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Not until spring training started at least, when he couldn't pitch and had to go on an extreme caution delayed start to the season. Well yep, but that was after Hendry had no more options. I think he dropped the ball regardless though on SP. Rusch should never have been signed.

You called out one single post and said it was Chicken Little. I don't understand how you can deny that. No I didn't. Someone asked for an example. I never would have quote it unless asked to. And even THEN, i called the post a chicken little post, i never even named the poster as chicken little.

Just looking at pitch counts, it sounds like Wood would have been ahead of Prior even without Prior's shoulder injury. That's amazing. Go Woody. I don't mean to be negative, but seeing Wood and Prior the last two years, I can't get excited about either "coming back early" from an injury(particularly Wood because of his poor mechanics). Does anyone seriously think that Wood can give us 30-35 quality starts this year (or any year for that matter)? I just get tired of going into a season depending on Wood/Prior only to be let down. 2003 may just be the last time we will ever see Wood and Prior dominant in the same year. Ken That's one problem of many I have with Hendry. Who here on this board really thought Wood and Prior were going to start the season on the right foot? I would assume most of us didn't. Did we really believe Rusch is the answer to take Wood or Prior's place when faced with an injury? Do you guys honestly believe Wade Miller is going to find his old form of 3 years ago? I personally don't think so especially considering Maddux's fastball was faster than his last year. Is Hendry so close-minded he did not see any of these things developing? Hendry yet again has left this ball club with more holes to fill. I think no one thought Wood would start on time (given how late his surgery was completed - something the Cubs brass should fry for), however I think most people thought Prior would be ok. There was no reason to suspect a shoulder injury.

A) It doesn't matter who said it first, calling somebody chicken little is hardly in-line with the don't insult posters part of this board. B) It doesn't matter if they've said he's the starter, their track record indicates he won't get much of a leash. C) If people think his leash will be short, and you believe otherwise, then simply state that fact, don't rip to shreds those people who think the Cubs will screw it up. D) Just becuase you think something is Chicken Little, doesn't mean it is. Just because you think the trend has been ad nauseam, doesn't mean it's to a disgusting or ridiculous degree in other people's opinions. And just because a lot of people share the opinion that the Cubs are going to give Neifi more time than they should, doesn't give you the right to start playing vigilante and ripping to shreds people who think that. This message board, being a Chicago Cubs message board, is going to hit on the same storylines all of the time. The same topics are going to be discussed over and over. If you get sick of them, as I do at times, then you stay out of the debate. But you can't stop people from saying Dusty will give the SS job to Neifi eventually by telling those people to shut up because Hendry and Dusty already said it's Ronny's job. Just like you can't stop people from talking about Wood and Prior being injury prone and you can't stop people talking about the Cubs futile history. If you think Ronny is going to get 120-130 starts, and that he is not in jeopardy of losing his job, even if he struggles. Fine. I hope you're right. But it doesn't make much sense to argue with people who don't agree with you on that topic, because nothing will be proven until much later this summer. And it doesn't make any sense to call people names for thinking Ronny is going to have a tough time keeping Dusty from replacing him with Neifi. For the final time, I never called anyone (any single poster) any names.

I thought you said you didn't do that sort of thing? Oh please you know what I meant. If people post THAT crap, to use Goony's language, I am going to call out their arguments as being innacurate. How in the world can you justify referring to somebody who thinks Neifi will get 300 AB as Chicken Little? If somebody said Dusty is going to start Neifi every day and never give Ronny a major league at bat this year, then maybe you are justified with the Chicken Little arguement. Although the whole concept of belittling the person with such a label still goes against the stated policies of this board. But stating Neifi is going to get 300 AB is nowhere near Chicken Little. Instead, it's highly likely. That's less than 50% of SS time, and if you give him some 2B time as well as the occasional 3B time, and numerous pinch hitting opportunities, it will be next to impossible to avoid that many at bats barring injury. 1st, I didn't start with Chicken Little. Someone else did and I used it. My application of that word is not towards posters but chicken little arguments. Further, My posts on this thread are not necessarily just a reflection of my view of other posts on this thread, but a general posting attitude that is pervasive when it comes to Ronny/Neifi. Ronny is the starter, Dusty's said it, Hendry'd implied it, and now Bruce has said it. Neifi replacing Ronny has been posted ad nauseum anytime cedeno's struggles are mentioned. If you don't see this, you are selectively reading the board. So maybe the second post on this thread was not a good example - i will give you but that, but there aren't a shortage of examples on this board lately of it.

I'm bringing the discussion back to this now: And that personally makes me feel very happy and confident that Neifi is a backup.

I thought you said you didn't do that sort of thing? Oh please you know what I meant. If people post THAT crap, to use Goony's language, I am going to call out their arguments as being innacurate. Oh and calling out a poster on a post, is different than insulting one, so actually I DO call out posters to justify their positions. I don't personally insult them by calling what they say as garbage or crap or trash. People don't have a problem with that. They do have a problem with you blasting others for sharing their doubts. You can have whatever opinion you want about Cubs management. Those who disagree aren't going to bombard you with BS akin to your Chicken Little crap. It's when you blast the posters who don't have faith in management for not having faith in management that people will have a problem with you. Share your opinion without labeling those who disagree with the absurd Chicken Little garbage, and similar trash, and there won't be a problem. I dunno about that. Its happened in the past, particulalry during times when we are all frustrated by some turn of events. Actually there are several times I defended Hendry this offseason, that I could bombarded with BS. I didn't even think about this when I posted.

People don't have a problem with that. They do have a problem with you blasting others for sharing their doubts. You can have whatever opinion you want about Cubs management. Those who disagree aren't going to bombard you with BS akin to your Chicken Little crap. It's when you blast the posters who don't have faith in management for not having faith in management that people will have a problem with you. Share your opinion without labeling those who disagree with the absurd Chicken Little garbage, and similar trash, and there won't be a problem. Are you a mod? If so, ok. If not, don't tell me what to do. Thank you. I will continue to call out people, who at the single twinge of the word Ronny, start posting about how Neifi is going to be starting. What you posted here is much more of a personal insult than ANYTHING I've posted, but I have a feeling you'll get away with it.

Thanks for your grounded perspective Bruce!

Present one example. Just one. See the problem is that you and some others have a problem with people criticizing the Cubs. There is nothing chicken little about it. People questioned why Prior was being held out of games. You and some others made statements to the effect that those people were being overly cirticial. What happens next, low and behold Prior comes up with a shoulder strain. But we are supposed to believe that nothing was wrong with him before that. Dusty has a track record of looking over poor play by "proven veterns" yet keys on poor play by minor leaguers. Time will tell what Dusty will do. Untill then it is better to come up with your own argument why you belive what you do rather than point out the faults of people who post here. The second post of this thread. Not even close. You're completely wrong. the guy said Dusty is laying the foundation for neifi. That's Neifi Chicken Little. Confirmed. I read 300 ABs (or was it PAs?) for Neifi. That's not the same as "starting X position guy". Claiming Neifi will get 300 ABs or PAs is nowhere close to Chicken Little. Why do people have such a problem with Cubs fans who don't have much faith in the decision makers of this organization? It's baffling. They've shown the willingness to make the wrong decision over and over again, and yet, when somebody predicts they'll make another bad decision, people get all uptight and defensive, blasting the supposedly outlanding insinuation that maybe, just maybe, the guys in charge of the Cubs aren't doing a great job. Why do people have such a problem with those of us that choose NOT to blast the organization at every opportunity, instead waiting until something actually happens to blast them?

I've been in several cities lately that have smoking bans (Madison, WI; Minneapolis, MN) and they seem to go over ok - at least with respect to the bars. Personally I like not reeking of an ashtray when I go home at night even if I do smoke so... Which ban are you speaking of?

What's with the shouting all of a sudden? That's an insult. Sorry bout the shouting. I'm trying to quit smoking and this thread is aggravating my nerves. And whom specifically am I insulting? Or am I attacking a viewpoint? The viewpoint that Chicken Littles everything Neifi does? I don't recall ever mentioning a poster by name or by quote, therefore I can't be attacking a poster. It wasn't an attack of an individual poster, but rather a group of posters. Good luck with the no smoking thing. I attempted to quit not that long ago and my wife went and bought me a pack just to shut me up. I was starting to unravel a bit in that long 9th inning last night also. Petco doesn't allow any smoking anywhere on the stadium grounds. And how is that working? People are smoking everywhere now instead of in designated areas. Great plan! Not me, of course. I respected their rules last night. I disagree that's any attack of person, it may be an attack of a group think though. And Thank you, I've gone 5-10 days at a time not smoking, but the minute I have a beer, it's all over.

The difference is in the last clause you noted. The overwhelming majority of posts I would point out suggest that Dusty has a pre-conceived plan to oust Cedeno/Walker/Hairston with Neifi - not an entirely performance based decision. Not a pre conceived plan, but just his nature. Like I said before with the difference in his quotes for youngsters in veterans, he points these things out to justify his lunacy. Performance based could mean he waits until a player struggles in season(Dubois), or it could mean poor spring performance loses the job(Hill). I understand that people think that Cedeno is safe, but given Dusty's past, I can't understand anyone thinking people are crazy for worrying about Neifi taking a good deal of time from Cedeno. Well one specific argument that just chaffes my skin is when people note that Murton was very praising of the way that Dusty played him last year - slowly (and you can be assured he will get almost all the starts this year) and people would say "He has to say that or Dusty will bench him for speaking out". That is recoculous. So now a player can't praise Dusty without the same people claiming that Murton's lying and he just said that to protect his ass because Dusty doesn't like young players? Has it ever occured that Murton gained a lot of confidence dominating the pitching that Dusty exposed him to and that's helped this year? Not all that dusty does is bad. Some of these types of arguments get very tired. I feel dirty for having to defend that man as I want him out of this city. But I still have the ability to have perspective that not everything he does is bad. What's with the shouting all of a sudden? That's an insult. It is? No it isn't, but when it want's to be labeled an insult by a Mod, I'm not gonna argue too much.

What's with the shouting all of a sudden? That's an insult. Sorry bout the shouting. I'm trying to quit smoking and this thread is aggravating my nerves. And whom specifically am I insulting? Or am I attacking a viewpoint? The viewpoint that Chicken Littles everything Neifi does? I don't recall ever mentioning a poster by name or by quote, therefore I can't be attacking a poster.

I think the Cedeno situation is different than the Dubois or Hill situation. With Cedeno, Dusty has stated repeatedly throughout the offseason that Cedeno is the starter at SS. I don't have quotes offhand from previous years, but my memory of those other situations is that Dusty always said Dubois/Hill would be competing/in-the-mix for the starting job. I don't think there is a direct comparison here. Dusty never said it was Dubois' job.

I like how you posted the word OPINION in big letters. Because people here are allowed to post their OPINIONS, and if their OPINION does not agree with yours, their OPINION is apparently incorrect, or should I say a false misrepresentation? According to your interpretation or your OPINION, there was nothing in the quote to suggest that Cedeno was getting demoted. But, is it actually a fact or is it simply your opinion? Everyone has an opinion. You are welcome to disagree with someone's opinion, but you are not welcome to insult people who have differing opinions, which is basically what you have done. SHOW ME AN INSULT OF A PERSON.

Present one example. Just one. See the problem is that you and some others have a problem with people criticizing the Cubs. There is nothing chicken little about it. People questioned why Prior was being held out of games. You and some others made statements to the effect that those people were being overly cirticial. What happens next, low and behold Prior comes up with a shoulder strain. But we are supposed to believe that nothing was wrong with him before that. Dusty has a track record of looking over poor play by "proven veterns" yet keys on poor play by minor leaguers. Time will tell what Dusty will do. Untill then it is better to come up with your own argument why you belive what you do rather than point out the faults of people who post here. The second post of this thread. Not even close. You're completely wrong. the guy said Dusty is laying the foundation for neifi. That's Neifi Chicken Little. Confirmed.

Dusty's quote was that Cedeno was pressing, swinging at pitches out of the zone and being too aggressive. In fact he said Ronny was getting Ronny out, which I read as he has faith in Ronny and it's not that he's not good enough, it's that he's getting himself out. I view that as a compliment and support that he can change things around because it's all in his control - he doesn't suck.

Present one example. Just one. See the problem is that you and some others have a problem with people criticizing the Cubs. There is nothing chicken little about it. . The second post of this thread. And that second part is just plain BS anyway you slice it. Some of us have a problem with criticizing the Cubs where criticism is undue. Others of us here criticize everything about the cubs regardless of whether there is a basis for it or not. I will criticize Baker til the sun goes down, but I'm not going to invent crap to criticize him about, or twist his words to criticize him. There is plenty he has sucked at that I don't need to invent stuff to do so.

Thanks Bruce. Not the first time posters have ignored the whole story, and only focused on the part that fits their agenda. What adgenda is that? It is about time for this stuff to stop. Only time will tell what Dusty will do. I don't know if it's an "agenda" but I'd qualify it as a propensity to misrepresent stories and quotes to fit one's viewpoint. Did you think to click the link I included in the initial post? If you did you would have seen I included the entire Baker quote from the Suntimes article. Obviously the Herald article contained a more complete quote that included missing nuance, but I didn't see that until later. To be honest I wasn't implying anyone specifically (when talking about misrepresenting quotes) I was commenting on a tired "Neifi's taking over and will bat 1-9 because he saved us and Dusty loves him" attitude that arises ANY time an article or quote like that in this thread is mentioned.

Thanks Bruce. Not the first time posters have ignored the whole story, and only focused on the part that fits their agenda. What adgenda is that? It is about time for this stuff to stop. Only time will tell what Dusty will do. The reason stuff like this pops up is because the Neifi Chicken Little posts pop up in a ridiculous number of threads. Until people let the bloated, rotting horse rest, others will attempt to temper the conversation. So when you say it's about time for this stuff to stop, I hope you also include the ungodly number of "well it looks like Neifi is the starting X position guy again" comments as well. THANK YOU. Chicken Little - that's the word I couldn't remember. This post encompasses everything I wanted to say, but wasn't able to in this thread.

Thanks Bruce. Not the first time posters have ignored the whole story, and only focused on the part that fits their agenda. What adgenda is that? It is about time for this stuff to stop. Only time will tell what Dusty will do. I don't know if it's an "agenda" but I'd qualify it as a propensity to misrepresent stories and quotes to fit one's viewpoint. Why? Every word should be viewed the same way by everyone based on how you view it, otherwise it's a propensity to misrepresent stories and quotes to fit one's viewpoint? I see nothing wrong with people reading something and making their own judgments as to the meaning. Seriously, I'm not going to get into this with you. Suffice to say, if Hendry or Baker say anything, it's twisted negatively by certain people and if people they like say something, it's twisted positively. That is ALL I am going to say on this. That's my OPINION on the postcontent with respect to commentary on Hendry, but more so Baker. There was nothing in the quote even in the Kiley article to suggest that Cedeno was getting demoted, but it didn't take long for the sky to start falling, thankfully someone who everyone on this board respects put that story straight (Bruce)

Thanks Bruce. Not the first time posters have ignored the whole story, and only focused on the part that fits their agenda. What adgenda is that? It is about time for this stuff to stop. Only time will tell what Dusty will do. I don't know if it's an "agenda" but I'd qualify it as a propensity to misrepresent stories and quotes to fit one's viewpoint.

Thanks Bruce. Not the first time posters have ignored the whole story, and only focused on the part that fits their agenda. Isn't this the truth. Thanks Bruce for quieting the "sky is falling" pessimists who take everything out of context and/or ignore proceedings that contradict their points.

If I remember correctly, he said he's not worried about Murton and Cedeno - he knows they will hit, Cedeno is just pressing right now. It's clear to me that he's looking out for Ronny and trying to help him. I think no matter WHAT Dusty does here, he's fate is sealed with the fans, which is fine. I wish he was gone too, but he DID say he wasn't worried about Ronny.