Would you extend Hendry - and for how long?
I don't know what will happen in regards to Hendry getting an extension, but there is talk they are looking to get something done. I assume their is a possibility the ownership change could put a hold on this, but this is what I would do:
I would give Hendry an extension through 2010 (which would match Piniella). There are some signs that the long/poor track record of position player development could be improving and I think you need to give this group a couple more years to show that is indeed the case. My other thought is this; the core of this team has a window that is about 2 years long to get something done. Lee, Soriano and Ramirez are your big position player contracts and between the three, Lee and Soriano are probably on the downhill side of their careers and Ramirez will be there as well by 2010. If they don't win by that time and have not had a couple of young guys come up that are performers, you may very well to be in a position where the club is not going to be a playoff competitor, without continuing to spend an enourmous amount of money.
Hendry has had his fingers on the farm system since 94, and for this team to be a legit playoff contender for years to come, you can't keep going to the FA and trade route to get it done. If things aren't looking good by the end of 2010, the new owner would have to go in a different direction.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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I agree with you.
I’d like to see Hendry with at least a couple of years so he could make some longterm plans, especially with signings and/or trades possible this weekend.
Two more years seems quite reasonable.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 14, 2008 3:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Seems like with all the unbelievably backloaded contracts
It’s likely gonna be Hendry’s team longterm anyway, no?
I’m only like 65% joking.
Chicago Cubs Humor, News and Parody at The Cubs Brickyard
by AceCubbie on Oct 15, 2008 6:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd extend him 2 more years
to cover through 2010 and match LOU, as you stated.
Now who knows what a new owner would do and if they didn’t, what about all the support staff?
Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.
by blackhawk24 on Oct 14, 2008 3:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree
If memory serves, aren’t both Lee’s and Ramirez’s contracts up in 2010 as well?
Formerly NO100
by jerry morales rules on Oct 14, 2008 3:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I believe so.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 14, 2008 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Almost..
Derrek Lee is done in 2010 and Ramirez could be but he has a player option for 2011 at $14.6M and a $16M club option (or $2M buyout) for 2012. He’d be 32 going on 33 in 2011 so it feasible to see him exercise the option and go for one final contract in that off season. Something in the 4 or 5 year range.
by CubFan81 on Oct 14, 2008 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i think its more likely
he opts OUT and goes for that final big contract in 2010-2011 offseason
by DartmouthCubsFan on Oct 15, 2008 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed...
if he exercises his option for 2011, then he runs the risk of the Cubs picking up the 2012 option. That’d put him on the back end of his career, and may take a big chunk out of that last big payday.
I’d expect him to opt out after 2010 if he’s still producing like he is these days, and go for the big deal that offseason.
by SouthernCub on Oct 16, 2008 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This makes sense
although I have my doubts Lou lasts that long. Not that he’d get fired, which he won’t, but that he’ll retire.
The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.
by DGU on Oct 14, 2008 3:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nothing would surprise me with Lou...
…he is the type of guy that would walk away before his contract is up, because he won’t play out the string just for the money.
Much will depend on how the team responds, and I would bet we see a slightly different Lou next year – one you may have seen 10 years ago.
By the way, I’d bet it was Lou who busted that pipe in the dugout.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 14, 2008 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I could see him getting fired...
…if the team misses the playoffs or gets swept in the first round again. Unacceptable with a payroll well in excess of $100 M
"I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it" -W.C. Fields
by calicubfan on Oct 14, 2008 7:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Again, as I have said many times...
… it isn’t just about spending the most money, or getting a good team that can blow through the regular season, because clearly, we had that.
It’s about identifying the reasons why such a team lost three straight in the worst possible way in October, and fixing those reasons. That doesn’t necessarily require spending a fortune.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 14, 2008 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Al, have you seen
this? The premise is that Pinella did a great job resting players, having them physically prepared, but a terrible job having them mentally preped. I guess my gut reaction after game 2 was that some responsibility has to be on the manager for the (lack in this case) of mental preparedness, if that’s the kind of thing you feel is part of the managers job (and I guess I do based on having that reaction)
by philadelphiacub on Oct 14, 2008 7:53 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
be fair
with your criticism of lou——derosa was hurt —his hami,soto had a bum hand, sori and rami always have nagging injuries i.e. rami’s back, sori hami etc. we will never know the whole truth about a player’s injuries. so to say he just rested his whole team without cause is premeditated. if he wouldnt have and a player would have gotten hurt we would be blaming it on that. at the end of the day lou and piniella done more than enough. its the players faults.
lets stop playing the blame game.
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 14, 2008 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
DeRosa was one of the few Cubs who actually performed in the postseason.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 14, 2008 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think I suggested or implied that the rest given to players was inappropriate
I suggested, and linked an article with a similiar line of thought, that mental preparation may have been needed and was lacking. I didn’t realize I was plaing “the blame game”- the trend of the conversation was what to do in this offseason to prevent what happened this postseason- its inevitable that an individual’s theory of “what went wrong” will influence “how to suceed” in 09
by philadelphiacub on Oct 14, 2008 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Whoa...
which one is Lou and which one is Piniella? Or is this like that freaky Southwest commercial with the ticket agent who has two faces?
by CubFan81 on Oct 14, 2008 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
that commercial creeps me out
Never, but NEVER, put ketchup on a hot dog.
by CaliCub on Oct 14, 2008 11:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
love it
2nd to last sentence: “its the players faults.”
last sentence: “lets stop playing the blame game.”
well done, well done!
by DartmouthCubsFan on Oct 15, 2008 7:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe the rest was TOO much rest.
I agree with the general tone of the article, that Piniella did too much thinking, to the point of overthinking every single spot (the constant shuttling of kids in and out of the lineup to determine the last roster spot, which went to someone, Felix Pie, who had one at-bat in the series, and the drama over who’d get the last spot in the bullpen, which wasn’t used, and who would start games one, two and three).
Maybe he should have just let the players who got them there play — you know, the “dance with who brung ya” idea. Maybe all these intrigues got the players thinking too much, pressing too much, and then they couldn’t perform.
It’s a thought, anyway. It happened two years in a row. Lou hasn’t won a playoff series as a manager since the division series in 2001 — and that was with a 116-win team that got bounced out of the postseason by a team that won 21 fewer games in the regular season.
Sound familiar?
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 14, 2008 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
sadly, it's a little familiar
My hopes regarding 09 though, are that Pinella can adjust the way he handles the postseason, if the Cubs happen to make it. Still an optomist.
by philadelphiacub on Oct 14, 2008 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd
for the article reference. Everyone on this board should read that.
What that article points out well is how Lou Piniella has created the team mentality which, in the playoffs, is the anti-Idiots mentality. It’s not that the Cubs will have to be the Idiots to win. It’s that the way they are coached tends towards a lack of self-confidence.
I think Lou could learn and change – but only if someone stands up to him and forces self-reflection. I’m not sure anyone in the Cubs organization or Chicago media is up for that task.
The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.
by DGU on Oct 15, 2008 6:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree with you; however,
you have to admit, when that kind of payroll is handed out, and the team flounders, somebody has to be held accountable. You can’t fire the players, so whether it’s the GM, Manager, or members of the coaching staff, somebody gets axed.
"I never drink water because of the disgusting things fish do in it" -W.C. Fields
by calicubfan on Oct 14, 2008 9:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thats possible...
…and if done, it would be by the new owner.
The most interesting part of this is whether Hendry will get extended by the current regime beyond his own option he has for 09. If he does get extended, I wouldl imagine Kenney would have to run that by prospective buyers as a courtesy. On the other hand, if he is not extended to at least match Lou (2010), it could also mean Kenney was told to hold off by the prospective buyers.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 14, 2008 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That makes sense.
The thing is, it can’t be about money, because Lou almost certainly makes more than Hendry.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 15, 2008 7:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely....
…if Hendry is not extended to match Lou, it could very well mean the prospective owners are not 100% sold on keeping him and want to see what 09 brings.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 15, 2008 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Give him a few years and a few more scouts
This way he can continue building, with more eyes to find the talent the team is looking for long-term.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
by Trey2317 on Oct 14, 2008 4:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
hendry
as far as individual players goes—-its all about timing and availability. take last year for example—we needed a left handed power bat who played right field. plus we wanted some good def to boot. dome was the best available and hendry did what it took to get him.
same goes for sori! when it was time to re-up lee.rami,big z we all agreed. bad thing about it all is—its kinda like a poker game. you think your doing the right thing, but you just never know. overall hendry has used his money very wisely. I can sit here and throw out more good things he’s done than bad. he’s done his job and deserves reward. hindsight is 20/20. most of us would have done exactly the same as it pertains for what accounts to most of the payroll we are using.
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 14, 2008 8:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No extension for Hendry -- that should be the decision of the new ownership team
If this means the Cubs run the risk of losing Hendry then so be it. Hendry is not as “in demand” as some would like to suggest in my opinion.
To my knowledge the only teams currently in the market for a GM are Seattle (which already is operating with a short list of candidates) and potentially the NY Yankees if the Steinbrenners can’t lock up Brian Cashman.
Plus Hendry’s record of accomplishment is spotty.
1. Doesn’t take a particularly bright GM to hand over fat checks to free agents. The signings of Soriano and Kosuke aren’t exactly sterling accomplishments for Hendry either. He didn’t do his homework on Soriano and was more intent on making a big splash with his signing as opposed to making an intelligent major addition to the ballclub.
2. Hendry’s trading record is mediocre. He traded Hundley to the Dodgers in a 100% salary swap for Karros and Grudzielanek, two players that LA was anxious to shed. His other marquee moves were the addition of Derrek Lee and the addition of Aramis Ramirez. But for as great as those two trades were it can’t be forgotten that Florida and Pittsburgh were in active payroll shedding mode when those deals were consummated. Hendry’s other trades? Well, nothing where you would say he came out the clear winner in the deal or stole a player from somebody else. Ricky Nolasco sure would look good in a Cub uniform right now don’t you think?
3. The Cub farm system continues to suck despite the fact that Hendry’s involvement with the Cub minor leagues dates back to the mid 90’s.
===
So in conclusion I tell Hendry to chill. Let the new ownership group make evaluation and install their own front office strategy. Maybe they keep Hendry, maybe they don’t.
"What pressure should I have on me? There's no pressure on me." -- Lou Piniella (10/3/08)
by MDBNIU on Oct 14, 2008 10:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I can't refute most of what you say...
…but I will add that I think Hendry is starting to realize some of his past mistakes in regards to putting together more balanced lineups and I give him credit for bringing in Lou and some of his acquisitions in the last 12 months. Overall, I also have very mixed reviews, but since you have let this sign sign all these guys, you mine as well see how this thing sorts out while these players can still perform.
I also mentioned before, it very well could turn out that Hendry is not extended and they let him pick up his own option for one more year. If that does happen, it could certainly signal prospective buyers are balking at locking up a GM they may not want past 09.
Whether Hendry is being sought by Seattle remains to be seen, but I would think it would have to be a large market team who could spend money, because Hendry simply does not have a track record of being able to win with a limited budget, because of the scarcity of position player development.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 14, 2008 11:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think Hendry is in demand right now
Seattle seems to be well along in their process of finding a new GM, with Kim Ng of the Dodgers the presumptive front-runner from what I hear from my Mom who is retired and living out in Washington State. The only other job that seemingly might open up is with the Yankees. If the Steinbrenner’s are foolish enough to let Brian Cashman walk I don’t see them having prospective interest in Hendry. He doesn’t fit the Steinbrenner’s modus operandi.
And like you said Hendry is doubtful a guy who can step into a limited budget situation and succeed. Or at least be viewed as such by the owners of such teams.
"What pressure should I have on me? There's no pressure on me." -- Lou Piniella (10/3/08)
by MDBNIU on Oct 14, 2008 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you almost comical
but more sickening with your views!! in one breath you say and I quote “it doesnt take a real bright gm to hand over fat checks” in reference to hendry.
then you say the steinbrennars would be foolish to let cashman walk.
can we say talking out both sides of are mouth? lets have a look at the facts= for the most part hendry has dealt with owners who dont give a rip about winning. were nothing more than a number on monday morning’s financial report. this year we had are biggest payroll at 128 million.
cashman on the other hand has had owners that want nothing but a win at any cost. his operating budget is and has been in excess of 230 million. he’s won absolutely nothing in 8 yrs with 100 million more to play with. wanna get into his crazy spending? hmmm cough cough pavano,jamey wright,johnny damon, how about posado’s record deal last year? how well did he play last year? giambi has been more of a circus act than the key contributor cashman signed him to be. cashman has been arguably been the biggest reason other teams like us have to saddle ourselves with these crazy contracts to get a descent player.
so if i’m a pontential buyer of a team, who would I rather have a gm that spends 230 million and cant win or one that spends 128 and cant win?
brings the facts bluemike! we all know you can spew your critcism but bring the facts.
you say nolasco would look good right about now in cub blue, how well does pie look? how well does bobby hill look? cpat? choi? you praised him for getting harden as did I!
in ending if you wanna critcize—lets compare someone your apparently praising in cashman to hendry. apples to apples. how well does cashman look for lowballing torre? torred is in the nlcs! cashmanhis mlb high payroll, and his new mgr went home after 162.
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 12:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Boy, now there's a tirade that would do Popeye Don Zimmer proud
A case of the late night red ass. lol.
"Not that I don't feel like I'm part of the team, by no means, but when you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys, it's no better feeling than to have that done.'' -- Matt Stairs (aka The Professional Hitter)
by MDBNIU on Oct 15, 2008 12:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
tirade?
nope no tirade. please answer me. you say it dont take a real bright gm to hand out fat cjecks but say yanks would be foolish to let cashman go. you always do this mdbniu—constantly gripe,moan,complain and criticize but when someone shines a light on your statements you either get quirt and dont answer or dance around saying that you bluemike, is in fact “wrong”.
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 12:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
quiet not quirt
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 12:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think depends on my taste in yachts and jet timeshares.
You can do a lot with that incremental $100mil for yourself.
I like Joe G. but I am glad it is Joe T. who is still playing baseball games right now.
Tommie Agee was out.
by Weeghman Park on Oct 15, 2008 12:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the alternative is another Jim Hendry type then I disagree. I want a Theo Epstein type GM, can't we hire someone from his office?
Hendry’s okay as a GM in terms of plus v. minus for player trades and acquisitions. Pretty damn good or has great people under him at finding MLB talent pitchers. Awful at player development or the people working for him are lousy. I’d also rate him pretty low for having a plan and implementing.
If I could get an Epstein type GM, I’d make the move today.
by DudeVf11 on Oct 15, 2008 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good Regular Seasons Good Enough...
for a contract extension for Hendry. The playoff performance does bother me immensely. I can’t remember a GM or whatever his official title is for the Cubs being as good as he is. The talent level is high for the Cubs.
The only thing I can think to change is for the Cubs to view the season in four parts (the regular season, the division series, the LCS, and the World Series). The Cubs need to understand that the first game of the division series should be treated as a new opening day. Teams don’t get awarded a 2 games to nothing lead in the division series for having the league’s best record.
"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray
by memphiscub on Oct 15, 2008 7:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Don't know how old you are...
…but Dallas Green was the best Cub’s GM (IMO) in my lifetime, by a mile.
Green, had exceptionally good baseball people (scouts, etc.) that were loyal to him, had a great feel for talent himself and most importantly, how to assemble the pieces to make a team. Also, Green commanded a tremendous amount of respect on all fronts.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 15, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I Liked Green
He did a great job building that 1984 club. He didn’t have as much freedom as Jim Hendry does now. Comparing the two may be like comparing apples and oranges. I give Hendry the edge because of the number of division titles the Cubs have had in his tenure. In fairness to Green, he had to deal with less than cooperative upper management. The Cubs had a tradition of losing and almost never contending before Green took over. Dallas brought much needed respect to the Cubs organization.
"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray
by memphiscub on Oct 15, 2008 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Like I said yesterday....
…if they gave Green comparable resources to what Hendry has enjoyed, and it would have been a beautiful thing to watch. Also, Green’s baseball people would have been around for a longer period of time and that would have spelled – better player development.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 15, 2008 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
but..
baseball isnt what it was in 1984. free agency isnt the same etc
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No its not...
…but to me, the biggest impact Green would have had would have been with his baseball people and player development, which would have eleviated the need to go shopping every year and lets you pick your spots. Green was also pretty darn good in the trade area as well.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 15, 2008 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
what exactly
did green win??
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Green was the best GM the Cubs have ever had...by a mile
But those sum bitches in the Tribune Tower pissed him off one time too many and he abruptly left with job unfinished. There is no doubt in my mind that if Green would have stayed then the Cubs would have won a couple of World Series by now. No doubt whatsoever.
"Not that I don't feel like I'm part of the team, by no means, but when you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys, it's no better feeling than to have that done.'' -- Matt Stairs (aka The Professional Hitter)
by MDBNIU on Oct 15, 2008 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you know...
…that is not a fair question considering his circumstances. They guy was here for 6 years and rebuilt a baseball organization that was the joke of the major leagues. The hump he got over by building the 84 team (in only 2 years) was much more difficult a task to any the team has accomplished in the last 20 years (because he started with shit). Green’s scouts also identified the last two Cub position players that were stars – Grace and Palmeiro.
To say he didn’t win anything is a joke, because this guy took over a garbage baseball organization and had it going in the right direction in short order. I also don’t think its a mistake, that the Cubs have failed to produce much of anything in regards to position players since his departure.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 15, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How do you write 'plus infinity'?
‘cuz that’s the post above.
In comparison only, I would take Green in a heart beat over Hendry. No way in a hundred years would Green have gone out and done the Soriano deal or the Pierre deal.
Yes Hendry has to be comended for turning HS Choi into D-Lee and B.Hill and others into Rami but those were salary dumps by teams knowing they had to unload.
If Harden stays healthy it’s a lucky guess, like he’s stated all along.
Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.
by blackhawk24 on Oct 15, 2008 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right-On with Green & Player Development!
But Hendry or someone in this organization has a keen eye for MLB arms.
by DudeVf11 on Oct 15, 2008 10:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pitchers...
…are much easier to scout than position players, and the good organizations seperate themselves by identifying the position players who may develop down the road.
There are many more hidden variables as to whether a young prospect will develop into a major league hitter, and this is something the Cubs have failed at miserably.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
because
for the most part all we look at is “tools”
by DartmouthCubsFan on Oct 16, 2008 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bingo...
…Hendry has always been a “tools” type of guy and that is how he has run the farm since 94. The problem with that is this; hitting a baseball has much more to do with mental tools, than physical tools. Many of your best hitters, wouldn’t rate well on the intitial 5 tool test, but they can hit the shit out of the ball.
It is really a fine art, to be able to predict which prospects will be productive hitters at the ML level.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dallas Green was outstanding and has been deeply missed
Green had bold vision and wasn’t bashful about undertaking an extreme makeover. He also is to be credited with building the beginnings of a fine minor league system. He had a lot of cowboy in him and wasn’t afraid to make the bold and daring move. But always he operated under his strategic plan for building a winner.
"Not that I don't feel like I'm part of the team, by no means, but when you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys, it's no better feeling than to have that done.'' -- Matt Stairs (aka The Professional Hitter)
by MDBNIU on Oct 15, 2008 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
biggest problem
we are always focusing on yesterday and yesteryear. until we constantly look forward and quit worrying about trying to correct our past, we will NEVER win
I BELIEVE!!!! GO CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!!
by cubsluver22 on Oct 15, 2008 11:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No new deal
This team spent 120 million to suck in postseason again. The Farm system hasn’t been productive enough either. Dump Hendry unless they win it next year!
by sanks on Oct 15, 2008 10:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No new deal under current ownership
I thought Crane Kenney said new ownership would decide whether Hendry gets a new deal. (I suppose that plan could change.) They are also saying the sale of the team is going to be delayed because of the economic crisis. Unless they sell the team by the end of the year anyway, Hendry can either pickup his option for next year or walk. Whether he walks or not would depend on whatever other opportunities there are, I would think.
by AboutTheCubs on Oct 15, 2008 11:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If that's the case...
… why did they extend Lou?
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 16, 2008 7:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
To counter the Lou might retire early story.
The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.
by DGU on Oct 16, 2008 8:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is an interesting question....
…knowing full well they wouldn’t be running the team during Piniella’s full contract, do you think they contacted the prospective buyers in regards to picking up Lou’s option as a courtesy? IMO, the answer is probably yes, since committing a high salaried manager to the new owners is not an insignificant thing.
Now, they could do the same thing with Hendry, and it is quite typical to lineup your GM to match the managers deal. IMO, it would be an acceptable move for the reasons I posted the other day. With that said, if Hendry is not extended (and he makes far less money than Piniella), it could very well give some insight to the thoughts of the new owners.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 8:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I they just picked up the 2010
club option on Lou. He wasn’t extended like Hendry is about to be extended.
Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.
by blackhawk24 on Oct 17, 2008 6:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn’t mind Hendry lasting through the Pinella era because they work well together. Hendry is a very good deal maker that seems to have excellent rapport with his fellow GMs, players and their agents. This helps. He also seems to have a good eye for talent.
I believe Pinella is able to identify the pieces needed to assemble a balanced and deep team and Hendry has enough respect for Lou that he goes along with it.
During the Dusty era when Hendry was assembling a bunch of mismatched parts and acquiring dead wood such as Perez and Macias I lost confidence. When he installed Barrett and Walker into critical defensive positions I really wanted him gone because I became convinced he had no idea how to build a team.
But today, working with Lou, Hendry’s assets are especially valuable. But once he’s on his own again……….
by alexinSac on Oct 16, 2008 5:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I have heard from someone...
…who is close to the Cubs, that Hendry was really fortuanate to keep his job after 06. The circumstances following that season are what really gave him a second life – McDonough becoming president (because the Trib knew they were selling long before they announced it) and they knew it would be very difficult to hire outside baseball people and needing to tell them the team could go on the block.
It was McDonough who pushed to hire a seasoned manager who was known for evaluating talent (something that wasn’t in Baker’s arsenal) and he recommended strongly that Hendry listen to him. Since that time, Hendry and Lou have worked well together and have built a winning club, that just needs to get over the playoff hump. What will determine how long Hendry is the Cubs GM is one thing – player development, because you just can’t keep going out to FA every year, unless the payroll is no issue what so ever.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 8:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I heard on AM 1000...
…that the Cubs are close to an extension for Hendry, so I guess that answers the question I posted above.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Disagree with the move
There is no sense of urgency to give Hendry an extension. Hendry doesn’t have other job opportunities. Let the new owner make decision on who they want as GM. The only thing I can think of is that the sale of the Cubs isn’t really going to happen for a couple of years due to the financial market crisis and Sam Zell has given true reigns to Crane Kenney to lead this thing.
"Not that I don't feel like I'm part of the team, by no means, but when you get that nice celebration coming into the dugout and you're getting your ass hammered by guys, it's no better feeling than to have that done.'' -- Matt Stairs (aka The Professional Hitter)
by MDBNIU on Oct 16, 2008 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe they have...
…run this by prospective owners, and I don’t believe they could tie him up without at least giving them a heads up.
With that said, I think it would be a mistake to give him anything longer than 2010 for the reasons I have stated.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
by MPH73 on Oct 16, 2008 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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