jersey cubs fan

I don't think the people in this thread (specifically TT) believe Fukudome has to go, they're just believing the idiots in charge believe it. I realize that, I'm just talking about how matter of factly people are treating it. Trib people have referenced many times how dealing Fukudome is a must, most people aren't even fighting it. They just wonder how much of his deal they have to eat.

It had to be something like insubordination, right? There's more to it than football. I don't think he's any good, but this new guy cannot be better.

I can't believe how matter of factly many people are treating the Fukudome has to go storyline. I should believe it, but I can't.

Well of course. What, did they think the league was just going to let him skate by? This is sounding so stupid. I was beginning to think the only reason they signed him was to highlight the starcaps case that is hanging over those Vikings players. This is nuts.

Then why are you asking what kind of job Hendry could have done with a baseball man as his boss? It's already been done. It's just not important, unless it's the only way to get rid of Jim Hendry (which of course it is not). The solution is getting rid of Hendry. There are plenty of non baseball men running baseball teams from the president's office. You are officially arguing with yourself. I was discussing in the hypothetical what kinds of decisions Hendry would have made in the past few offseasons if he had someone to tell him no. I theorized that it would have made more sense to have someone with knowledge of baseball in that position rather than a former legal counsel. I then said that I would appreciate someone in with that knowledge as president moving forward regardless of who is GM instead of a former legal counsel. Never once did I say that Hendry deserves to continue having his job. Never once did I say that MacPhail was a good president. But he was a president with the baseball man stamp and he failed, so why are you insisting that's what the team needs? You don't need a baseball man as president. Trusted baseball men are some of the stupidest people in the game. You need a competent GM. It really doesn't matter what line of work the president has in his history. People ridiculed McDonough for being nothing but a marketing man, but he's found success presiding over another sports team. The Yankees are run by a nothing but finance and law men, and the GM does the GM stuff.

Then why are you asking what kind of job Hendry could have done with a baseball man as his boss? It's already been done. It's just not important, unless it's the only way to get rid of Jim Hendry (which of course it is not). The solution is getting rid of Hendry. There are plenty of non baseball men running baseball teams from the president's office.

What the hell is going on here? One horrific game and everything goes downhill?

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry. Because it's a reasonable expectation to have someone with authority over the GM regardless of who it is. No GM should have complete autonomy which it looks like Hendry does once he gets his budget from ownership. But he's had a baseball man as boss and failed. He's had businessmen as boss and failed. He's a failure. If all you do is bring in a baseball man you are just adding to your expenses. Jim Hendry is still going to run things the way Jim Hendry does. Maybe a president would chance the way the minor leagues work, but he's not going to make Jim Hendry a good GM. The problem is Hendry, not Crane Kenney.

But the Bears have coaches!!!

No. I'm done dealing draft picks. This team is already far too reliant on older players. They are desperately in need of an influx of young bodies. I get that, but 28(will be 29 at start of next season) isn't that old for an olineman is it? Also drafting at 20 or beyond, the talent we can get there on the line will probably be nowhere near Mankins level. If we were going to pick earlier and could grab the best Guard/tackle in the draft I wouldnt do it either, but picking in the 18 and on range, and Angelo's complete lack of ability to draft a good lineman, Id think very hard about it if the Pats would do it. 29 isn't young. You can last a long time on the line, but you can also decline in a hurry. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but it's incredibly risky to go three straight years without a #1 pick and with your only significant acquisitions being veterans.

Virginia is going to love him.

No. I'm done dealing draft picks. This team is already far too reliant on older players. They are desperately in need of an influx of young bodies.

Seriously? It was crazy to rely so much on him in the first place, but now he's just excess baggage? I recognize the other name and assume he's some old washed up guy.

I don't see the point if you are keeping Hendry.

That's one of the most correct questions yet. The Ricketts have no experience running a ballclub, and they have the former legal counsel for the Tribune Company doing it for them. This guy should have been out the door the minute he had a Greek Orthodox minister spray holy water in the dugout before the 08 playoffs. I wonder what kind of job Hendry would be able to do if he had someone with a baseball knowledge base as his boss. At least someone who has the authority to tell him whether he can go in a given direction. An appropriate president may have prevented Hendry from viewing the off-season with tunnel vision on a particular aspect of the team. He had extremely well respected baseball man Andy MacPhail as his boss for several years and it didn't do any good, other than the gift contract Andy gave him on the way out the door. I really don't care what they do with the presidents role. I really don't see the need for a president who is a baseball man and then a GM under him. But if that's what it takes to get somebody who will replace Hendry, fine. The GM can run baseball operations with his assistants and staff. Crane can run the business of the Cubs probably as well or better than most any traditional club president. It's the least important move they can make.

Nobody is too young to hate Rob Dibble. And yes, I should have included those blowhard announcers of theirs. Don't really have a problem with Votto.

They are all tackles though. And while I understand the entire line is weak.....Williams, Omiyale, and Webb are all still young. FWIW, I don't like Carimi AT ALL. Castonzo is not going to be a stud OL (which I would like in the 1st). Reynolds is interesting. Omiyale isn't young. He turns 28 next month, has been in the league for 6 seasons and isn't really starter material. They had 5 guys starting last game and I don't want any of them starting next season.

Damn, I didn't know that as I pretty muched stopped following them around the first of September. Well, I read a handful of quotes and saw a handful of games where stuff like that was going on, plus he's a baseball lifer and baseball lifers love that crap. So I'm assuming.

I thought it all happened at the same time. The season was basically background distraction at that point. I think it was either the immediate next game after returning or very shortly thereafter.

I don't see the point of you criticizing somebody talking about the need to replace Hendry by pointing out the next guy might not be better and then complaining that people will then question why you want to keep Hendry. Any replacement could be worse. It's a meaningless point to make.

I'm worried that he's a "make something happen" guy, as he spoke to that philosophy a lot this month and took all sorts of risks on the bases.

If it's Angelo. I still think 7-9 or better and they all return. It shouldn't be that hard to win 4-5 more games.

And there it is. It baffles me the number of people who think I'm saying that means they should stick with Hendry. I'd love to see Hendry fired; I wish he had been fired a long time ago. I'm just not confident that his replacement will be significantly, if at all, better. I would obviously love step A, but I'm expecting step B to suck. Get it? No I don't. You're just making a pointless statement.

There is absolutely no question they should take an offensive lineman 1st 2nd and eighty times after that. But it's Angelo so who knows.

If you could read and respond to what is written we might be able to have a conversation.