vance_the_cubs_fan

I stated before the season and still agree that Hendry did the best he could with the payroll he had and under the limitations of contracts already signed. When looking at the deals signed before the 2004 season, we should have realized that no major moves would happen prior to 2005. The team was built to win it all last season and they pissed that chance away. Escalators in the contracts to Maddux, Wood, Hawkins, Remlinger, and Lee and arbitration raises to Patterson and Zambrano would eat away any money leaving the books due to Alou and Clement. After getting so close in 2003, Hendry went for broke in 2004 and I can't blame him for that. I would have done the same thing too. We were hamstrung this year by the Sosa deal...but Hendry didn't sign that deal and even if he had, he nor anyone else could have anticipated that slide. While he may have signed players like Macias and Blanco to over-priced deals, he didn't overpay the lot by more than 2.5-3 million over what you would pay replacements. That amount would not have helped us in the pen, or a closer, or in getting Drew (injured) or Beltran. Looking at the contracts that were signed this offseason, I can't see much else Hendry could have done that he didn't do. We didn't have the room in the budget for Beltran, Drew was overpaid as was Ordonez, and none of the FA closers worked out.

Anyone know when or for whom Davey Johnson last managed? I always remember him during his time with the Mets. Davey Johnson's managerial record. His last stint was with the LA Dodgers in 2000. In 14 seasons as a manager, Johnson has had only three seasons below .500. (1990- his last year with the Mets, 1993- his first year with the Reds, and 1999 his first year with the Dodgers.) He's had four seasons with a winning percentage over 600, and then another at 590. He has a winning record for all four organizations he has managed. He would be an excellent choice.

Here's my list of best candidates: 1. Fredi Gonzalez- I've expounded on my reasons in other threads. He has the right pedigree and he's paid his dues. He's still young enough to grow into the job. He'd be an excellent choice. 2. Davey Johnson- He's a winner. He may rub some folks the wrong way, but I think he'd do an excellent job. 3. Larry Dierker- He consistently took a team with less talent than the current Cubs and put them in the playoffs year after year. Other candidates include: Girardi, Ned Yost (if we could lure him out of Milwaukee), Pat Corrales, Jim Leyland, Buck Martinez, and Bob Brenly.

I just wish they'd ask Dusty every day why Murton isn't playing and keep bringing up the fact that the kid is hitting .400! Dusty must go!

I agree with the above statement. Hendry's biggest fault right now is sticking with Baker. If he can rectify that problem this offseason, I think it's a good idea to stick with him. Most of the moves he's made have been good ones.

I have absolutely no interest in this game whatsoever.

How long before we shut Dusty down? Now that would be good news.

Uk, what's your view on Davey Johnson?

I guess we're still looking for that one as we slip to six games out of the WC race. I anticipate we'll get that one win around the middle of the month sometime.

Girardi has spent one season as the Yankees bench coach and has played for Torre. I still think Gonzalez has a more impressive resume'. I'd put Girardi as fourth or fifth on my list.

I think in baseball especially that there are some key differences between the pro and college game. I'd be very skeptical about hiring a college coach to be manager of a pro team.

When Sandberg approached the Cubs, they told him that to be considered he needed some experience. Since then, he's been working with the team in spring training and spends a good bit of time around the team during the season. I don't know if they are ready to consider him or not. I could see him being named part of a new coaching staff rather than the manager. A closer would probably be the worst possible manager. I'm not knocking Lee Smith, or any closer, but they have the one job that likely takes them out of the game. Maybe a closer for pitching coach, but not much else unless they have had some experience working their way through the system. As I've lined out in other threads, there are a number of good choices for the Cubs to look to if they replace Baker that have the right pedigree. At the top of that list is Fredi Gonzalez. While he is an unknown to Cubs fans, he has all the ingredients that would make for a great manager on his resume'. See my comments in the other threads as to what those are. I know this may be hard to swallow for some, but I prefer for the Cubs to look to someone who is outside the organization. We haven't been known for winning and success, so I'd prefer to get a manager who comes from a background that could be condusive to winning.

I don't think it's important to get a manager with experience within the organization. Billy Williams is a special assistant to MacPhail. I'm not sure if he has any interest in managing. He's been a hitting and bench coach with the Cubs on Riggleman's staff, but I don't think he has any experience managing at any level and he's a little old to give his first shot to in my opinion. There's already a thread discussing Girardi. While not a poor option, there are other guys I'd look at first. Gaetti is the hitting coach for the Astros. What about him makes you think he'd be a good manager? Lee Smith? Somehow I wonder if he has the pedigree. He's never coached or managed at any level that I know of. I'm not sure being the closer for most of his career has really prepared him for the role. If I'm not mistaken, stories were that he slept in the clubhouse until around the 5th or 6th inning before going to the pen. I don't think that he was that observant. Finally, rather than become involved in baseball, Smith returned to Louisiana where he runs a trucking company. I'm all for finding a new manager, but I think pulling the names of ex-Cubs out of a hat is the worst way to go about it.

Considering that we'll have Sosa's money coming off the books, yes, I'd take a shot and grab Ramirez. A middle of the order of Lee, Ramirez, Ramirez would be very formidable.

I agree, all are traits of a good manager. I'd love to see someone like Tim get a shot. This is a "job" for him and he tends to incourage posters, rather than just spout out opinions. He has a great knowledge of our entire system and knows the game. Some of the names floating around are okay, but do they know this team like Tim? There are actually a couple of posters here at NSBB I'd highly consider. more dap for da tree plz Tree if you get to be manager, can I be the thirdbase coach?

Instead, Hendry should send Baker to Iowa.

Hopefully he refuses to come back as long as Dusty is managing this team.

You mean I'm missing Road Rules?!?!?

I hate Dusty. He's worthless. **Scoop Jackson**What? You must be racist. If it were Bobby Cox you wouldn't say that. **Scoop Jackson** If it were Bobby Cox, Murton would have at least started a few times this past week.

I hate Dusty. He's worthless.

And now Burnitz gets the night off so that Dusty can play Hollandsworth. The situation has reached the point where it's infuriating. I don't think I'll be attending any Cub games next year, but if Dusty is back next season, I won't boo the players, but I will boo Dusty at every game I attend from his walking out to take out the line-up to every move he makes. He has no clue how to put his team in the best position to succeed.

I think it will be at least 90, and it will likely be 92-93.

Bobby isn't the type of manager I would desire. Lou has a stronger fetish for veterans than Dusty has. Hargrove might be an interesting choice. You'll have to convince me on Lamont.

Scratch his name off the list, then. Definitely. I still haven't hear a reason why Davey wouldn't be a good choice. My list is starting to look like this: 1. Fredi Gonzalez 2. Davey Johnson 3. Larry Dierker

And what exactly do you base this opinion on? Watching him play? Well I'd venture to say that there are a lot of Cardinal fans who have seen him play more than you. Stats? The stats say he is slightly inferior to DLee as a fielder. So are you prepared to say that DLee is also only slightly better than average "on his best day"? I think not. Here's the best idea: don't make blanket statements about a player's fielding ability (especially when you don't watch them everyday) because fielding statistics are horrible, and so you really have no way of knowing how good in the field Pujols is. I still think Pujols is a slightly above average fielder and doesn't deserve a gold glove. I'm not knocking him as a hitter. He's one of the best I've ever seen, and he's not a poor fielder, just not gold glove caliber. Derrek Lee and Todd Helto are two that are much better than he is in the field. Todd Helton>Derrek Lee>>pretty much the rest of the NL first basemen, including Pujols i'll have to agree with that, When he was younger, J.T. Snow was also a fairly slick fielding firstbaseman, but I don't think he's as good as he was a few years back.