Crash

I very much agree. Len has shown a suprising about of game knowledge. It is pretty clear he does a lot of homework and preperation for the games. Not to mention the sometimes random and fun pop cultural references that Len comes up with.

Len is significantly better than Chip. Len actually brings up stats that matter and doesn't sound like a cartoon. As for Brenly, he does a solid job. Frankly I don't miss Stone that much. He was good but really became almost unlistenable near the end of last year when he let personal feelings interfer with his work.

The Cubs would be committing PR suicide if they were to intentionally limit Maddux's innings so his option doesn't vest. Not only is he one of the most popular Cub players with fans, he is universially respected by the entire league. Given that that Cubs haven't exactly been lighting up the work with good public perception the last year or so they can't really afford to generate more bad will. While it is true that a majority of free agents base their decision to play for a team on money, that doesn't mean that this kind of PR won't have a big impact on them. Essentially the Cubs would be intentionally and underhandedly taking money away from a player. That is going to hit home in a big way with free agents because it is basically dealing in bad faith. And even if none of the prior reasons were true I still wouldn't want the Cubs to screw with Maddux in this way because it is classless.

It will happen as long as they are on the team, Dusty has proved that. We're just going to have ot face the fact that we're going to lose a higher percentage of close games than we should. Then why did the Cubs do so well in 1 run games in 2003 with Dusty as the manager? Now I am not supporting Dusty's decision of batting Macias and Perez with Dubois and Hairston on the bench. I just don't think a manager had that huge an impact on this game. The Cubs had more than enough opportunties to win the game with the starters. 8th innning, runners on 2nd and 3rd, nobody out with Nomar, Ramirez, and Burntiz coming up. Pretty hard to set it up any better. Only getting one run out of that isn't the managers fault, the players simply didn't deliver in this situation. It happens.

Sorry. I can't give Hendry nearly the credit for this that you can. He had Littlefield and a cash strapped organization by the short hairs and two gaping holes at CF and 3B. It was an obvious move IMO. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve credit for pulling the trigger and not being forced to include more prospects, but I just refuse to gush about it. See I never understood this idea that credit should be taken away because something was the "obvious" move. It seems now that unless something comes as a total suprise GM's don't get any credit because fans were able to think of it. The facts are Hendry was smart enough to know what team to approach, he was smart enough to know how little he would have to give up, and he was smart enough to realize Aramis would bounce back in a better enviroment. Did Hendry have significant advantages over Littlefield? Absolutly and he was good enough to use them to the Cubs best advantage. Just because it was an "obvious" move doesn't mean it wasn't a very good one and doesn't mean Hendry shouldn't get all the kudos in the world for it.

Just to get back to some Hendry love. Take a moment to consider some of the deals Hendry has pulled since becoming GM. 1. Dumping Todd Hundley for Grudz and Karros: He got two guys who helped us in a playoff run for a cancer with a horrible contract. 2. Bobby Hill, Hernandez the strikeout king, and a minor prospect for Lofton and Ramirez: For what amounts to Bobby Hill, Hendry got a key fill in for an injured Corey Patterson but also obtained what is now one of the best 3rd baseman in baseball. 3. Lee for Choi: Probably the most even of the trades, but that isn't nessarily a bad thing. The Cubs got a proven player who is putting up great numbers and has transformed the infield defense. The Marlins got a cheap young player who was having a fine year that they traded for players they needed for a run this season. Both teams got things they needed and have helped them. 4. The Nomar deal: A deal with outstanding upside and because of getting rid of A-gonzback, getting a good prospect back and cash has little downside. Of course this is not even to mention the deal that sent Clement to the Cubs which Hendry was rumored to have had a hand in creating. Last year at this time everyone was killing the Cubs for giving up Dontrelle Willis but with the success and consistency of Clement the trade looks a bit better this year. If Hendry can keep up this kind of success rate with trades we will be very lucky fans.

Sorry but Jones is still a low minor league pitcher with an injury history. He is just as hit and miss as any high draft pick is likely to be. It isn't like he was on the verge of stepping into the rotation next season. He has a lot of potential but pitching prospects flare out all the time. Jones could be very good but he actually turning into a top of the rotation stud is very small (as it is for any minor leaguer). Harris is a nice prospect but he is hardly irreplaceable. Especially considering there really isn't a spot for him in the next several years (Aramis at 3rd and Walker at 2nd). We still have Lewis as a future prospect at 2nd from the Braves deal in spring training. You say Beltran's position is "tough to fill" yet the reason Beltran was avalibe to trade is because we already have two young pitchers who beat him out in his bullpen role (Welly and Leicester). I liked Beltran's stuff but he had two issues that are death for relievers, he gave up lots of walks and lots of homeruns. If he ever gets his control issues worked out he will be good, but the Cubs don't have a derth of hard throwing youngsters in the pen. As for the Cards and Astros paying a "light price" but I don't think that is nessarily true. The Cards ended up paying a light price but that is mostly because the prospects they traded to the Phillies burned out, the same could happen in this trade. As for the Astros, they paid a heavy price and it is part of what doomed them this season. They sent away a good catching prospect and a very good reliever (though probably not the best closer). Their bullpen has been in shambles since then. The Cubs sent away some nice prospects but they didn't mortage the future as you seem to believe and they haven't blown up the payroll. At worst this deal gives us Nomar for a playoff drive and shuffles some prospects around in the system without touching the A+ prospects. At best we get an all-star SS for the next 4 years.

The two points of this deal that send it from great to just unbelieveable is that Boston also sent Murton and cash. If the Cubs had just got Nomar for what they gave up it would have been a good deal. But they got a pretty good prospect and they got money to offest the difference in salaries between Nomar and Agonz. How Hendry put this together is just a mystery to me, the man is a wizard.

I am still here. I am just wondering about the wiseness of this. Basically giving up Jones, Harris, Beltran, and AGonz for a 2 1/2 month rental. If Nomar re-signs, I may be impressed- but yeah, we still need a leadoff hitter. We have a leadoff hitter, his name is Todd Walker. What Nomar gives us is a legit #2 hitter.

Well, it did seem like he missed quite a bit of last season to injury. I'm more shocked at the health of Dontrelle Willis. Yeah I think Beckett was on the DL a few times last season, maybe the reason he had so much in the tank in October last year.