YearofDaCubs

Walker is not on the list nor is Patterson. Does this also include the possible raises going to the arbitration elgible players?

You think it's drivel, I think it drives home a point. It was a sarcastic response to some pretty insincere words coming out of Hendry's mouth. Why do you pretend like there isn't a problem with the Cubs right now? Do you really think everything is fine? Many teams have spots to fill. I'm a laid back guy w/ patience. A laid back guy whom with every opportunity you get defend Hendry and the organization and keep waiting for the big trade or signing to happen. Time is ticking as far as I'm concerned.

I attacked your annoying habit of insulting everybody on this board who happens to think the Cubs situation isn't all peachy right now. If you took personal offense then maybe you should think about it. If you think everything is just fine and dandy, good for you. But other people think there are bad clouds hanging over the 2006 Cubs right now, and not enough is being done to clear them. Your continued insistence to rag on the discussions people have about those problems is quite unfair, and unnecessary, and completely against the point of having a message board. This is here for people to discuss the Cubs. And they have the right to discuss them in whichever way they want without somebody pretending they are all a bunch of whiny complainers with no reasonable opinions. I took no offence. I like your fire. Sorry, but I think some of the potshots @ the organization are absurd. Hendry's not [expletive]. He's knows there's holes. He sure does know that there are holes. The problem is can he patch them up?

Exagerations have been made, outrage has been magnified. You can't deny that. It isn't ridiculous to say that the Cubs currently have no good options on the team at RF, but it is premature to say that Hendry will definitely not improve the position and that the team will fail miserably. From now on, whenever anybody wants to whine, just post this: This way, we won't all be looking through the same post 5000 times. Considering Hendry's past offseason and lack of OF options out there there is a very good reason to be concerned about the Cubs in 2006. Who are you tell us if we are whining? What exactly should be happy about? Hendry has done a poor job as I see it. If you don't look at the facts that is your problem. We don't need you to tell us what to post.

I think our guards have been doing a wonderful job and to me the biggest hole is at Center or PF. A lot of the PFs and C just kill us. That being said Gordon, Hinrich and Duhon do not have the ideal height to be SGs and although I think Gordon has the ability to be a star his lack of size might be a problem, especially on the defensive front. Getting a tall SG is the second most needed after getting an inside presence. Luol Deng has a lot of talent as well and I think we could have beaten the Wizards if we had Deng and Curry in the playoffs. Skiles is an incredible coach and I never realized how important playing defense was until he came along.

Kinda sounds like Patterson no?

Exactly. If you ask me the excuses for Hendry have to stop.

Ummmmm....He does realize we don't currently have a RF, right? Unless he considers Patterson or Mabry to be it. Here... we.... go... again.... Where we going? Down hyperbole lane listening to the same ol broken record. Hyperbole is used here more than any other place. I think we should insitute hyperbole as NSBB's favorite word. That being said it sure as heck doesn't look like hyperbole to me when indeed we don't even look like a playoff contender and have many holes. Your buddy Moses Hendry better get to work.

Ummmmm....He does realize we don't currently have a RF, right? Unless he considers Patterson or Mabry to be it. Here... we.... go... again.... Where we going? Not sure...but we seem to be in a handbasket? I thought we were in a gallon of ice cream? Oh well.

Either of them would be a huge improvement for us.

Ummmmm....He does realize we don't currently have a RF, right? Unless he considers Patterson or Mabry to be it. Here... we.... go... again.... Where we going? Hopefully for some ice cream. I'm in the mood for ice cream. Rocky Road?

He had a chance, but I don't remember if he actually did file. I know he technically had a chance, what I meant was that he didn't actually file. Guess I didn't word that the best. Glendon: "I really didn't ever want to get to the point of talking to other teams." Can you blame the guy? Hendry pays top dollar for mediocre talent.

He had a chance, but I don't remember if he actually did file. I'm pretty sure he did not. We are stuck with him for a while.

Hendry has done nothing to improve the offense the past two years. Hendry with his "obviously's" in every sentence he speaks and no RF obviously in sight. Unless you guys are willing to go through an entire season of boos and Corey in RF then your expectations are much lower than mine. Although I had serious doubts I figured Hendry with the payroll and his talk about making trades to improve the team might have done something for the fans. He did improve the bullpen and he did acquire Pierre but we need more help than that.

There's always room on the darkside for you RynoRules.

Horrid. Agreed. But the team is probably no worse than if Wilson, Jones or Encarnacion were in right. I'd characterise choosing Wilson, Jones or Encarnacion for right field as paying a whole lot of money for a slightly safer bet that the team as a whole sucks just a meaningless little bit less. This front office seems most likely right now to go into next year with a lineup featuring Neifi and Cedeno up the middle, Murton in left field, Slappy in centre and something like Wilson/Jones/Encarnacion/Patterson in right field. At least when the Marlins have their fire sales, they unload all of their crap. It's like we know we're going to suck but don't want to let go of some people. Not only do we not let them go we sign them to ridiculous extensions.

Horrid. Agreed. But the team is probably no worse than if Wilson, Jones or Encarnacion were in right. I'd characterise choosing Wilson, Jones or Encarnacion for right field as paying a whole lot of money for a slightly safer bet that the team as a whole sucks just a meaningless little bit less. This front office seems most likely right now to go into next year with a lineup featuring Neifi and Cedeno up the middle, Murton in left field, Slappy in centre and something like Wilson/Jones/Encarnacion/Patterson in right field. A lineup with huge question marks and little improvement. I don't like it one bit.

Horrid. Is is really any worse than Houston's lineup from last year. Pitching and D. Its not the ideal option, but it very well could be the best option available. Sign Milwood and find a better option ito add offense to lineup f need be as the season progresses. Signing one of the availabel RF to a multiyear deal is obsurd. Houston's starting rotation was better than ours last year. You are saying we should count on our injury prone starting pitching to make the playoffs? Bad idea. And no this lineup is not the best option available.

I am by no means saying that outfield is ok. I just think that Patterson is the best option out of the available free agents. Yes, that lineup is very weak. But if Corey can duplicate his 03 numbers for a full year, that .511/.840 would look very good in the 6 or 7 spot. Patterson is probably the cheaper option and not too much of a difference compared to the remaining FA but we all knew going into the offseason JJones, Wilson, and Encarnacion should not be any options. I also think it's a stretch to think Corey can get back to his 2003 form.

Great news indeed. I suppose one more year of Baker isn't as bad as 3.

This is exactly the situation I dreaded and expected from our GM. You guys make it seem that it is ok to have Patterson in RF, Pierre in CF, and Murton in LF. Do you guys want to win a World Series? That OF will get us nowhere. Patterson was much worse than Burnitz last year but you guys are commending Hendry for not spending the money on bad RF options? Patterson is the worst OF option out there. The way I see it is Hendry has failed yet again to put an offense good enough to get us into the playoffs. It is ridiculous to think Patterson will be good enough as a RFer for us. Hendry has proven that once again he has made the offense worse for the 2nd consecutive year yet you guys praise him for not getting a RFer because good options were not available. Guess what, there were options available but Hendry did not do the job necessary to upgrade the position. I want Patterson here too but as a 4th OF not as the starting RF. Hendry dug his own grave and now here's hoping he and Baker are goners after next year. It's pure incompetence.

Team. I don't have to define the lack of a CF or pitching staff. I said better "team". The Yankees had A-Rod, Sheffield, Matsui, Giambi, Posada, Jeter, Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera, etc... Overall, the Yankees had a better team than the White Sox. Sorry to burst your bubble. I could do this for each of the teams I said were better, but I'm not going to waste my time. I gave the White Sox credit for a good season and having a good team. Why can't you be happy with that? I'm not going to change my mind. And just for the sake of argument, how many people here would have predicted that the White Sox would have a better team ERA than either the Yankees or Boston prior to the start of last season? I sure wouldn't. And I woudn't predict them to do it again, either. So we are looking at individual players to assess how good they are instead of looking at the entire team? Interesting concept.

There are 20 teams that are in desperate need of a RFer? :shock: Kinda makes me wish Hendry put a little more priority in filling that spot. Jason Lane was #10 in ops and Encanarcion #12. What say you? Unless you want to give up Z or Prior, the Cubs aren't getting a star for rf, and Giles just wasn't happening. Too bad the Cubs didn't have an opening in RF the year Vlad was a free agent. With a little forsight they could have worked some magic. Then again we did have an opening at SS and that didn't seem to get them Tejada. Who was going to take AGonz off the Cubs hands in 2003? The Cubs aren't the Yankees. They rarely sit $6 million players. AGonz was Ed Lynch's signing correct? Yes, the Cubs have some major holes to fill still, but so do the top 2 franchises in baseball, the Yankees and Red Sox. Those rotations aren't going to take them far in the playoffs. Patience. I dont have to be patient about anything. I call it the way I see it. Add a prospect or two, and give 2mil and AGone would have been out the door. If all these team can add prospects and get rid of some of their worst players a little creativity by Hendry and he could have done it. Even with the holes the RSox and Yankees had they still made the playoffs. You say they don't have enough rotation to go deep into the playoffs well at least they can get here. And considering how we've had injuries the past couple of years I don't think we have a rotation good enough to get us INTO the playoffs especially when you consider the offense we have. At least the RSox and Yanks have the offense to offset the rotation. We sure as heck don't. Moses Hendry needs to start working some miracles as far as I'm conerned. You act as if all Hendry needs to do is wiggle his nose people will take the Cubs garbage and give them a star as well. It takes 2 to tangle. As for the Red Sox, the Sox have a ton of moves they still need to make. As for the Yankees, they should never miss the playoffs when they outspend everyone by a far margin. Not making the World Series should be a major disappoint for that franchise. Hendry had his opportunities to trade or sign free agents. Nobody ever said trading and signing FA was easy but as a GM you need to do whatever it takes to improve the team. Hendry hasn't done that in years. It's a fact.

There are 20 teams that are in desperate need of a RFer? :shock: Kinda makes me wish Hendry put a little more priority in filling that spot. Jason Lane was #10 in ops and Encanarcion #12. What say you? Unless you want to give up Z or Prior, the Cubs aren't getting a star for rf, and Giles just wasn't happening. Too bad the Cubs didn't have an opening in RF the year Vlad was a free agent. With a little forsight they could have worked some magic. Then again we did have an opening at SS and that didn't seem to get them Tejada. Who was going to take AGonz off the Cubs hands in 2003? The Cubs aren't the Yankees. They rarely sit $6 million players. AGonz was Ed Lynch's signing correct? Yes, the Cubs have some major holes to fill still, but so do the top 2 franchises in baseball, the Yankees and Red Sox. Those rotations aren't going to take them far in the playoffs. Patience. You are being way too logical.Logic has nothing to do with it. Excuses and playing it safe are not the answer anymore. Hendry is full of them. Logic has everything to do with it. I don't think so. A little creativity is all it takes.

There are 20 teams that are in desperate need of a RFer? :shock: Kinda makes me wish Hendry put a little more priority in filling that spot. Jason Lane was #10 in ops and Encanarcion #12. What say you? Unless you want to give up Z or Prior, the Cubs aren't getting a star for rf, and Giles just wasn't happening. Too bad the Cubs didn't have an opening in RF the year Vlad was a free agent. With a little forsight they could have worked some magic. Then again we did have an opening at SS and that didn't seem to get them Tejada. Who was going to take AGonz off the Cubs hands in 2003? The Cubs aren't the Yankees. They rarely sit $6 million players. AGonz was Ed Lynch's signing correct? Yes, the Cubs have some major holes to fill still, but so do the top 2 franchises in baseball, the Yankees and Red Sox. Those rotations aren't going to take them far in the playoffs. Patience. You are being way too logical.Logic has nothing to do with it. Excuses and playing it safe are not the answer anymore. Hendry is full of them.