Kellehers homer

I do appreciate the positive posts here--I don't have the knee-jerk reaction of "Hendry did it, so it's bad." I think Soriano is going to do well, I think Lilly is going to really surprise people in his new league, and I like Lou as The Man at the end of the bench. But if you check out this article below (and I promise not to post it again), it points out how much the Cubs need to just adjust their thinking and focus toward the minors rather than throwing money at players like, say, Jason Marquis. http://www.beachwoodreporter.com/sports/post_6.php I would be SOOOOOOO much happier if they'd taken this Marquis money and snatched up all the old scouts who put together those old Expos teams: I mean, someone had to find Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, Warren Cromartie, Ellis Valentine, Randy Johnson, Gary Carter, Tim Wallach, etc.

I'm pretty stunned/disappointed by this signing. First off, obviously, it's a pretty exorbitant amount of money for a guy who, at best, is a middle-of-the-road pitcher. But more disturbing, it's a pretty damning indictment of the team's inability to produce their own players. Are you telling me we couldn't produce one pitcher, over the years, who's better than Jason Marquis? I understand the idea of wanting to win now. I'm all for it -- it's been long enough. And, for the most part, I've been in favor of Hendry's signings. But I'm afraid this signing will be used, for years, as The Case Study of baseball's economics going out of wack again, and poor players getting absurd cash. For a really good article on the Cubs inability to produce their own talent, check out this article: http://www.beachwoodreporter.com/sports/post_6.php Oh, and one last thought: Doesn't the thinking behind this -- i.e., we can fix this guy -- imply an huge, and unearned, amount of hubris? How can they think they can turn pitchers around? What's happened to Prior -- who was called by some THE best pitching prospect to ever come out of college -- since coming to the Cubs? How did Maddux do last year, after leaving the Cubs? How's Kerry Wood been, the last few years? How many Cy Youngs have the Cubs racked up, over the years? Where does this belief come from, that they can wave a Magic Wand and turn this guy into a decent pitcher?

I don't think it's a given that the Cubs offense is going to be bad this year. Yes, the offense was brutal last year, but that was with Lee gone, Ronny Cedeno barely hitting his weight, A-Ram loafing until the season was pretty much decided ("Slappy" Pierre didn't do much the first half, either), and let's not forget Dusty's infatuation with... I can barely bring myself to type the word.... neifi. With a healthy Lee, Soriano, Barrett refraining from decking everyone who crosses the plate, and a hopefully motivated A-Ram, I think this offense could be pretty decent. And I don't think Hendry is done—I don't see Monsieur Jones "patrolling" the outfield this season and unleashing those mighty throws that bounced before reaching the infield. Good riddance. I'm not counting on anything from Pie this year—and, to be honest, maybe ever. To my mind, he might be the next Ty Griffin (a "phenom" the Cubs drafted—one pick before the White Sox picked Robin Ventura, btw—who never panned out). Pie's numbers (.283, 15, 57) don't exactly scream Can't Miss.

Bring in Rich Garces.

Personally, I don't care what the team's record is at Busch, or anywhere. It's completely irrelevant. There's no reason Murton, Cendeno, etc., aren't playing. well it would be nice to have a winning record at busch this year. I'm not normally one to agree with you, but I think it would be a positive thing, because the media loves to bring up the Cubs record over the last few years at Busch all the time. If this was a game against the NL West or East, I am totally for using Cedeno and Murton in every lineup. Also, let Murton face a rightie every now and then.

Well said, well said. Duly noted, etc. I know I'll be back next year and everything, it's just, as we said, frustrating. And this year, I've gone from a fairly ardent Dusty backer to resignedly admitting that he should be canned. I still don't blame him as much as other people, but I think his work here is done. Yeah, we're all pretty frustrated with the way things have gone. The trick is not to let it get the better of you. Easier said than done, no? :wink:

You know what? You're right. I apologize. I'm just frustrated with this team. I know they're winning today, but it's obviously too little, too late. I still don't want Nomar back next year, though. I wish him well, thanks for the effort, good luck, and so long. Oh, come on !! Remarks like that don't serve any purpose.

So Nomar took a walk. Big deal. The amazing thing is that he didn't blow out his knee on the way to first.

So Nomar has made more outs than the number of pitches he's seen. Impressive. I so don't want this guy back next year. I'm sure he's a nice guy, and all, but I don't want him back.

Well, it's time to bench Cendeno--if Neifi had hit that ball, it would have cleared the wall.

Ronny "The Savior" Cedeno? The guy who was hitting .279 in the minors? The guy who was caught stealing as many times as he was safe? The guy who had 74 strikeouts? Yes, how could Dusty overlook the next A-Rod like that? 65% Dusty 35% Hendry I won't even rehash the innumberable reasons why Dusty is more to blame than Hendry again in this thread. Go back a few pages, it's all there. (or as much of it as I felt like typing out) and its not hendrys fault that he can bring up all the good young talent he wants (cedeno) but Baker wont play a darned one.

You know what? Maybe we just disagree. The way I see it, it's not Baker's fault Hendry gave him an outfield with two octogenarian corners who do the 40 in about 8.4. It's not Baker's fault his closer at the beginning of the year was Hawkins. etc etc. 65% Dusty 35% Hendry I won't even rehash the innumberable reasons why Dusty is more to blame than Hendry again in this thread. Go back a few pages, it's all there. (or as much of it as I felt like typing out)

No, go ahead. I'm all ears. 65% Dusty 35% Hendry I won't even rehash the innumberable reasons why Dusty is more to blame than Hendry again in this thread.

You know, I don't think the problem is Dusty. I just don't. How many wins would another manager have with an outfield like the Cubs have? With a bullpen that had Hawkins as its closer? With a GM who thought Nomar was actually going to be a productive player for a full year? Dusty can only work with the hand he's been dealt. I'm not crazy about some of the moves he makes, but I don't put this all on Dusty. I put it on Hendry giving us a bloated, slow, strikeout-prone team that is brutal in clutch situations.

Personally, I don't blame Dusty too much. He makes some poor decisions, sure, but he got us further than anyone else. And hey, if Hawkins serves up a couple dozen fewer gopher balls last year, that team makes the Wild Card in 2004. Dusty can only work with the hand he's been dealt. I think the problem lies more with the team Hendry has put together. People worship him for getting Ramirez and Lofton in 2003 -- hey, great moves. But what have you done for me lately, Jim? I agree with what was said before: Building around Nomar was a foolish move. Same with Wood. And he let Sosa and Alou go and replaced them with... Jeromy Burnitz? Are you kidding me? This guy's do-or-die swing would look great in my softball league, but not so much when we've got runners on second and third and two out. He's a semi-decent player, at best, but that outfield is a joke. (I'm not even going to get into Patterson -- I'd be happy if they traded him for a bag of Chee-to's. The regular ones, of course -- not those nasty puffed ones.) But, to me, the larger point is this: Who is the last good position player the Cubs have produced? Hee Seop Choi? (Okay, yes, Hendry turned him into Derrek Lee. Very nice. I'm not saying Hendry is awful; I'm just saying I look out at the Cubs these days and I see one that's producing z-i-l-c-h.) Corey Patterson? Jason Dubois? I mean, come on now. Seriously. That's a PATHETIC track record. Are the best players we can produce Wood and Prior? Even they've been less than stunning, given their propensity for injury. I see no one on this team who wows me who's come up through the organization, and that's pretty absurd. I simply cannot understand how teams like the Indians, Marlins, Twins, and even -- god help me -- the White Sox can put together strong teams on small payrolls, while the Tribune has more money than god and fields a team that makes us cover our eyes in shame. I'm all for backing up the truck and absolutely gutting this team. Wood? So long. Thanks for the memories of that 20-strikeout game... and completely wetting the bed in Game 7 of 2003. Corey? Maybe you can hit 200 Ks somewhere else. Walker? Take your arthritic range and oh-so-dreamy stubble on the road. Barrett? Ehh. You can stay, I guess. Bullpen? So long (except for you, Dempster). Hollandsworth? You can stay at the end of the bench. Burnitz? Have a good softball career, hitting 7-run homers. I would trade all those stiffs for some good prospects. Build around Lee, Ramirez, Dempster, Barrett (I guess), Prior, and Zambrano (after hooking him up with a good shrink). Bring up Pie, Hill, Patterson (the other one), Aardsma, and Murton. Start over. This team is going nowhere, and I'm absolutely done with them. (For now. I'll be back next year, because I'm a chump.) -Joel PS -- The Iowa Cubs have exactly one player hitting above .300, and his name is Trenidad Hubbard, and he's 107 years old. Ye gods.

Hollandsworth comes through! Sweeeet. Here's a question: Who will be playing second for the Cubs next year? That guy Richard Lewis?