CUBZ99

Rusch will get it over him. With the paper's comments and Hendry's tonight, my guess would be that Hill will take his spot in the rotation if Prior goes on the DL.

I was speaking from their perspective rather than my own. Also, there are plenty of guys out there with high averages and OBPs that are not much higher. The guy batting leadoff for the Cubs, for example. Like I pointed out in my other post, if you look up the top 40 OBP guys in the majors 37-38 of them are good hitters. Sure there are some good hitters that don't have high OBP, just as there are bad hitters that have outstanding OBP, but they tend to be the exception rather than the norm.

Exactly, the way he answered the question reflects on him ignoring plate discipline in players. I'm confused about your comment. What did he say that was incorrect? Care to prove that most of the High OBP guys are not also good hitters? When asked about OBP, Hendry says that high OBP guys are good hitters, then references that players are supposed to hit their way, not walk. It's exactly what O_O said, he correlates the ability to get on base with that of hitting for a high average, while downplaying/dismissing the walk. Hendry also backed up his statement by saying that if you go look at the top 20 or so leaders in OBP, you will find that they are good hitters. And you know what? He was right. :shock: In fact look at the top 40 leaders in OBP this year and almost all of those guys, except Morgan Ensberg are good hitters. He was saying that there is generally a correlation between a good hitter and a guy that gets on base. Looking at the actual stats I don't see any thing that refutes his claim. Sure there are 2 -3 players that don't quite fit his statement, but 37-38 out of 40 is pretty good.

So the fact that the Cubs as an orginization are putting more of an emphasis on OBP is bad thing?

Exactly, the way he answered the question reflects on him ignoring plate discipline in players. I'm confused about your comment. What did he say that was incorrect? Care to prove that most of the High OBP guys are not also good hitters?

It's a nice way of saying walks don't matter. There are much better ways to get that point across, and it's self evident anyways. If you listened to his comments as a whole that is not at all what he was saying. I realize that everyone wants Hendry to go, but at least view his comments as a whole and don't just pick one phrase and make it sound like that was all he said. He said generally players with high OBP are generally good hitters. I don't see anything wrong at all with that statement.

Well, Hill will supposedly get his shot according to the papers this morning.

How can you have a payroll of almost $100M and be one of the worst teams in baseball?

First of all, I don't know where all this "putting Novoa with the rookies" thing comes from. Novoa is not a young player (experience-wise)-he debuted in July of 2004. I'm not saying you did this-Baker did it. And you're right, Hendry might not call these players up. But it doesn't mean that's not what he should do. Just because Hendry's incompetent when it comes to long-term franchise health doesn't mean Baker should stay. This is a critique of the entire organization. If Baker was told, tomorrow, that the rotation for the rest of the season should be Zambrano, Marshall, Marmol, Hill, and Guzman, would he really do it? I don't think he would. He would if that is all he had. Baker is getting way to much blame for not playing youngersters this year. I agree in the past he has heavily favored veterans, but this year he has given many younger players a shot at playing. Unfortunately many of them either are not ready to contribute just yet or may never contribute.

To say they are better than guys who are getting playing time - like Rusch and Perez - makes them worthy of playing time on this team. The Cubs aren't going anywhere and guys like Hill and Guzman, who are pretty much ready for the big leagues (in Hill's case, as ready as he will ever be) need to play so the Cubs can get a chance to properly evaluate them for 2007. Hill has to be on the team in order for Dusty to pitch him, right? From what I remember, when Hill was with the team he pitched in the rotation the entire time.

This time of year, with a team this far out of the race is no time to be saying "is veteran player X's stats slightly better than young player Y's?" This time of year is not about stats. Its about finding out what you have. There's a simple question that should be asked about every player on this team right now. The answer will tell you if that player should be playing or sitting/traded. The question is "the next time the Cubs challenge for a division or (dare I say) World Series title, will this player be a part of the mix?" If the answer is no, get rid of them immediately. If the answer is "maybe," then you absolutely owe it to the organization to see if that answer will be yes or no. I agree with your entire post. But, I still dont' believe the argument that Dusty failed to play younger players this year or won't play them down the stretch. Could he have played more? Sure, but he has for the most part stuck with Cedeno, Marshall, and Murton the entire first half of the season. When Hill was with the Cubs he pitched regularly, when Aardsma was with the team he pitched, Novoa has gotten into some critical innings, etc. The only guy I can think of that got shafted was Theriot. Just because the Cubs fire Dusty, doesn't mean that Jim Hendry is all of the sudden going to call up Hill, Guzman, Aardsma, and Theriot.

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses". I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played. i'd say marmol and marshall have given prior, wood, maddux and rusch a run for their money, production-wise. Hill and Guzman gave Rusch a run for his money. That is like saying a SS gave Neifi a run for his money. precisely. Nothing is gained by going with the veteran in these instances. That was Goony's point. Which is a terrible point. It is acceptable to play horrible rookies, but not to play horrible veterans? I think it is unacceptable to play either. Just because a player is a "younger player" does not mean he deserves to play everyday. Most of the Cubs young players were not ready to step up this year and have proven as much. And the players he points out as holding their own are putting up less than stellar numbers. To say that they are better than Glendon Rusch or Neifi Perez does nothing to make them worthy of playing time.

Great story, and thanks for sharing it with us. Wish you nothing but the best and I will pray that you have a speedy recovery. :D

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses". I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played. Tell that to Angel Guzman, who essentially was a spectator for two weeks during his last call-up. Angel Guzman of the 5+ ERA? It was fairly obvious in his time with the club that he is rusty and still has some work to do in the minors. Angel Guzman of the 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R performance against the Tigers who ended up collecting dust in the bullpen for 18 days before finally being sent back to Des Moines in favor of Glendon Rusch of the nearly 8 ERA. Rusch was headed to the bullpen when he was called back up. Who would you rather have as your hardly used long man Rusch or Guzman? Most people would have rather seen Guzman getting regular starts than pitching in the bullpen once a week(or in Guzman's case 2 1/2 weeks).

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses". I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played. i'd say marmol and marshall have given prior, wood, maddux and rusch a run for their money, production-wise. Hill and Guzman gave Rusch a run for his money. That is like saying a SS gave Neifi a run for his money.

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses". I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played. Tell that to Angel Guzman, who essentially was a spectator for two weeks during his last call-up. Angel Guzman of the 5+ ERA? It was fairly obvious in his time with the club that he is rusty and still has some work to do in the minors.

Yep...playing time for younger guys to see what you have, instead of playing older guys because they're your "horses". I don't buy that argument. Dusty has been playing the "younger guys" to see what they have. Unfortunately, they were not quite ready to be played.

I refuse to give up on an entire half of the season. I would love to see Dusty and Hendry gone, but I would love it even more if the Cubs had a miraculous turn around and by some miracle got back into contention.

Most of the NSBB posters would already know as much if they had read your version of Hendry's "evalution comments" the day he made them. :wink:

Any chance Hill will be pulled from the game due to Zambrano's injury?

Yes, they will. The Astros announcers last week made a good point in regard to your comment. Sure the Cubs are going to suffer this year, but it is obvious that at least some of these kids (Marshall, Marmol) have potential to be outstanding pitchers with some more experience.

The thing that bugs me about Hendry is that he seems to believe that Corey is having some type of career year with the O's. Granted he is barely above his career avgs. but looking at Corey's numbers so far this year, there is nothing impressive about his stats. .315 obp, .741 OPS? Not exactly impresive numbers and not much different from the .295 OBP .710 OPS he had as a member of the Cubs.

Dusty is a joke.

Hill will get plenty of starts once Maddux is traded.

Hendry will use that extra $18M and split it up between Pierre, Mabry and Blanco to keep them around.