Tarver

Whatever Vernon Wells made this year.

Hendry has had the team in the playoffs 2 of the last 3 years, with teams that could have won the WS. I think it is a refreshing change, when everyone is sitting around lamenting about not making it into the playoffs like we are expecting it every year. And if you don't think the Cubs could do worse than Hendry at GM, just read any article that is pining for the new ownership to hire Steve Stone. The club's history isn't relevant. Fans should expect this team to be in the playoffs every year.

In other words, I don't want to make an excuse, but here's an excuse for you, and it's not even valid since the payroll went up during the sale process. The only thing the sale did was slow the rate at which Hendry could increase his throwing of good money after bad. He's the one who tied up all that cash longterm. Don't go whining about the sale and things being more difficult this year. You had a crap ton of financial resources and you blew it. Coletti, Bavasi, and Minaya. No one could possibly want any of those clowns running the team, yet some defend Hendry, who doles out bad contracts just as freely. I haven't seen a single person here defend Hendry in months. On occasion myself or others may point out that firing him may actually make the situation worse if we don't followup correctly, but that's hardly a defense of him. No one has directly, but all this "we could do worse" business certainly implies it. A team with this many resources shouldn't have to settle for worse.

In other words, I don't want to make an excuse, but here's an excuse for you, and it's not even valid since the payroll went up during the sale process. The only thing the sale did was slow the rate at which Hendry could increase his throwing of good money after bad. He's the one who tied up all that cash longterm. Don't go whining about the sale and things being more difficult this year. You had a crap ton of financial resources and you blew it. Coletti, Bavasi, and Minaya. No one could possibly want any of those clowns running the team, yet some defend Hendry, who doles out bad contracts just as freely.

Damn. That's some serious masochism. I'm not sure I could handle more than two.

Jimmy's Front Office Dice.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b9/Daves_insanity_sauce.jpg A little more spice than he bargained for.

One would hope Ricketts comes in and puts an end to all this foolishness. But if he decides to take a hands off approach for a few years like Lerner did, it could easily be another five+ years before this team contends again.

Teflon Jim.

Wasn't that an ownership mandated contract because of the Delgado departure? Pretty sure Ricciardi's on record saying he was against the signing.

WTF???

If the new guy doesn't have any money to work with, how does Hendry have any money to work with? If it effectively comes down to that the only significant moves the Cubs can make are trades until the payroll can be expanded or contracts come off the table I'd rather just keep Hendry since trades have been the one thing he's largely tolerable to really good at getting done. Once the money situation is more workable go ahead and fire him, but until then it seems largely redundant. I'll agree about his knack for trades, but some fans have been using the fear crutch since '05. "Don't get rid of him, who's better?" "Only if we get Antonetti/Depo/White" "What if we hire someone like Duquette?" I think it's more important for Ricketts to restructure from the top down; bring in a good baseball man to be president and have him pick the GM. But this offseason or next, this FO has to go. They've taken this train as far as they can. Anyone a "good baseball man" selected would most likely be mediocre at best. The GM should be held to the same standard of competence Ricketts would hold for hiring in a non-baseball business worth nearly $1B, that is to say they should be way smarter than anyone currently associated with the organization. When I said baseball man I meant more Beinfest than Kenney. Someone focused on sound baseball strategy as opposed to generating new revenue streams (not that that's not important, but what good is it if you continue to blow the money recklessly?)

Bradley to the Tigers. Magglio and Dontrelle (and about $15 million) to the Cubs. It makes too much sense not to happen. Yes, I'm kidding. Mostly. Considering 2010 could be the last year for this core, that trade would be absolutely brutal. Neither one of those guys could help in next year.

If you want to imply I'm being shortsighted, fine. I'll state you're being cautious to the point of paralysis. How often do teams publicly state replacement candidates before a FO change is made? The next one will be the first one I can remember. By your logic Hendry may as well be our Connie Mack, because we'll never be certain who his replacement may be.

If the new guy doesn't have any money to work with, how does Hendry have any money to work with? If it effectively comes down to that the only significant moves the Cubs can make are trades until the payroll can be expanded or contracts come off the table I'd rather just keep Hendry since trades have been the one thing he's largely tolerable to really good at getting done. Once the money situation is more workable go ahead and fire him, but until then it seems largely redundant. I'll agree about his knack for trades, but some fans have been using the fear crutch since '05. "Don't get rid of him, who's better?" "Only if we get Antonetti/Depo/White" "What if we hire someone like Duquette?" I think it's more important for Ricketts to restructure from the top down; bring in a good baseball man to be president and have him pick the GM. But this offseason or next, this FO has to go. They've taken this train as far as they can.

Cotts. But he dumped Eyre last year.

I've got confidence he couldn't be too much worse. If we operate under this philosophy of fear, this team will never improve.

Well at least they're good for something.

Thanks a bunch. I just about recovered from the last time I was subjected to that horror. Whoopi as an NBA coach? Sure, I'll bite. Moving the Knicks to St. Louis? In what alternate reality would that ever be possible?

Football also has a cap. Why do some people refuse to acknowledge just how large a financial advantage the Cubs have over their competition? Find someone who can make wiser use of the money.

I think I'd rather have Pierre.

Please.

You don't have to rebuild the car. Just find a new driver.

We've made the playoffs 3 times, with 2 near misses. They have the best player on the planet, a better coaching staff, and a better front office. Pretty easy to see why they have had more success. That's what I mean. We've seen all this FO has to show us. Unless Ricketts turns out to be another Wilpon, it's imperative he gets better baseball people.

Not saying we should. But StL has been the only consistent competition. It's inexcusable that we haven't had more success this decade.