that the reason Hendry has no salary room to maneuver is that he overspent in the past, and the only one to blame for the current situation is him. I agree to a certain extent, as I think a few of the contracts he signed were excessively large (Soriano and Fukudome’s contracts in particular are going to look real bad in hindsight). However, that argument isn’t entirely fair, as the Cubs would not have made the playoffs the last two years running without those guys. The Cubs had as good a shot as they ever did to win it all last year, and if that had happened, all those massive contracts would have been worth every penny. Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but I don’t think you can blame Jim for trying.

My point? Saying Hendry’s hands are tied as the excuse is like saying a 350 pound fat lady isn’t being allowed to eat more Twinkies. Hendry has spent and spent and spent and spent and spent already. And it has gotten us nothing but a .500 type ballclub playing .500 type baseball. Cub are saddled with so many big and bad contracts that it is depressing to contemplate the next few years.

By far and away the biggest hurdle, in my opinion, is the sale of the Cubs. Until the sale goes through there is little that Hendry can do trade wise to help cover the holes. Ideally once the sale is final then we’ll see what kind of leeway Ricketts gives Hendry to do something.

The NTC contracts also present a problem also as Hendry can make a great deal only to have it shot down by a player who doesn’t want to be traded or at least not traded to to the team Hendry has struck a deal with (see Peavy to the Sox). Then of course there is the problem of just how much will you have to give up minor league talent wise to get a deal done. I don’t think any trade would just include players on the 25 man ML roster.

Would I like to see a deal to bring a real 3B to the Cubs to bridge the team to Ramirez’ return? Of course. Two that could be available Kouzmanoff and Atkins? But, who goes to make the trade? Don’t think the Padres or Rockies make a trade without getting some good young players back….just how many do we have in the minors? Then what do you do with guys on the 25 man roster to make room….Miles, Freel…they’re not going back to the minors. DFA them and pay them to play somewhere else? Or worse…pay them to sit home? Obviously that is not a solution to solve payroll problems.

I think it’s a grin and bear it for now. Hope the Cubs can stay somewhat close until they get healthy and make a run at the division title. If it doesn’t happen……we can always say “wait ’til next year.”

that can supply some everyday players. Right now, the system appears to mirror the Sahara. If Hendry has failed, that’s where he has come up short. The Cub farm system has not produced position players since the days of Dallas Green

Both came out of nowhere and suceeded. But aside from Vitters, is there anything there that can help in the next few years? Other teams- Brewers, Cards and Reds in particular, have far more productive systems that ease the pain of losing the occasional regular to injury- the Cubs just don’t have that. Iowa’s line up looks like an old timers game for B list players

And Vitters is all the way down in Low-A ball. It is pathetic and inexcusable that there is not a single other positional prospect in the system that generates any sort of buzz or where all the talk is about his upside and potential. Not a single God-damned one. Which leaves the dull-witted Jim Hendry to keeping taking risky and very expensive moves in free agency.