Sammys Boombox

I don't pay enough attention to the way Sandberg has managed in the minors, so I can't comment on that. However, if his philosophy was similar to Tony LaRussa, where every player on the team was capable of bunting and could use it in certain situations, I would have no problem with that. For instance, I remember a time when Edmonds was leading off and the Cubs had a big pull shift on him. It was late innings of a tied or one-run game. He just bunted a ball down the third base line and they had absolutely no chance of getting him out. He ended up scoring. Now assume this. Soriano is in one of those slumps where he's very likely to strikeout. Runners on first and second, 0 outs, tie game, late innings. Baker or Soto is on deck and have been hot lately. If Soriano can get the bunt down, at least he'll make a productive out. I do think that every player should be capable of bunting. However, it drives me nuts when Theriot bunts in the first inning after Fukudome gets a base hit.

Here's a positive outlook. Maybe inflation will be so high by the end of his contract that bench players will be making $18 million.

I rarely sit in the bleachers, only three times. The first two times were day games. The Cubs lost both of them. One of them was the last game of the Cubs/Reds 4-game set at the end of 2004, so a pretty tough one to be at. The fans were ticked, but I felt were knowledgeable and didn't do anything embarrassing. However, I was in the bleachers this year for the night game where Soriano hit the walkoff gs. There were fights, ejections and overall stupidity all around me. It seems that this is no coincidence.

Not sure if that was directed at me, but I can say that I understand some of the disgust over the doom & gloom that is pronounced here almost every day. Speaking for myself, I DO get "down" within gamethreads, but mostly it's me being sarcastic/tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes I do a poor job of relating that in my posts. I seriously haven't given up on the season. I DO give up on certain games, because this team has been so frustrating this year. But as far as the season goes, I think any rational poster here would agree that a fully healthy team could still make a serious run at the post-season. And if we can sneak in, anything is possible... Not really directed at you, more in general to those that seemingly bemoan the being a Cubs fan more often than not. As someone who has not yet given up, there has been a lot to moan about this year.

Which is completely different than he "he traded Derosa so he could resign Dempster and sign Miles." Disagree. There was a number of reasons as to why DeRosa was traded (some of which were and are very smart). To say he was traded simply to resign Dempster and sign Miles simply is not correct. Dempster would have likely been resigned regardless of whether DeRosa was traded or not. Miles was signed BECAUSE DeRosa was traded. DeRosa was not traded so Miles could be signed. Or Hendry could have decided to let Dempster walk and kept DeRosa and never even thought of Aaron Miles. I'm just pointing out that he only saved $3 million on having Miles over DeRosa, and Dempster is overpaid. So while he may not have traded DeRosa so he could sign Miles, it was a by-product. Dempster's contract definitely took money away that could have gone to DeRosa. That is not completely different than what I originally said. I'm sorry I didn't take the time in the game thread to completely explain the situation we all already understand until now.

Demp has a worse ERA and has given up more homers in your stats, but he had a better K:BB ratio before today and his K/9 is 7.3 vs 4.7 for Lowe. Demp's WHIP is also better in those stats. As for everything going for him last year, Dempster had a better WHIP on the road last year and a better K/9 away from home. He was very good at home and on the road last season. I don't think the K/9 is a valid argument when comparing these two. Lowe works toward contact on the ground. He never has been a big K pitcher. Again, I'm glad the Cubs avoided Lowe, but I don't see that Dempster has been better than him. 147 K is his career high.

Which is completely different than he "he traded Derosa so he could resign Dempster and sign Miles." Disagree.

I don't think many are defending Dempster's contract. Just that it was smarter than paying more for Lowe. Neither pitcher is lighting the world on fire right now. If Lowe is better, it's a tiny amount of improvement that isn't worth the additional cost. I agree. I just don't understand why some posters are claiming Dempster is having a better season than Lowe, as if it's not even close.

I understand some people have this irrational fear/hatred of Hendry, but do you honestly belive that given the limited money available and the circumstances that if he did trade Zambrano his only move would be to then overpay for someone as historically bad as Aaron Miles? The odds of some whiz kid being hired who can make magic with the very limited resources the Cubs will likely be facing this offseason and next season aren't pretty slim to nil. I'm not at all opposed to Hendry being replaced, but I'd rather it be when someone new coming in would actually have something to work with. Irrational? He traded DeRosa to save $5 million so he could give Dempster $9 million for 4 YEARS and Miles $2.2 million. He brought in a player that can't handle the pressure to play in RF at Wrigley. Don't get me started on Soriano. That's not the reason why DeRosa was traded. Bradley has been very good at home. Soriano is a major reason the Cubs made the playoffs the last two years (albeit with a terrible contract). He needed to save money. He traded DeRosa. This created a need at second base. He signed Miles. So, Miles + $2.5-$3 million for DeRosa. Then he gave that money he saved to Dempster/Bradley. I'm sure there have been other options that would have lifted the Cubs to the playoffs that wouldn't have strapped them for 8 years.

Are you talking about Milton Bradley? The guy that is OPSing .930 in home games? Even if Bradley succeeds I think it was a huge gamble. I hope he does succeed, as he has. I'm just questioning the judgment. You can't disagree the he was a huge disappointment from the left side for much of the season, the reason he was brought in.

Lowe 25 GS 12-7 4.08 ERA 1.41 WHIP 8 HR 49 BB Dempster 21 GS 6-5 4.16 ERA 1.38 WHIP 17 HR 59 BB How is Dempster better this year? You don't give somebody the contract he gave Dempster just because he had a good year when everything was going for him.

I understand some people have this irrational fear/hatred of Hendry, but do you honestly belive that given the limited money available and the circumstances that if he did trade Zambrano his only move would be to then overpay for someone as historically bad as Aaron Miles? The odds of some whiz kid being hired who can make magic with the very limited resources the Cubs will likely be facing this offseason and next season aren't pretty slim to nil. I'm not at all opposed to Hendry being replaced, but I'd rather it be when someone new coming in would actually have something to work with. Irrational? He traded DeRosa to save $5 million so he could give Dempster $9 million for 4 YEARS and Miles $2.2 million. He brought in a player that can't handle the pressure to play in RF at Wrigley. Don't get me started on Soriano.

If the means to rebuild aren't there for the time being, why? What's the new guy going to do without any money that Hendry can't? Say we do get a chance to move a contract or two, don't you want the guy making those moves for possible prospects to be the guy that's going to be there building the contending team? like which ones? getting a new GM isn't going to magically make other GMs want to take on albatross contracts. nobody is going to take soriano, zambrano they'd have to eat some money, dempster same, fukudome has actually been good this year and there's not much need to trade him. they could trade lee and lilly and get some return, but that's throwing in the towel on next year. the only way i'd fire hendry is if new ownership decided to go into full-on rebuilding mode, and i doubt that will happen. I never said it would be more likely that other GMs would trade with us. I said, if somebody does want to trade with us... Suppose next year Bradley and Lilly are having good years and the Cubs are done in July. Or what if Jake Fox or Micah Hoffpauir go on a tear for a few months and look good to a contending team? Do you want Hendry to make the deal or the guy that management brings in to rebuild the team?

Dempster's been better the past two seasons (2008 and 2009) and he's 4 years younger. This year: Dempster: 4.04 ERA, 1.386 WHIP, 99:48 K:BB Lowe: 4.08 ERA, 1.407 WHIP, 79:49 K:BB I'd rather have Lowe who gives up less walks but pitches to groundball contact than a guy who gets more strikeouts but walks more guys and gives up longballs. For the price though, I'd rather have Dempster. Although, I would rather not have either one.

Dempster's been better the past two seasons (2008 and 2009) and he's 4 years younger. This year: Dempster: 4.04 ERA, 1.386 WHIP, 99:48 K:BB Lowe: 4.08 ERA, 1.407 WHIP, 79:49 K:BB I'd rather have Lowe who gives up less walks but pitches to groundball contact than a guy who gets more strikeouts but walks more guys and gives up longballs.

If the means to rebuild aren't there for the time being, why? What's the new guy going to do without any money that Hendry can't? Say we do get a chance to move a contract or two, don't you want the guy making those moves for possible prospects to be the guy that's going to be there building the contending team?

Dempster has been better than Lowe this year. And it's not even close. But I still would've signed Lowe. He might be the perfect Wrigley pitcher. Dempster's better than Lowe, Lowe's older, and signed for more money. Of course you take Derek Lowe. Is Dempster really better than Lowe? Lowe 25 GS 12-7 4.08 ERA 1.41 WHIP 8 HR 49 BB Dempster 21 GS 6-5 4.16 ERA 1.38 WHIP 17 HR 59 BB

Well, great patience there by Bradley.

Keep thinking that. Like I brought up in another thread, the new owners are unlikely to fire the GM when there's likely next to no payroll flexibility in the offseason. Why hire someone new if they can't do anything about the mess they inherit? Well, it prevents the current GM for prolonging this mess. He's already tied up a ton of money for the next couple years. Keeping him around gives him the opportunity to mess up the years beyond that. I do agree though that Hendry will most likely be back. Why would Hendry have money to spend? He'd have his hands tied just as much by the all but frozen payroll the same as his replacement would. If the purse strings are tightened, correct, the damage he could do would be minimal. If they aren't, get him the hell out of there. You don't keep a guy that you're planning on getting rid of before you're a contender again. You bring in the GM that you want to rebuild as soon as you can.

... and have played in more games than any other franchise in ML history.

I'm looking forward to watching the Bulls. Mizzou football.

Hahahahaha.

I'm so glad Hendry locked up Dempster for 4 years because he had great run support and just happened to start nearly every game at home last year, the place where the Cubs were unbeatable. Great move.

:shock:

I love Ron Santo. Poor guy will never see a winner.