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It's too early to have any idea, I'm curious as to whom the "baseball veterans" are that are assisting Ricketts in his search. My questions would be... If the GM comes in and does poorly, what would be the expected window of his tenure? Hendry was around for 3 different ownership groups and 4 managers (I don't think Baylor managed a game) and most MLB teams have changed GMs since '02. I just wonder how MLB views the Cubs current scouting and development as well as Ricketts' long-term vision as it plays a major role in whether or not how attractive the job is. Given his desire to build from within should a long ways to sell the Cubs as an attractive position as well as a GM's ego. STL while being one of the more productive teams over the last decade, is not viewed highly upon MLB as far as their methodology and method of operations among those inside. As poorly as teams like KC, Balt., etc. annually do, their method isn't questioned as much as their judgement, which can't be said for STL who scouts players different than any other team. I think their recent drop-off in talent is their lack of talent development and evaluation as it is taking an impact.

I've never thought of Cashner as a high effort guy mechanically. For the most part I really like his mechanics actually....via the eye test. Mechanically, he's pretty sound and even someone like Schilling had shoulder problems during his career. But anytime you generate the arm speed to throw in the upper 90s, there's a lot of torque.

If true, it's good to see that velo high again coming off shoulder troubles as it's the primary clue that something is up with the shoulder. I'm sure they will take it easy with him the rest of the way and the question becomes again what to do with him. I'm all for giving him another shot in the rotation but given his past and higher effort delivery a possible back end future pen of him, Carpenter, and Samardzija is somewhat positive yet not what they likely projected to after being drafted.

I think it'll be stadium related as there is news of an agreement with the city and the Cubs to allocate 200 million of public money towards the stadium. I think it'll include what that will be allocated towards.

Me...Hendry's got one year left on his contract and the moves the Cubs have to make are fairly obvious one (signs a 1B, spend remaining money on pitching, maybe make a trade). I think Hendry can handle that. If I had a choice I think my top 5 candidates would be: 1 - Cashman - I do think his days with the Yankees are running short. 2 - Damon Oppenheimer - Background is very Hendry-esque as he's a farm system guy (which is why I'm not too big on Logan White here), but he's got a Yankee pedigree so he er..."knows how to win." No but really, he's a smart guy. 3 - Ben Cherington 4 - Rich Hahn - He's interesting. 5 - Kim Ng - Just to throw the baseball world for a loop. If she was a guy she'd have been a GM years ago (probably even the Dodgers job). If he's quality, he's quality regardless of scouting/statistical background, I'd rather have Atlanta's pedigree rather than someone like Purpura. Also, if you're talking about expiring current GM contracts, Friedman should be at the top of anyone's list.

I question how much that loyalty would hold up when push came to shove. It's easy to say this is my guy and I'm out if he is, but when you're staring at looking for a new job (and obviously none of those jobs would be to go work for Hendry), I'd predict a whole lot of backing down. That would come down to the new scouting director or Wilken, most scouts sign one and two year contracts. There are scouts in the organization that have been with Hendry since the Marlins but if your contract expires, the leverage isn't there. It would depend if Hendry became a GM or scouting director elsewhere and then he would clean house there and the current Cubs' scouts have another option but as much as they would like to stay, the odds of a new guy not bringing in a large chunk of his own guys is very small.

I just love how LaRussa whines about the up and in pitch to Pujols that its wrong to throw up and in, yet brings in the only guy on the Cards roster that touches the upper 90s and throws twice at Braun and then says, he didn't throw at him. Then takes offense when a writer questions him on it. Such a hypocritical whiny piece of douchebaggery garbage.

Pretty accurate.

Not too disappointed about Olsen, he didn't fit the Martz system despite being Cutler's go to guy in most run for your life dropbacks. 3rd rd pick is pretty high value for him, IMO. Have no idea what they would do if they missed out with Kruetz, yes is he declining but he is still their best O-Lineman and one of the captains. There was that thread earlier where a poster wanted the Cubs to go after busts at undervalue and Angelo has read it. The scary part about this whole off-season is that the season is based more on GM's abilities more than ever and I've never been an Angelo fan.

This happens all the time, not as often in terms of a pre-draft deal but where the kid/adviser will put the salary demands out there and then once he is drafted, increases the demands. Scouts hate this given the fact they either have to waste the pick or sign him to a contract to where he might not be worth what he is asking and wouldnt have drafted him based on that and their jobs are always on the line with one to two year deals and how poorly it looks to the scouting director.

Where are you coming up with that? I'm showing you statistical evidence to argue my point, you're giving me a mantra. Organization wide, the Cubs are one of the least patient teams in MLB. The Red Sox are among the most patient. Part of this has to do with the kind of players the Red Sox target in the draft and internationally, and part of it has to do with player development, which, um, includes the kind of coaches that are hired to teach the kids how to play. Am I really saying something controversial here? Are you a hitting coach? You're from the south side. Ever heard of Charlie Lau? Read up on him, then tell me your "Do as I say, not as I do" mantra again. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Lau I wouldn't want Lau teaching hitting, not based on approach but rather his view on mechanics where he teaches front side hitting based on momentum rather than hip rotation. Being an effective coach is based more on his ability to communicate rather than his own OBP. I'm a Wilken fan, I don't mind them drafting noted aggressive players, I do wish they'd draft more hitters with plus raw power. I am encouraged with the 11' draft.

So far in this thread, Gillick has been mentioned as pres. White as GM, now mention Bogar replacing Quade and it would be ideal setup.

I'm sure Larry and Girardi's relationship with Zambrano has something to do with it as well.

Pitchers, behind the plate. Hitters, if they're left-handed sit 3B line and if they're RH'ed, sit 1B line. I like to sit behind the plate for the 1st 3 innings, seeing 50 pitches will give a good enough idea of the pitcher and then the middle innings down each line until the relievers enter. Also, when you're down each baseline you can gauge a pitcher's mechanics from the side.

After looking at his numbers more, he has been more middle of the pack, his ERA has dropped lately. Still ignoring him as a replacement compared to Coleman would still be painfully obvious even for a blind man.

Better FO and coaching staff, Berkman vs Pena is just a small sample. McClellan. Plus FB and slider, 1st go round as a starter. Hitters haven't squared up.

So the Cubs are 22-22 (not including one start from Wells/Cashner)) basically when Zambrano, Garza, and Dempster throw? Color me skeptical they'd maintain that ratio. Wells has been back for 2 weeks. Eh, shows how much I've been watching this horseshit team. Still, the 15-20 starts missed by Cashner/Wells would not put this team at .5oo.

That has nothing to do with what you said. In terms of FO evaluation it does. The cubs go from an avg pitcher and an unproven yet talented #5 to Coleman and Davis. Yet STL replaces Wainwright with McClellan and pitches like a top of the rotation starter.

Its pretty telling STL can replace one of the top 3 starters in the NL and barely skip a beat. The Cubs bring up Coleman.

So the Cubs are 22-22 (not including one start from Wells/Cashner)) basically when Zambrano, Garza, and Dempster throw? Color me skeptical they'd maintain that ratio.

Without all the injuries, there's a chance those three players plus Reed and Barney could have kept us around .500 and a .500 record has us within 4-6 games of first place. Not ideal and not what you build for, but it's contention. And I understand injuries will occur, but not generally to this degree, this often, this early. That'd be fine with me. Built the late 90s/early 2000s Mariners and the current Phillies. I disagree, I don't see them near .500 even if they had everyone healthy, would have 7 more wins or close to the 70 runs they've been outscored.

I agree with you to a degree with Hendry signing stopgaps instead of giving young guys a shot, though he's been better at that recently. The exact example of Pena over Colvin isn't a good one, though, because there's pretty much no projection I've seen or, likely, that anybody could point to where Colvin is at all likely to produce at the level of a first baseman - especially when you factor in that his defense is likely to be pretty weak there. Whether you think the Cubs can contend or not, with Hendry's job on the line, fans getting really antsy and a really bad division, you have to make some effort to contend. Passing on all FA first basemen and simply going with Colvin would not have been a move in line with making an effort to compete, so I have no problem with giving a one-year deal to a guy who could very well give us 2-3 wins - which Colvin just barely missed while hitting an unreal amount of flyballs for home runs. If Pena, Garza, and Wood could bring them into contention, that would be fine but its going to take far than those 3 to do so. Its a shame, when you play for a 01' season and get 02'. Go and spend whatever you want bring Gillick in for two years as team president. Have him around for two years, hire scouting and development staffs, new GM who hires the new manager, basically have Gillick rebuild the whole damn thing.

I believe Hendry is not entirely at fault for their current situation given Zell's desires to pump up the value of the team short-term. Although, I still question signing stop-gap FAs like Pena when Colvin has no position and still undetermined what his likely future impact is. I do blame Hendry from deviating from their original pre 03' and trying to piece in a good but not great team starting in 04' and stunting future development in Latin America with the promotions of Oneri and Serra.

Cannot change your WC until the ASB. Meh, Add Willingham Drop Alvarez

Yes, he was. Always wondered about his weight. Which Bloomington school was it?