, I don't care if he's going to win Most Popular on an internet message board or not.

Lou made a comment in August that he would like to have more OBP at the top of the order, but you don't just decide in August to have more OBP in the lineup. It's decided in the offseason when you aquire players or you instill it in your minor leagues. It may not have been a public shot at the Hendry/Hughes philosophy, but it was at least a suggestion.

He's also a very intelligent person. He'd know what sells Wrigley, and lasers and big screens aren't it. The problem isn't selling Wrigley, the problem is that it's tapped out on revenue even though it sells. The purpose of “in-game entertainment" isn't so much to draw and entertain fans, but rather an opportunity to announce and advertise the sponsor (Today's dot race is brought to you by Pappa Johns). I wouldn't be surprised at all if Cuban added a big screen to Wrigley just for the revenue he could generate from it by showing sponsor advertisements. He's not that stupid. Plus, he said many times he like Wrigley the way it is. If he wants to generate more revenue just raise ticket prices. If the salary goes up with ticket prices, you'll hear no compliments from anyone. How would it be stupid? You think people are going to stop going to Wrigley just because he added a jumbotron? Yeah ... just like they were going to stop going once they added lights and played night games. Fenway added a Jumbotron, hasn't seemed to hurt their ticket sales any.

He's also a very intelligent person. He'd know what sells Wrigley, and lasers and big screens aren't it. The problem isn't selling Wrigley, the problem is that it's tapped out on revenue even though it sells. The purpose of “in-game entertainment" isn't so much to draw and entertain fans, but rather an opportunity to announce and advertise the sponsor (Today's dot race is brought to you by Pappa Johns). I wouldn't be surprised at all if Cuban added a big screen to Wrigley just for the revenue he could generate from it by showing sponsor advertisements.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Modernize"? I could see him adding Wi-Fi, but thats about it. \ He'll think of creative ways to add premium seating, similar to what the Red Sox have done with Fenway putting seats on top green monster. The Tribune has already done that. I can't see where you can stick more seats. The Trib did it while being as unintrusive as possible to the existing aesthetic of the ballpark. Cuban will go beyond that. Cuban enjoys flash and show. As much of a dog and pony show as your average live NBA experience is, Cuban increased that exponentially when he came to the Mavs. There is literally not a single second of silence at a Mavs game ... its all hip hop music, lasers, wacky bits on the big screen, cheerleaders, smoke machines. Like I said, he's going to rub traditionalists the wrong way, and I'm not just talking about people who discredit on base percentage.

I'm not sure what you mean by "Modernize"? I could see him adding Wi-Fi, but thats about it. \ He'll think of creative ways to add premium seating, similar to what the Red Sox have done with Fenway putting seats on top green monster.

Living in Texas and seeing first hand what Cuban has done with the Mavs, I would be pretty ecstatic to see him acquire the Cubs. If you're a 'traditionalist', he's going to rub you the wrong way. He will sit in the right field bleachers. He sits in the upper tier cheap seats often at Mavs games, just to demonstrate to the fans that there isn't a bad seat in the house. He'll also fight tooth and nail to 'modernize' Wrigley into a more profitable stadium.

Dollars to doughnuts that Jacque and Pie platoon at CF next year. I bet Hendry goes after a left handed corner outfield bat to platoon with Murt. Probably someone like Shawn Green. I wonder if Abreau's status has slipped from premium free agent to sub premium.

Really? Sure seems to me like they peed in the bed in September. Pretty much nothing short of a complete and total collapse.

I didn't really have a problem with the Zambrano pull, because as stated above .. it's not like he went to a bad pitcher. He went to a guy who had a 1.10 WHIP and .169 BAA for the season. I was much more disappointed with leaving Lilly in with the entire philosophy behind the decision. Lou's explaination seemed to be "Well, he's obviously struggling ... but I think that maybe he can pull things together and 'survive' until the 5th." "Suriving" is what you want out of Marquis in June in the 5th inning of a tough outing. When you're down 4-2 in a must win game in a 5 game series a pitcher "surviving" shouldn't be your best case scenerio when you have some really good middle relievers available.

I'm not usually big on second guessing the manager, but I couldn't believe he left Lilly in. It's a must win game in a short series ... I'm not exactly sure what you're saving the bullpen for/from. Especially frustrating since Wood could have nailed it shut for at least 2 innings.

Turning down some media vulture's request and turning down the opportunity to sing the seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field during a playoff game are two totally different things. Especially if you're a lifelong Cubs fan. I think he would receive a pretty warm ovation. My job requires almost 95% travel, and I'm often wearing my Cub cap at airports, hotels and bars around the country and other Cub fans always approach me and we start talking Cubs. Whenever the topic of Bartman comes up (which is pretty rare), I don't get any reaction other than "Poor guy". I've never heard a single person blame him for what happened in '04. But once or twice a year, some hack journalist decides to put the tired story in the microwave and reheat it up and of course the story is never "Once the heat of the moment passed he went back to living a normal life. No big deal." That's a boring story. It's got to be about his tortured soul, and then you got to troll around Wrigleyville bars to talk to some drunken lunkhead who says he would like to punch his teeth in and use those quotes in your story, and discard the other 99% of them that are positive or indifferent.

He was definitely on, and the DBacks had to have it. Pitching their only good pitcher and playing at home, they had to win that game. Just like the Cubs have to win tonight.