daske17

I think it may be because there's no one in the organization with authority telling Ricketts, "Hey, this guy's an idiot." Just my opinion.

Keith Moreland hasn't been bad when he's been doing color.

I'm not rooting for them because of all their "I hate the Cubs" nonsense. I mean seriously, what a bunch of whiny babies. But it's because of Dusty that I actively hope they fail.

Given the perceived performance of the bullpen, I can see Hendry going after another of his proven veteran arms(trademark pending).

I'm hoping for a Yankees/Braves WS so D-Lee and Woody can get another chance. And over my brain's best wishes, I want the Yankees to win it all. Woody deserves a ring.

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. McDonough had success in bringing people to the game, not with the game itself, because he had a successful GM and great players to begin with. I'm arguing that the Ricketts need someone with baseball knowledge because they have none. They are relying on one man's opinion of what needs to be done with this organization. Ideally that means a competent GM. But as another poster has argued, I doubt they would know what that looks like.

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. Last time I checked, this was a discussion, not an autocracy where you deem what it valid.

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. Read the bolded portion. I am not advocating for Hendry. I'm saying that I would want someone as president regardless of GM.

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.

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. From my understanding, president oversees baseball AND business operations, serving under the direction of the owner. I would love if the Cubs would sign Stan Kasten for that purpose.

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.

That 97 season was rough. Starting out 0-14... I remember sports reports wondering if the losing streak would end, not when.

Not only that, but there are few players that would openly diss a potential employer (especially a team with deep pockets that can be played against other teams).

Sandberg is said to be considered for the Toronto job now. Of course, the Blue Jays said that they had a pool of like 500 they were considering, so it doesn't really mean anything.

obviously he was capable, because if it was real it would have done damage. You don't have to be suave, discreet and highly intelligent to cause a lot of damage. It would seem like getting your hands on a real, functioning bomb is like 99% of the equation here. Times Square bomber couldn't get it done and had the materials. Sometimes, all you need is an idiot, motivated or no, to screw up a plan.

Or, gasp, TWO BLOCKS AWAY!?!?!?!!!! THINK OF THE SENSITIVITY TO DMB FANS!!!!!! Fans of Dave Matthews deserve no sensitivity.

I think we should be grateful that he was such an idiot. If he had talked to someone who actually had access to bomb-making materials, this would have been a tragedy. But Merkles may have been destroyed, so not a real tragedy.

What's wrong with that? I personally have a problem with alcohol in the workplace. Why is it necessary in a clubhouse? I'm not the players aren't drinking up pre-game, but the costs don't outweigh the benefits in my eyes. Do you personally have a problem with tobacco in the workplace? If it's right in front of me, yes. That's why workplaces force people outside to smoke.

So because it's legal and people are of legal age, that's the only rationale? Well, heck, let's allow guns in the workplace and see how that works out! I mean seriously, if it wasn't a problem, then fine. But several teams have already banned it due to problems it has caused (I'm specifically referring to the Cardinals who I believe banned it after Scott Spezio) out of the ballpark. This isn't junk food. I don't see why people are so in favor of keeping it.

What's wrong with that? I personally have a problem with alcohol in the workplace. Why is it necessary in a clubhouse? I'm not the players aren't drinking up pre-game, but the costs don't outweigh the benefits in my eyes. What does necessity have to do with anything? Do you only allow necessities in the workplace? Let me turn it around, why should alcohol be allowed in MLB clubhouses?

What's wrong with that? I personally have a problem with alcohol in the workplace. Why is it necessary in a clubhouse? I'm not the players aren't drinking up pre-game, but the costs don't outweigh the benefits in my eyes.

I'm pretty sure MLB won't ban maple bats until somebody dies as a result. When has the MLB ever taken precautionary moves on anything? Booze is still allowed in most MLB clubhouses, steroids weren't a problem until Congress came calling and it's still the only major sports league without instant replay.

Thank God Colvin isn't a vampire. We could have had an undead death on our hands.

Actually he debuted with the Giants. We traded Hawkins for him and Jerome Williams. Now there's a name I completely and utterly forgot... what happened to Jerome Williams? Doesn't look to be playing this year, did he get cut? He got cut a couple years ago by the A's, although he hasn't pitched in the majors since Washington in 2007. I think it was conditioning and attitude that did him in. I wasn't aware he had a bad attitude? Not a bad attitude, but just a meh attitude. That's just what I'm remembering from news reports. I may be completely off base.

No other sports are on this time of year. I hear there's this sport in America called "football." It isn't like the football the rest of the world is used to though, so I don't think it'll catch on.