What Will Tom Ricketts Say About The Cubs' Future?
by Al Yellon on Aug 18, 2011 9:00 AM CDT
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Recently, it was announced that Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts would speak soon on the future of the team. "Within 10 days" was the timeframe given, presumably from the date of the article, which was Monday. We know that Ricketts was visiting Cubs minor league affiliates and is currently at owners' meetings in Cooperstown, which will continue through today.
Figuring that he'll be traveling on Friday and there wouldn't be any sort of major statement like this made on a weekend, the likelihood is that we'll hear it early next week.
Its content is being held pretty close to the vest; that is, I think, as it should be. I don't particularly care for "announcements of announcements" or leaked stuff that takes away from a statement of this kind that will draw a lot of attention. There doesn't seem to be a consensus here on what the content of this statement will be, either; many of you have posted in this BCB FanShot that you think he's going to announce status quo. But then, if he were going to do that, why make a late-August statement?
In any case, that got me to thinking. After the jump, what I hope Tom Ricketts will say -- whenever the statement is made.
I recently re-read the post I made the day that the Ricketts family officially took over the Cubs, October 30, 2009. On that day Tom said he and his family were committed to three things: winning the World Series, preserving and modernizing Wrigley Field, and being good neighbors in Wrigleyville. All of those are laudable goals, and they have done well, so far, I think, regarding the second and third points and I believe that they have set in motion the process of building the strong organization that will bring that World Championship to the Cubs.
But Tom also said this:
We're going to hire people we trust, give them the opportunity to succeed, and hold them accountable.
I believe it is time for Tom Ricketts to take charge of his team and to not only hold people accountable for the failure over the last couple of years on the field, but even more so, for the failure to establish a culture of accountability in the Cubs' clubhouse.
Jim Hendry has been the most successful Cubs general manager in 70 years -- because since the 1930s, no other Cubs GM had brought the team to as many postseason appearances as he has (three). Short of the ultimate goal, but he still appeared to be taking the team in the right direction, until the 97-win 2008 team was dismantled -- and for the wrong reasons, resulting in the 2009 debacle with Milton Bradley.
But this post isn't about that. It's about Jim Hendry and the baseball culture he and those he has hired to run the on-field operation have instilled.
Jim Hendry is a very nice man. I've met him briefly a couple of times; he's always been friendly and pleasant and it's my impression that he's very well-liked among his peers. Further, he's always been very good to his players, particularly players who, for one reason or another, didn't quite have a place on the Cubs. For example, when it didn't appear Sam Fuld would fit in to the 2011 Cubs plans, he included Fuld in the Matt Garza trade; Fuld has flourished in Tampa. He's done this for many players -- players love to play for a boss like that.
It's been much the same under Hendry's managers, particularly Dusty Baker, known as a players' manager, and Mike Quade. Even gruff old Lou Piniella wound up having favorites, while others (Scott Eyre, in particular) languished, and not always for the good of the team. Hendry himself plays favorites; Mike Quade, assistant general manager Randy Bush's college roommate, was named manager when he didn't seem to have the experience or cachet of some of the other candidates, and Quade was also given an inexperienced coaching staff. That has spilled over into bad decisions being made on the field and inexplicable choices, such as trading Kosuke Fukudome in part to make room for Tyler Colvin to play -- and then Colvin sits on the bench half the time since his recall.
This has all come to a head with the Carlos Zambrano incident last weekend, only the latest in many of Big Z's blowups. It seems to me that Big Z and others have, in the Cubs' clubhouse culture, run the show. In recent years it's been every man for himself, no discipline, no accountability for things done wrong, no leadership. Recently, Carlos Peña, who played in the World Series for the 2008 AL champion Rays, said that the Cubs need a culture change:
"What is Latin American culture?" Peña said. "What is the European culture? Basically, it’s a way of being.
"When I say culture of the team, (it’s) the way we interact with each other, the way we react to things, the way we view ourselves, the way we view our season. (So) what’s our identity?
"It’s just viewing ourselves in a different light, wearing the uniform with pride, just all those personal things that (should be) ingrained in us."
And what was Mike Quade's response to that? A nervous and silly joke:
Quade, when asked about Carlos Peña's comment that the Cubs need a "cultural change" in the clubhouse: "The culture? Does that mean adding an Australian, or does that mean getting a Chinese player? I don't know."
I was watching the Diamondbacks/Phillies game on ESPN Wednesday night, and the game announcers made a point of stating that most people affiliated with the Diamondbacks franchise believe that one of the reasons -- not the only one, of course, but a significant one -- for their unexpected first-place showing is, as they put it, "culture change" in the clubhouse. They mentioned that manager Kirk Gibson has instituted some rules to enforce team discipline, such as wearing jackets and ties on the road, and no cellphones in the clubhouse. They quoted Justin Upton as saying that he (Upton) felt there was a much more professional atmosphere surrounding the team.
That, I believe, is one of the biggest issues surrounding the Cubs. There's no leadership. There's no discipline. There's no one in charge. I wrote a month ago about the team's failure to stand as one outside the dugout for the National Anthem, as all the visiting teams at Wrigley Field do. It feels as if a good ol' boys' club is in charge, just buddies hiring buddies, instead of getting the most qualified people for the positions and having them lead, enforce discipline and have team unity. The inmates appear to be running the asylum. The Cubs just finished spending a record amount of money on the draft and international signings -- but there doesn't seem to be a "Cubs Way" of doing things right from the day a young player is signed. Tom Ricketts said he would hold people accountable. But in the Cubs' clubhouse, no one is holding anyone accountable. Losses pile up, players play poor fundamental baseball, and nothing changes.
And that is why I believe Tom Ricketts needs to replace Jim Hendry (and, with him, the on-field management team). As I said, Hendry appears to be a real nice guy and he did bring some winning seasons to Chicago -- the fact that those playoff teams didn't win the World Series is not his fault. He put together teams that had a shot. They just didn't finish the job. But now, I believe Hendry's time has passed. There are times when any business, any organization, needs a change in leadership to produce a change in results.
Now is that time. All of us, from fan to player to writer to broadcaster to management, everyone surrounding the Cubs, wants the same thing, a Cubs World Series title. I believe we need new leadership of the baseball side of the organization to produce that winner. In Carlos Peña's words, a "culture change".
Now, please. Before we descend into a 1950s-style era of losing.
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Very well said
It can be hard to separate Hendry the man (nice guy, well-liked) from Hendry the GM (poor performance of late, favors the status quo).
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Exactly.
Everyone likes Jim Hendry. That doesn’t mean he should keep doing the job.
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Correct...
…there are a lot of likable people in baseball, but that doesn’t mean they should have a job for life.
All good organizations stress accountability and accountability always starts at the top of the baseball organization.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
Hendry's Had His Shot and Ample Opportunity...
to get the Cubs out of this mess. It’s definitely time for him to go. At least with Quade, I feel as if he hasn’t been manager long enough to make a true judgment of how good or bad he is. I must say, to this point, that I have not been happy with Quade’s performance. I’d put him on a short leash for next season.
Good things come to those who wait... and wait....and wait.
Hendry
I would personally like to see Jim Hendry move on after this season, but here is what I ‘think’ will happen in the announcement:
Ricketts will say Hendry will remain in the organization as the general manager, but a new director or baseball ops (or team president or whatever you call it) will be created. Hendry will report to that guy and the new guy will be responsible for changing the direction of the Cubs system from top to bottom. Ricketts will praise Hendry for some of the talent that is in the system, but also point out the glaring problems throughout the system.
I think changing the entire culture and attitude of the system is absolutely necessary. But I think Ricketts sees Hendry’s value in his relationships throughout the game and the trust and respect he gets from all over baseball. Hendry could be an effective GM when he’s not given a blank checkbook and the direction is set by someone else (someone who actually knows baseball). He does have his flaws, as you’ve noted and I agree with – and I agree he should be gone. But my bet is Ricketts keeps him on the staff and tries to bring in someone else to create the change we are all looking for.
I would have to think that any announcement he makes with over a month left in the season
Means, unfortunately, a vote of confidence toward current management. It wouldn’t make any sense to say, at this point in time, that someone will not have their job after the season… making them a lame duck for the next 6 weeks. If that were the case, then just fire them now.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
We just don't know.
I expected some kind of statement when the season is over. To me, doing it now would give it a greater sense of urgency.
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If there was any kind of urgency to fire someone.
I think it would have happened in a press conference without “10 days or so” notice.
This just wreaks of a status quo vote of confidence to me.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
He's finishing up planned visits to minor league affiliates and has owners meetings this week...
So he was likely letting staff of the FO know he’d be making an announcement so they were not blindsided by it. He’ll likely set an official time/date soon.
Well... I sure hope you're right, because this organization needs change
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
I disagree, status quo would be to remain silent and hunkered down that said:
But then, if he were going to do that, why make a late-August statement?
Everyone of us view the Cubs through a perspective that reflects our personal stake. Fanactics or fans for short view the Cubs through that prism, Ricketts view the club through a view as owner, (meaning liabilities, cash flow, market share, asset value, investment return, personal reputation).
Status quo would mean simply not doing anything or saying anything to public stakeholders which is why an owner speaks in public.
I think it is obvious that what is being reflected on the field is not good to the above perspectives and a reason to change the status quo. Furthermore an owner makes statements regarding big strategic or fundamental approaches to the business strategy that reflect on the above business concerns. Understand a World Series entry and win with the Cubs would greatly increase the asset value of the club and result in increased cash flow opportunities.
In that this is going in the opposite direction it is the responsibility of the ownership to make changes in the status quo.
So I think it will be a big announcement. I think it is the hiring of a top exec who will have authority of the team and baseball operations including business considerations. In the wake we will see the resignation of Hendry, Wilken, Quade and Kenny in a timely and orderly manner.
September will be used to get the house in order to build a staff after the season.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
There have been numerous times in sports
Where upper management or ownership makes a late season announcement to show support for an embattled coach or GM heading toward the following season.
It’s the kind of announcement that takes the anxiety off a person, instead of waking up every morning in lame duck hell.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
He's done this already and things have only gotten worse... he also got a lot of backdraft from said announcements
Why would he put himself in the same situation to do the same announcement again? He should know how it will turn out.
I don't think that a hire will be announced
Mostly because who would be available to take that spot that isn’t employed already? If the Cubs were to be able to get this person and be so under the radar, that would be quite a coup.
I think they may make some changes and replace them with interim guys until the real hiring takes place in October (perhaps not announced until after the WS).
Of course, they could also announce the status quo and a defense of why that decision is made. If that’s the case, I think that leaks would come out a day or two before laying the groundwork for the presser so that a major shock wouldn’t overshadow the presser itself. You’d want the coverage afterward to concentrate on the reasons and not the decision. The decision can be discussed prior to the presser.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions
There is about a 0% chance a successor would be named
Due to the fact no team would allow their assistant or GM to leave mid season.
Ms Ng
isn’t with a team. Some people may have opt-out clauses for certain gigs. But yeah, if the person ’isn’t available’, they won’t be announced.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
She wouldn't be announced as top exec
Maybe GM and Hendry would be that top exec.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions
or,
Hendry ‘retires’, and (to quote Adrian Monk) “She’s the guy.”
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Perhaps
But then there’d be an exec named after the season. No way I would let her do that without a safety net.
I can see the wisdom of an exec like that, but only if the GM isn’t an experienced person. If the GM isn’t experienced, an exec would be mandatory.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 12:21 PM CDT up reply actions
I like your thinking, Ivy...
I agree…someone’s coming in…who? I don’t know. Maybe Gillick…maybe someone else. I think Ricketts will tell the ones (hopefully all of them) who aren’t gonna be coming back, so, they can leave on their own terms.
The one thing that worries me, is when they hire a new manager, I hope they take their time, but, not so long that it interferes with free agent signings. Don’t pick a guy just because he’s popular (Ryno). We don’t need any more rookies managing this team. I’d like to see a no bullshit, no nonsense manager in here…maybe a Brenly or a Valentine.
I know it’s hard to win a World Series, but, 103 years hard? The frickin’ New Orleans Saints (remember the "Aint’s?) won a Super Bowl a couple years ago. What else has gotta happen first…LA Clippers win an NBA title? Northwestern Wildcats make it into the NCAA Basketball Tourney? Point is…everything seems to move forward, but, the Chicago Cubs. They just sit there spinning there wheels.
I hope they can come up with a “winning team” that can make this a winning team. Status quo is unacceptable…hopefully Ricketts realizes that.
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
How about a no BS rookie manager.
Ryno is perfect. I love Brenly and like Valentine but all this team has done is got Veteran Managers in here and it did not do anything for this team. Baker killed our Young Guns Arms and Pinella jumped on a team with a high salary. Ryno would come in and kick people off of the team that didn’t listen to him.
Nope...Ryno needs some bench coaching experience...
probably along side Charlie Manual in the near future…and that’s a good manager for him to learn from.
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
How many bad and good managers did he play for.
he doesn’t need any bench time. If he is a bad manager we will find out while he is managing. Like Quade for example. we didn’t know if he was bad until we put him in there now we know.
When was the last time we rolled the dice on a manger?
Mike Quade? The guy has been in the system for 100 years. He is a bad manger and doesn’t have control of the team. Granted it is a higher up problem why he doesn’t have control of the team. It is time for a regime change President of Operation down to the 1st and 3rd base coaches.
because Dernier is certianly the problem.
Ryne Sandberg may be the answer, and he may well not be the answer. I dont think we need another Pinella, LaRussa, or Torre, but we need some body with some experience and a hard nose….a la Girrardi not necessarily him but young enough to relate, old enough to manage, and you know somebody that doesnt make me question just about every line up/double switch/pitching change.
I wouldnt mind La Russa
But that is for another year
by lshaffer_69 on Aug 19, 2011 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Not really.
If JH ‘leaves’ for whatever reason, there are 2 main options. Both will be similar in result. If the ‘choice to replace’ is ready and eligible (not elsewhere employed with another team), he can start now.
If not, a replacement can be named by early December. Randy Bush can fill in, doing whatever needs accomplishing. The main task would be the 40 Man (and 38 Man minor league) roster, for December.
After the season concludes, the new guy can take over, with Bush leaving then.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
GMs have 'retired' in mid-late August before, and it could certainly happen again.
It’s certainly possible it’s just a vote of confidence again, but it’s more likely it is not.
But, under the scenario that is brewing here...
It doesn’t seem likely. Ricketts will give a presser sometime within the next 10 days or so, as has been said. That’s not the kind of press conference for a firing announcement. An announcement like that happens without 10 days notice to the media.
If he’s going to fire people… then wait till the season is over and hold a press conference.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
Ricketts didn't give 10 days notice to the media, it was leaked from an inside source.
It’s also possible it will be a ‘resigning’ for Hendry instead of a firing, which does happen after the draft season and would not be unheard of.
Like I said... doesn't make sense to me.
Doesn’t matter who the source is for this news. If you know you’re going to make a decision in front of the press to fire management, then why are you waiting 10 more days to do it, as opposed to doing it today?
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
Because he's not available... he had his schedule set with things that could not be changed for a week after this leaked
And you don’t make that kind of an announcement over the weekend. It was simply a heads up to internal employees, which is a good business practice. This information should’ve never gotten to the fans, I don’t think you can fault Ricketts that it did.
He will be faulted.
Especially by peeps who don’t know business practices.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Right.
We’re simply ignorant. It’s not that we know business practices that operate in different ways and prefer those.
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions
So you prefer he blindside his entire FO staff and not let them know he's going to make an announcement?
You realize you’re getting upset that he notified his staff he’d be making an announcement, right?
You realize you've created ANOTHER narrative without any basis in fact right?
You have no idea how or why the rumors of an announcement floated out.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions
No... it's a fact that he let his FO staff know about this meeting...
Why are you trying to state that isn’t one? That’s what you’re getting pissed off about..
Follow this and explain the disconnect
The signing deadline is really important. Birth of first child. Wedding. Getting out of jail. The deadline was late night, the 15th. Ricketts was out of town in Idaho on club business. Pre-arranged.
That was Monday. Wednesday, league meetings started. He returns to town tomorrow.
If it was to be announced that (over-the-top time here) his brother was being replaced by Andrew Friedman of the Rays, and we were giving the Rays ten season tickets for each of the next 18 years for the privelege, would it make sense to have a face-to-face with his sibling? And maybe a meeting with all the staff before the presser?
If something is going to happen, but it can’t happen now, it happens in the future. If there are surprises, staff should know before the daily papers and Bristol.
Which part is confusing?
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Woah, 180 season tickets for Friedman??
Why would we pay so much!! No long term plans are killers, I tell ya.
Well thank you for providing the info
I don’t know every deadline for contract negotiations and transactions in baseball… or every aspect of Ricketts daily agenda or personal matters either. I shouldn’t be expected to know those things. All I can do is form an initial opinion from a fan’s perspective.
"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)
Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
Sorry if it came out sharp.
I had heard so much ‘bunk’, I had to simplify through overstatement.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
I agree...
…I don’t think anyone is getting canned.
"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel
you know
every single year we get spoon fed some BS about how great our clubhouse is. Trading Milton Bradley was supposed to let everyone relax and play great. Didnt happen. Same with this Z thing.
Its not about chemistry, its about talent. We won in 2008 with world class asshole Jim Edmonds playing a huge role. We suck right now because we have guys like Blake DeWitt playing
by CalCalender on Aug 18, 2011 9:15 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
"World class asshole Jim Edmonds"?
Really? He seemed to be a model teammate.
You’re right that talent wins out. Or does it? The 2004 Cubs were extremely talented, but they did not win in part because that clubhouse was a mess.
Both things matter.
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Edmonds
always had a rep for being a lot to handle. I thought that was common knowledge.
And yes both things matter no doubt, but I’m just tired of reading every spring about how because we got rid of Player X our clubhouse is AMAZING and now we can win. Every year they trot out Ryan Dempster to give us that warm and fuzzy quote and its old.
You quoted Bradley as supposedly being a "good clubhouse influence".
I never heard that, and in fact, most people who had heard about Bradley had heard quite the opposite.
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Oh, sorry.
I misread your post. You said TRADING Bradley was supposed to help, not GETTING him. Sorry.
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He said TRADING Milton was supposed to make the clubhouse "healthier"
As in, getting rid of him
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Edmonds did have a pretty crummy rep.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Edmonds isn't an a-hole
He was called that, likely thousands of times, maybe even in light of the brush up with Z when he was still with the RedBirds. But the real reason he got our attention – as a RedBird – was because he was integral so many times in their team kicking the Cubs butts all too often.
Think we all saw how good a teammate he really was in that short 4-1/2 month stint with the Cubs in 2008.
Just win the next game...!
Edmonds had a reputation as a showboat.
He wasn’t the most beloved guy in baseball. He also was about a million times better as a teammate than the guy who, basically, replaced him.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
He Did Go for Style Points
I still think he was a good centerfielder in his career. I don’t know what the defensive metrics say about the issue. Edmonds did want to make those catches in centerfield a bit more dramatic than they needed to be. He still had a lot of talent. With the Cubs, I know he couldn’t cover the same amount of ground that he did in his Angels days or during his early Cardinals career, but I thought he still played a decent, not good, centerfield.
Good things come to those who wait... and wait....and wait.
Me, too.
He was kind of a neat story on the 2008 Cubs — and I loved when he caught the final out when we clinched AGAINST the Cardinals. But he wasn’t a beloved figure in baseball, either.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
FWIW
The defensive metrics say he was a good (but not great) defensive CF for most of his career. They also say he was awful his one season with the Cubs.
Pat Riley is the devil.
That Cubs Season
That doesn’t surprise me too much that the metrics would say that. I know how incredibly fallible the eye test is. He definitely looked slower than he did in his younger days, but it seemed (albeit deceivingly) that he was a decent CF. Of course, the defensive metrics say otherwise. I’m still trying to gain a better understanding of defensive metrics. Older players definitely tend to take a beating with range issues that show up in defensive metrics. I’m assuming that Edmonds’ lack of range was the main reason his defensive statistics were poor in 2008.
Good things come to those who wait... and wait....and wait.
He had a bad rep from when he was an Angel, I think.
I think most of it was undeserved, though. I think he ticked off Darin Erstad somehow while they were teammates and it all started from that.
Agree totally
with blackhawk24.
by If we only had Hubbs on Aug 18, 2011 10:19 PM CDT up reply actions
...no one could have said this any better, great writing Al!
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Aug 18, 2011 9:17 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
At the risk of kicking the hornets nest
I’ll be at all four Indianapolis Indians games this weekend, watching Lehigh Valley play.
I’ll try and keep an eye on things that relate to accountability, such as the National Anthem, clubhouse demeanor (I have a press pass) and other items of that nature. Also, with the International League rules only allowing games under NL rules when two NL affiliates play, I’ll try and keep an eye on managerial acumen and strategy.
It’s a small 4-game sample, but if I notice anything, I’ll do my best to report it back.
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by Bill Potter on Aug 18, 2011 9:18 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I'd like to hear about that.
Please post.
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Not a problem.
Whatever I see that seems pertinent, I’ll post late Tuesday/early Wednesday once the series is complete.
Auto racing writer, SB Nation Indiana. Because in 49 other states, it's just sports!
Regarding the Diamondbacks
I heard an interview with Kevin Towers on XM radio yesterday, and he talked about the same things you mentioned. I found myself feeling so, so jealous. . . .
Those things DO matter.
Yes, talented baseball players matter, of course they do. But the D’backs hardly seem like the best team in the NL West talent-wise.
And yet, there they are in first place.
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Respect.
I have utmost respect for Gibson. Those little changes add up, and make a diverse group (age-wise, backgrounds, experience)… feel as One.
Al, you say:
You think he’s going to announce status quo. But then, if he were going to do that, why make a late-August statement?
Why wouldn’t he? If he was going to announce a fundamental change to the team why would he make it in late August instead of one month later? This is WHY I believe it’s going to be a status quo announcement. The timing seems odd for anything else. I’m not saying he’ll literally say “we’re going with the status quo” I’m sure he’ll couch the language in a bunch of ra-ra stuff about how some changes need to be made (in actions, not personnel) and then we’ll be on the right track.
I was thinking about this last night as I watched us lose again to freaking Houston. Why would Jim Hendry put his entire career in the hands of a completely untested manager who had worked for 20+ years without a shot at the bigs just because he had a good end of the year and he was good friends with him? I have several very good friends who I think are good at their jobs, but if hiring them meant I could lose mine…it would give me pause.
I think Jim hired Quade because he’s very confident his job isn’t remotely in jeopardy. The only way you could be that confident coming off a season like last year is if the owner straight up told you “You’re going to be here for years to come”
This announcement will be pointless and to those of us who want more than lip service, incredibly frustrating IMHO.
This stinks to me as yet another PR fumble by the Ricketts team. By announcing there’s going to be an announcement (or leaking it, but clearly this was an intended leak) you are only building the excitement. It NEEDS to be more than “hey look! we care about the minor leagues! and look how well our draft went!” Especially in this abysmal season.
I hope I’m dead wrong but……
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If it were a leak...
…. you’d have heard something about the announcement’s content. We have heard nothing. He’s keeping it VERY close to the vest.
That leads me to believe changes are coming.
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Wait....what?
if there wasn’t a leak, then we wouldn’t know there was an announcement coming.
I’ll ask this flat out Al, why would he make an announcement about changes in the organization in late August? We’re just over a month away from the season being over. Why do it now?
Again, I hope you’re right, but your reasoning doesn’t hold much water with me.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions
We just don't know.
I’m hoping he sees what the rest of us have seen and announces changes. We’ll find out soon.
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I know we don't know, but you're acting as though it's silly to claim he might not be announcing much of import
when it’s just as reasonable that he is.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Seems silly to me to make an annoucement like this...
…. if you’ve got little to say.
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Seems right up Ricketts' alley to me.
The man can’t get out of his own way when it comes to the press.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions
Not to be personally disrespectful but you characterized the emotional viewpoint of the fan
Ricketts in his role as CEO/Chair has a different perspective; any formal announcement leaked, (purposely or not by him/his staff) is one that is about the strategic foundation or operations of the business.
They could include but are not limited to; stadium issues like new location or building, structure of the organization or fundamental financial issues et cetera…
Status quo of the senior exec staff is not a major announcement UNLESS it has been discussed by them (ownership) that there was or is a question about them…IIRC the question of Hendry (staff) was answered in the USA Today tweet that (paraphrase) we are happy with Hendry and unless we change our minds in the future.
That was a status quo answer and how they are handled, since unless it was said in that tweet we are unhappy with Hendry, a status quo is a non story———ONLY here is the question of status quo a relative question.
He assuredly is not putting forth an announcement for the sake of us or other Net persons. His audience are those that have large financial stakes with the team, creditors, corporate advertisers, sponsors, media partners, vender partners, corp customers and the minor league family.
An announcement is not meeting with the press as in a presser it is we have something NEW to tell you about what we are or about to do…
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
I agree with nunyabidness here
why provide advance notice that could be leaked or cause angst among those in the line of fire? Seems like an unnecessary headache for him. If there were true substantive changes coming one would think he’d alert the public and press as close to the announcement date/time as possible.
Yes, it seems silly to hold up a big yellow sign at the side of the road that reads ‘nothing to see here,’ but certainly not unprecedented.
by BeltwayCubsFan on Aug 18, 2011 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions
of course my theory is based on logical, rational thought
which may not be in play over there so who knows what will go down.
by BeltwayCubsFan on Aug 18, 2011 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions
He didn't alert anyone but his own FO.
The fact that it leaked from there is hardly his fault. Everyone seems to be acting as if Ricketts himself stepped out and said that he was making an announcement… he didn’t.
Think there's going to be an announcement of changes coming
and that they will be effective at seasons’ end. To that end I believe it is the ownership group getting a jump on the competition saying, “NOW HIRING”.
Guess we shall see, eh?
Just win the next game...!
Yup. Why the hell they haven't set a firm date for this thing is beyond me
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions
I explained that.
He’s at owners meetings. He may have other things on his plate. When they have a specific date, we’ll know.
Why do you need to know the exact date/time rightfreakingnow?
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It isn't officially happening.
It will happen, as per solid Intel. It is an unannounced future event. That is a rumor.
It will happen. Cool thy jets.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
sigh
My jets are cool.
I’m not excited about the announcement. I think it will be disappointing. I just wish once the team didn’t look like they were running around willy nilly making plans at the last minute
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions
If I were making a major corporate announcement, I would want to tell my staff first.
The signing deadline happened when Ricketts was in Boise. From there, he went to owner meetings. I would imagine he might talk with who he needs to talk to on Friday or Monday. Then, employees would not get blindsided.
I might be way off-base (like Onedec oversliding second on a walk), but the timing makes sense if it is a major announcement.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
At last, a voice of reason in this discussion.
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You realize you're basically saying yours isn't a voice of reason right?
Since you’ve been active in this discussion? Right Al? You realize while making your little condescending jibes at me you also managed to insult yourself? Did you grasp that?
You AGREE with his opinion. That doesn’t mean it’s a “voice of reason” because he doesn’t know any more than you, I or the rest of BCB.
Furthermore, how is announcing that “at some point” he will be making his announcement, LESS of a blindside then saying “on August 25th” he’ll be making an announcement. Either way, his employees either knew it was coming, or are finding out an announcement is coming second hand.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Correct me where I'm wrong.
No. Announcement. Has. Been. Made.
Where am I wrong?
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
To be clear, I don't have a problem with what you're saying. I have a problem with Al deciding
those who agree with him are OF COURSE right and those he disagrees with are being irrational, all the while stating “we just don’t know”
There may not have been a formal announcement but the leak that there will be this “announcement in the next 10 days” came from the Cubs.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Look at this logically...
If he was NOT going to make a major announcement there is no reason to let word out that he was going to be making an announcement that will effect the future of this organization.
Now I know there are some here that believe TR is a clueless buffoon who bought the Cubs as a shiney new toy and has no idea what to do with it…
I don’t… as the ultimate arbiter of all things Cubs, since he is now the owner/man at the top, he has to have time to evaluate the club and the system before he makes changes. I have some faith that as a skilled business man TR knows how a big business runs since he did make a boatload of money.
People at the top rarely make snap decisions, they examine the situation, evaluate the pieces and create a plan in advance to set up the changes.
I think as a majority of us here have all at one time or another screamed “BLOW IT UP”, but if you stop for just a moment and think about it, firing the entire FO of a major league baseball team is not as easy as it sounds. If you are going to “BLOW IT UP” so to speak you’d better damned well have a plan in place to fill those vacancies ASAP.
Baseball is a 24/7/365 job when you are the owner… there is no off season. Oh sure you can set things up to run without you for a week or two so you can go on a vacation now and then, but even then an involved owner is always thinking about the team.
Now I know there are many here who will scream and yell about the Safari vacation TR and family took not long after he became owner as some proof that he’s not “involved”, but do you honestly think a vacation like that was done on the spur of the moment?
You have to make sure your Visa is in order, get vaccinations, plan the itinerary and get all the details ironed out which I’m going to bet is not the same as you or I jumping on Travelocity to book a flight and hotel to NY for the Mets series.
Besides, after nearly a year of negotiations and dealing with Sam Zell and his idiocy I bet you’d need a vacation as well.
As fans, and by all accounts diehard knowledgeable fans we “think” we know the organization inside and out. I’m willing to bet we only know about and understand maybe a quarter of what it takes to run an organization like an MLB top tier team. If you think anything looks easy you probably don’t know all the ins and outs.
I think the presser is going to be the start of the changes for this team. Some may think he’s not doing enough, but you can’t just fire everyone and start over… just like how some have suggested the team needs to cut out all the dead wood, play the kids and restart.
Nice idea in theory, but not practical…
Fire Jim Hendry... out of a cannon...
Status Quo would be a major announcement
in the face of all the negative reaction it would get and the desire for change that the Cub community has.
I think that Hendry should go and I think that they will announce just that, but I also see the possibility (very strong) that this could be a show of support and a public justification as to why he made the decision.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions
It is possible that this presser
is just a JH is our guy and will be for the foreseeable future. I’m not discounting that possibility, but I don’t see the need for a full blown press conference to do that…
Fire Jim Hendry... out of a cannon...
I disagree that a full presser wouldn't be necessary
With the “Fire Hendry” headwinds that the organization is currently facing, keeping him or firing him is a major event.
If he made the announcement via press release, there would be a huge backlash against Ricketts as being an out-of-touch, Carpetbagger, miser of an owner.
Either way, he has to face the public.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Many people don't think he's a skilled businessman
They think he’s a rich guy whose pappy set him up in business.
Thus, they assume he’s incapable.
It's a simple question, Doctor: would you eat the moon if it were made of ribs??
by Invalid User on Aug 18, 2011 3:45 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
It's a "voice of reason" because it's a rare occurance
where someone doesn’t jump all over for actions they haven’t even taken yet.
To get as worked up as you are without having a clue what it’s about it pointless. It is JUST as likely this is an announcement about major changes as it is saying that he’s confident in JH and Quade, etc. In fact, as he has already made a few of those statements and they were not well received at all, I think he would avoid making another statement of the same crap.
Hendry would hardly be the first GM that ‘resigned’ in August, so to assume there’s no way that would happen is ignoring history.
I wasn't remotely worked up until Al started his "my opinion is correct and those who don't agree with me are crazy"
nonsense.
I’m just not remotely impressed with how the organization is run, and this is another example of poor planning and management IMO
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions
Wait, what?
When did I say that?
I’m having a discussion with you. I think you’re wrong. At no time did I say nor imply that you or anyone else who didn’t agree with me was “crazy”.
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....
At last, a voice of reason in this discussion.
Until then, I think you’re trying to find things to bitch about.
This is AT BEST an incredibly condescending way to carry on a “conversation”
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions
In your opinion.
I think you’re wrong. You think I’m wrong.
We ought to stop here, because neither one of us is going to change the other’s mind.
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Given your tone in this...
I don’t mind you being condescended to in the least.
I’ve been around numerous “announcements” both corporate and political in my time of pointing cameras at people saying things, or hitting switcher buttons when other camera people do the same.
Internal first, then external. It’s the way the world works.
Crabbing at others because you don’t understand this doesn’t make you right, or reasonable.
by MN exile on Aug 18, 2011 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
On Friday, a note may well be sent out that there will be an internal meeting on Monday.
At that meeting, the staff will be told what will be announced on Wednesday. If they wish to leave or update their resumes, then would be a good time.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Whatever decisions were to be made are likely completed already
Its now just a matter of timing when Ricketts can make the announcement.
This has been in the works and totally on the hush-hush for weeks. These complicated organizational decisions are not finalized over a 48-hr period or even a week.
Just win the next game...!
No, that's an explanation as to why he isn't doing it today.
It is however NOT an explanation as to why he hasn’t said “I’ll be holding a press conference at 2 PM on August 25th”
It’s not a matter of needing to know the exact date/time rightfreakingnow.
It is the fact that once again the Cubs front office is bobbling something that would be EXTREMELY easy to handle quickly and cleanly. Why give a vague time frame? Why are there rumblings of announcement at all if you aren’t ready to say when the hell you’re going to make the formal announcement.?
You act like the guy can’t think a week into the future and plan out his schedule. I’m fairly certain he has someone who does that for him.
AGAIN, it’s not a matter of GIVEMETHEINFORMATIONRIGHTFREAKINGNOWIWANTITSOBAD!
It’s a matter of this team’s WHOLE approach from front office, to on the field to ownership being off kilter on so many things. It frustrates me not because I don’t have information I want, but because it’s incredibly unimpressive.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions
I think you're overreacting.
Eventually, there will be a time and date set and this announcement will be made.
Until then, I think you’re trying to find things to bitch about.
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by Al Yellon on Aug 18, 2011 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Oh please.
You’ve bitched about players not standing for the national anthem and Mike Quade giving players nicknames.
Neither of those things are remotely important in the grand scheme of things.
I’m FINDING things to bitch about because the team is run incompetently on a day to day basis.
I’m aware there will be a date and time eventually. Waiting, letting things brew like this, is not handling the situation correctly.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions
You're complaining about management not setting a firm date/time for an announcement.
It’s a little different than complaining about clubhouse chemistry or respect for the game.
I think what you’re doing is slightly worse than complaining about Quade’s nicknames, both are complaining about a perceived lack of professionalism when that likely isn’t the case. Quade’s criticisms hold more water because he’s a terrible manager, but it’s not because of his nicknames.
...
“I think what you’re doing is slightly worse than complaining about Quade’s nicknames”
And I think it’s on par. It’s all symptoms of piss poor managment
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions
No one would care about Quade's nicknames if they were winning.
No one would care there wasn’t a date and time set in stone if they were winning.
Neither have anything to do with their ability to manage… the fact that they’ve failed elsewhere allows you to throw this into that same lump in which it doesn’t belong.
Yes. That's how it works
When you’re wildly incompetent or constantly making mistakes, other mistakes or odd behavior is magnified.
That’s how the world works.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions
Odd behaivor, fine... but not an indictment on their ability to manage.
It’s a non issue on both accounts.
to you
Let’s be clear on that.
Just because you don’t see it as a symptom doesn’t make it fact.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Of course it's only my opinion, I didn't think I need to clarify that on every post.
99% of what I post here is opinion, because I’m not involved in the Cubs FO. Same goes for everyone most likely.
I’m not trying to tell you your opinion is wrong, I’m just arguing my point.
No, you're just implying I'm wearing a tinfoil hat and I care about unimportant things
but my opinion isn’t WRONG.
Lord…
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Apparently you don't know how opinons work...
I’m disagreeing with your opinion and telling you why I disagree.
I’m not saying you’re stupid and there is absolutely no way your opinion is right.
Finally… the tinfoil comment was not directed at you specifically, it’s a statement of some of the overall feelings on BCB this year.
Apparently you don't understand you can express an opinion
without telling the other person their opinions are worthless or stupid.
I feel much better that you were expressing your superiority to the site as a group rather than to just me though.
Thanks!
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm sorry that you take all of my posts as you do...
I wish you would change the way you read my writing, but if you can’t then maybe we should just avoid discussing anything controversial.
let it go
most of us get what you’re saying.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Not only are you wearing a tinfoil hat...
You forgot to attach the all-important ground cable.
by MN exile on Aug 18, 2011 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
It's just weird to say that a presser will take place in 7-10 days.
Why bother saying that? It’s not as if the press is going to fail to show up if the date/time is announced 2 days prior.
Take Apple, for instance. They’re GOING to have a keynote in early Sept., in all likelihood, to announce the iPhone 5. At some point in the next 3 weeks they’ll announce the date/time, and they’ll say nothing about the message until the keynote itself.
And they certainly AREN’T going to release an announcement that a keynote will be happening at an unspecified date in the future to discuss an unspecified topic. Because it looks amateurish.
What the Cubs have accomplished here accomplishes nothing except for firing up the speculation machine, while making it appear that they have absolutely none of their ducks in a row.
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by D98 on Aug 18, 2011 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
EXACTLY
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions
All the discussions of the meetings
are hearsay. And I would buy shares of Apple over Cubs shares.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
So you're saying that Apple let people know they
would have a keynote sometime in September, and they aren’t sure the date or time of the event but let everyone know it would be in September anyway? Who the hell is leading that company, it sounds like the management has no clue.
…. same thing but on a bigger scale. Cubs let people know 10 days in advance and will announce the date and time a couple days before. Apple let people know a few months in advance and will let people know the exact date and time a few weeks before.
NON ISSUE.
No, that's not what I'm saying at all.
Apple hasn’t said a single thing about what they might be doing, or when or if they might be having a keynote at all, or when or if they might be announcing a new product.
Even though they’ve done so in the first week of Sept. every single year in recent memory.
No one makes announcements that an unpecified date in the future an announcement will be made. Because it’s silly, and the only possible outcome is rampant speculation (and probably angina among the individuals on the potential chopping block.)
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
As a follow up
All the rumors about the iPhone 5 and when it was going to be announced and released etc….have come from sources outside of Apple. Companies overseas who have no real interest in keeping the stuff a secret. Apple has absolutely handled it the right way as you’ve pointed out.
There has been NO mention from Apple, no whispers from Apple about the announcement. They play it professionally.
The whispers about the Cubs announcement came from the Cubs.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Ricketts never said he was making an announcement... it was leaked from an anonymous source.
What the hell are the Cubs supposed to do if someone else leaks internal documents?
The anonymous source was almost assuredly with the team.
I’m done with you.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions
The Cubs did NOT make an official announcement.
Of course the leak came from someone with knowledge of the FO dealings. Isn’t that how all leaks happen?
It was most likely an internal document that someone decided they wanted to take to the papers… it’s not the Cubs fault that happened.
Why are you getting so pissed off talking about this?
It hasn't been announced
though it was, doubtless, discussed.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Agree to disagree.
While those are minor in the “grand scheme of things”, they are symptoms of the problem.
Not announcing a firm date for an announcement, to me, is not an issue. It’s bitching for the sake of bitching, IMO.
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And I think not having the foresight to set an actual date
as opposed to allowing it to exist in the ether, is another symptom of bad management
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions
The date may be set
Logistically, announcing it internally or externally before the draft deadline would make no sense.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Then why bother saying anything at all?
A: Because they can’t help themselves.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Ricketts mentions something internally.
It gets overheard. What gets overheard gets passed on. It happens in DC all the time.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
More often in DC it's passed on intentionally
this seems to be as well.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions
I find it hilarious that you have no idea what's going to happen
Yet you’ve created an entire narrative talking about how he’s “likely” to get moved up the food chain etc….
But the other side of your argument are tinfoil hat wearers.
Interesting…..
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
As I said above, the tinfoil hat comment wasn't about this topic specifically, it's about BCB as a whole this year.
Finally, I’m using common sense. It IS more likely if Hendry isn’t GM next year he is moved to another position due to the fact he would still be under contract. It makes more sense to keep him and at least get some use out of him instead of letting him go to another team and take our money anyway. Do you disagree with this opinion?
Wait.
And I’m trying to say this without condescension or anything of the sort.
You don’t know what’s going to happen either. Yet you make a big deal out of the timing, or non-timing, or whatever you want to call it.
To me, the focus should be on what the content of his statement will be, not whether a specific date/time should have been announced right now.
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...
You don’t know what’s going to happen either. Yet you make a big deal out of the timing, or non-timing, or whatever you want to call it.
You’re right, because no matter what is said, I don’t think the front office handled the situation leading up to the announcement, whenever that may be, correctly.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions
OK...
I respect that opinion, even though I disagree with it.
Fair enough?
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By saying you don't think they handled the situation well
You’re saying Ricketts did something wrong by alerting his direct staff he’d make an announcement following the owners meetings.
I really just can’t follow this thinking.
Keeping Hendry would be unpopular
If that’s the decision, I think that Ricketts would want that “leaked” prior to the gasp of shock he’d get at a presser when he announces it.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions
Just a thought - didn't Nightengale "leak" exactly that a couple days back?
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Yes. Which is why I expect nothing earthshattering at this future PC
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions
And other people leaked that Nightengale was dead wrong.
So… it’s a matter of believing what you want to believe.
Chicago media?
Wrong? Never! #deweydefeatstruman
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
who? It's actually a matter of not hearing any rebuttal if someone leaked that, I'd honestly like to see it
But keep on pontificating.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions
Here's hoping Kaplan's right
I honestly hadn’t seen those.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions
No worries, also this was stated in the article noting that Ricketts would speak in about 10 days
Ricketts’ personal public relations director, Dennis Cullerton, said that any reporting about the status of the Cubs front office right now is premature in nature.
I was honestly just surprised to find out he has a PR director… maybe the announcement is about a new one of those??
Incidentally..
…. that article got the guy’s name wrong. It’s Dennis CULLOTON, not “Cullerton”.
Yes, Tom Ricketts has a PR firm that mainly handles family stuff, unrelated to the Cubs PR people. Culloton has been his spokesperson for a while now.
Whether he knows anything more than anyone else does — who knows?
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Well, he must be somewhat in the loop on what's going on with the Cubs
or he wouldn’t be commenting at all, I would think.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions
You wonder about why he commented at all? Or whether he's in the loop?
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, I would imagine if you were an official spokesman and you made a comment
to the press without knowing what the hell you were talking about, and without the express permission of your boss that you wouldn’t hold the job too much longer…..
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Kap's 2nd response is the key to the announcement
“exhaustive” search…
If they really want to get a jump on the executive search, why not let everyone know weeks before the end of the season they’re open for business.
Just win the next game...!
I'm all for regime change
But he’s not going to announce regime change now. Why would he do that but not fire anyone? One of two things will happen. Either a.) Ricketts will announce Hendry and Quade are keeping their jobs or b.) He’ll give a state of the team address, talk about plans for Wrigley and other facilities and then also say that the managerial staff and front office will be evaluated after the season is over.
If Ricketts goes with option b.) he’ll be doing so because he senses that the fans are very restless and irritated by everything that’s going on with this team. They just want someone to tell them something about what’s going on.
Why is it not possible
that JH is ‘resigning’? This makes sense. It is the perfect time. I may well be wrong, but the timing is perfect.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
I suppose that is a possibility, announcing a resignation effective the end of the season
though I still think it that was coming down the pike we’d be hearing whispers. The only whispers I’ve seen in the last week was the USA today blurb saying Hendry will be back.
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
The resignation would likely be immediate with Randy Bush taking over as interim GM
It gives them time to start interviewing possible replacements and get going immediately after the end of the world series. It’s more likely to happen now than later because I’d imagine Ricketts wants the next GM to be hired and ready to go right away.
This gives the next GM time to inspect the system from the top to the bottom and determine what needs to be done in the long term to make a perennial winner out of the Cubs.
He could be getting a bump up too
VP of Something or Other. That would be fine by me because there would be a new GM.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions
This is likely, due to the fact he is well liked and by all accounts has great contacts
Along with the fact they’ want to get their money’s worth out of him and he still has 1 more year on his contract.
They could be just getting a jump on things
There has been meetings and there has been agreement that certain folks will be leaving. Either right away or at seasons’ end.
The reason for announcing this before the end of August is to let those folks out there that may consider a Cubs job in the off season, can start considering it now.
Just win the next game...!
I think he will wait till after the season our of respect for JH and Quade
If he doesn’t state that they are staying put
Did you actually ask?
Or did you just post it here?
I ask because I’m wondering if they’re ignoring your inquiry or don’t know it exists
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions
I have not specifically asked.
However, if/when I get the chance to, I will.
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Very aggravating
Stand up, together, in unison, as a team, take your caps off & keep still.
May seem like small things to some, but its those things that really illustrate there is lesser harmony among “teammates”.
Just win the next game...!
It bugs me a lot less than the myriad of other messups this franchise has made over the last few years
but I get that it could be viewed as a symptom of a larger disease
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Not sure, but I don't think so.
If I had to guess I’d say it was about 15-20 guys. I’m guessing some were inside. Also, that was the night of the Ron Santo unveiling so they may have been out to honor him rather than specifically for the anthem.
WWFCD?
by katie casey on Aug 18, 2011 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions
Well said Al
though I think we are all hoping that the announcement is a change, rather than rationally thinking it is one.
It would be odd to make a change in mid-August to let go a long-tenured, well-liked GM. Hendry hasn’t done a good job, but I don’t think he deserves an August firing. If you wanted to let him go before the deadline, I could see the urgency in that, since there were a lot of significant moves that should have been made. But at this point, I don’t think there is anything gained by letting him go now vs after the season. For someone that has given them a lot of years of hard work and carried himself in a respectful manner, I don’t think he deserves that.
And I am NOT a Hendry supporter. I think he is a below average GM. But he is a quality guy, and as such his termination should be handled with class and respect.
DEJESUS!!!
People
JH negotiate amateur contracts. That’s his job. If we fired him at the deadline, a noob would have had to negotiate the August 15th deadline.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
to clarify
If we fired him at the trading deadline, negotiations would be finished on the negotiating deadline by a newbie.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
But he is a quality guy, and as such his termination should be handled with class and respect.
And if that indeed is what is going to happen, I’d think it would be.
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He'll have to pry those troughs out of my cold, dead hands.
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
by Gibbon Jockey on Aug 18, 2011 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
They could auction them off - Can you imagine your very own trough in your very own bathroom... ;-)
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
I've said this before - The last couple of seasons feel like 1948/49. I pray that I am wrong.
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
I agree with you.
If that’s true, we could be in for 15 more years of this.
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Wasn't Demp supposed to be a clubhouse leader?
Wood a clubhouse leader?
Maddux as a special assistant to the GM help bring a culture of excellence and preparation to the front office?
JMAO, but not a whole lot of guys with bloated, guaranteed contracts are particularly interested in trying to motivate a bunch of other guys with bloated, guaranteed contracts who don’t really care that much.
Until the financial landfill that Hendry created rots away, I don’t think anybody’s going to be able to change the culture. It’s gonna have to start from the ground up with a new business model and won’t be solved by bringing in one or two ‘character’ guys.
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How long did it take for Gibson
to impact Zona? Could Sandberg have that same effect on the Cubs?
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Maybe.
Gibson was hired halfway through last year.
We don’t know if Sandberg could have won more games with this bunch — probably not.
But one thing is for sure, knowing what I know about Sandberg. He would have then acting more professional.
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Considering the ineptitude of Hendry, Quade, Kenney
AND Ricketts I think the best thing to say about the situation is in immortal words of Pogo
“I have seen the enemy and he is us”
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Aug 18, 2011 10:24 AM CDT reply actions
I think he's going to announce a new rain out policy. :)
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on Aug 18, 2011 10:27 AM CDT reply actions
That would be a step in the right direction.
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LMAO...spot on!
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Aug 18, 2011 12:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Indeed
The new policy will be a $5.00 “processing” fee for using your rain out ticket to make up game. However in a bid to assuage those complaining about the current policy of forcing anyone with a ticket to rain out game to only be able to use it for a make up that may be impossible for them to attend, your rain out game ticket will also be worth $5.00 OFF any M- Thursday game in Sept.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Aug 18, 2011 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions
My 2 cents.
Ricketts will brag about the latest draft and their commitment to the future and brighter days are ahead for Cubs fans. Hendry will not be gone. Ricketts will go on to say at at the end of the season, the management team will evaluate all phases of operation and if the team feels changes should be made they will happen at this time.
That is what I think is going to happen. Now at the end of the season I feel Crane will be gone OR someone with baseball knowledge will be put in a “new” role to oversee the big club. Hendry is still on board of course. Quade may be gone, I can’t read that one yet. But, if he is retained, I bet there will be changes on the coaching staff.
I know what I just typed is not popular and I may not even agree with it, but I have a strong feeling that is what is going to happen, just a gut feeling. I’m certainly no insider! I just don’t feel Ricketts is a quick reaction type of person. I feel he is more “gather as much information as possible” type of person from as many sources as possible then come to a conclusion.
I hope someone reads things like Al posts about standing for the anthem as a team. How do you want your team portrayed should be something important to “management”.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
You may be correct.
I hope you aren’t. The timing seems all wrong, though. Ricketts could have said nothing via satellite from Boise.
Now is the appropriate time, if a GM is to be released. Nothing much of note happens between now and December for bad teams.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Please don't take this the wrong way,
But I hope you’re incorrect.
That being said, I have seen little to suggest otherwise of what you’re saying here.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions
If you don't demand your guys to act like professionals
then you can’t be surprised when they don’t
Phillies Interested In Acquiring Left-Handed Hitter
Hendry should trade them one of ours, now! Any of them, Pena, Colvin, Dewitt
"Go Cubs!"
I'm sure the Phillies are drooling over the prospect of landing DeWitt in a trade.
Only one that could work is Colvin, and we’d never match up on cost since we still think he has value and they’ll look at this years numbers and offer crap.
The only left hander we had that the Phillies would have been REMOTELY interested in would have been Dome
and that interest would even have been rather……..thin.
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
He's going to announce the Cubs are leaving Boise!!!
Will say he gave them 10 days to build a new stadium and they didn’t so that’s it!
by doofus cubs guy on Aug 18, 2011 11:24 AM CDT reply actions
EVER LAST STINKIN ONE OF YOUS IS FIRED
Just because we have chiseled abs and stunning features, it doesn't mean that we too can't not die in a freak gasoline fight accident.
by Fat Punk Kicker on Aug 18, 2011 11:28 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
Dismantled??
the 97-win 2008 team was dismantled — and for the wrong reasons, resulting in the 2009 debacle with Milton Bradley.
Getting rid of Mark Derosa and Jason Marquis was “dismantling”?
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 11:36 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
We got rid of 13 players from that team
Wood
DeRosa
Edmonds
Marquis
Were the headliners. However we also purged most of the uppers minors depth also by dumping Pie,Cedeno, Wuertz, etc.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
by aaronb on Aug 18, 2011 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Rec'd
And wreckard has a selective memory.
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 1:49 AM CDT up reply actions
And Kerry Wood.
And Jim Edmonds, and yes, even Michael Wuertz and Henry Blanco — all of whom made significant positive contributions to the 2008 team.
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Edmonds was 90 years old and didn't get a job in baseball that next year
I guess I just don’t see what he did as “dismantling” – we couldn’t afford Wood; everyone else you mentioned were bench players.
The core of the team stayed the same – 7 of the 8 starting position players returned, and 4 of the 5 starting pitchers. There were a lot of reasons – mostly money related – why there was so much turnover on the bench and it’s not the reason that they disappointed so much in 2009.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
They wrecked the organizational depth as well
-We had no backup 3rd baseman when we broke camp.
-Wuertz had an excellent season in AL while our Pen imploded.
-Aaron Miles got 180 Plate appearances of .466 OPS production
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
DeRosa's .857 OPS was replaced with...
Arron Miles and Mike Fontenot .466 and .677 respectively
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Edmonds hit reasonably well in 2010 after taking a year off.
There’s no reason he couldn’t have done better than Bradley did with less controversy.
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No one anywhere would have projected Edmonds to be better than Bradley in 2009
This is hindsight and nothing more.
Obviously, Hendry’s moves didn’t work. But many of them made sense at the time, and were heavily influenced by payroll issues due to the impending sale of the team.
The idea that he strategically “dismantled” the team is what I’m taking issue with. Only two position starters were cut loose, and one of them was half of a platoon. Most of the player departures were due to free agency and a need to reduce cost of the bench.
The fact that no one else in baseball gave Jim Edmonds a job in 2009 should tell you something about what the expectations of him were that year.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why Give Bradley 3/30 when
1. He’d NEVER had a multi year contract
2. There were NO other suitors mentioned
3. Everyone else signed for between “Much Less” and “a Fraction of the cost”
I don’t think this is hindsight at all? I think most people preferred Abreu at 1/5 over Bradley at 3/30 when the signing happened.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
This is ridiculous
Everyone else signed for between "Much Less" and "a Fraction of the cost"
You’re judging the entire 2008-2009 free agent class by one contract.
Raul Ibanez signed first, for…. $10M a year. (3yr / $30M)
Adam Dunn signed for… $10M a year (2 yr / $20M)
Manny Ramirez signed for… $22.5M a year (2 yr / $45M)
Pat Burrell signed for… $8M a year (2 yr / $16M)
Milton Bradley’s contract was right in line with those deals. And at the time, he was a far better option than any of them. He was actually a capable defender (unlike literally every name on this list), a switch hitter, and was coming off of a monstrous season. Obviously it didn’t work out, and there might be a slight overpay there but it’s not as absurd or out of line with the market as you’re portraying.
Abreu was left standing without a chair after the music ended. It’s the definition of hindsight to say the Cubs could have had him for $5M – he didn’t sign until mid-February after all the suitors had dried up. No one would have guessed that he’d end up taking that little money.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
All the options for him had dried up though
What did the other corner guys sign for after he signed? His options were another cheap 1 year deal back in Texas or????
3/30 came out of left field. No way either Bradley or Abreu should have gotten that. And a REAL business oriented front office could have leveraged that.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
We have no idea who else was in on Bradley
None. The “bidding against themselves” thing is something I just don’t buy. I think there was a slight overpay, but I think that there are a lot of reasons the Cubs may need to overpay somewhat to attract free agents.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Maybe.
But again, Bradley was wildly overpaid given his personal history, his injury history and the fact that his 2008 season was far better than anything he had ever done in the major leagues.
I agree with you that some of the moves did seem to make sense at the time. Not that one, though.
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Lou wanted a left handed hitting RBI guy
and Hendry signed Bradley, who was a very good right handed hitter but certainly not as good as a left handed hitter. Baker liked Bradley, though, and if I remember correctly wanted Hendry to get him before he went to Texas. Bradley was a dumb move, period.
Right.
Though Bradley did have a good year in 2008, he drove in just 77 runs. That’s not what a LH hitting “RBI guy” should do.
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Goodness we beat this Bradley deal to death.
Several things that we knew, baseball knew, all GM’s knew, well at least a strong majority: 1. Bradley for the most part was/is a pain in the ass.
2. In nine years leading up to the Cubs he played 120 games 2 times. The guy was always hurt.
This was no hindsight for the majority of baseball people. This was a brutal mistake by Jim Hendry. There was many options on the table, Hendry missed terribly.
MB was and is a head-case
Never saw that with Edmonds and IMO Edmonds was not in sharp decline, though he would have been a good candidate for a platoon situation.
The problem with MB and guys like that is there is ALWAYS some dumb-ass team (in this case, its the Cubs) that thinks they can work with a head-case personality, that “he will change” once he gets here & we discussed his prior situations and he said he’s done doing that. How’d that turn out?
You don’t walk away from psychos, you run. They’re an absolute cancer to a club house / dressing room / locker room.
Just win the next game...!
Edmonds was already being platooned.
… with Reed Johnson.
There’s no reason that couldn’t have continued in 2009.
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OTOH we had the opportunity
to begin viewing the historic rise of Blanco’s replacement, Koyie Hill. Mr. Hill had assured the organization that he was a stellar choice by hitting .161 and .095 the prior two years in Wrigley. The rest is history.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
To recap
They got rid of
Mark DeRosa – replaced with Aaron Miles
Kerry Wood – replaced with Kevin Gregg
Jim Edmonds – replaced with Milton Bradley (while moving Dome to CF – the rare “double downgrade transaction”)
Henry Blanco – replaced with Koyie Hill
Michael Wuertz – replaced with Aaron Heilman
Felix Pie – replaced with Joey Gathright
Daryle Ward – replaced with Micah Hoffpauir
Casey McGehee – replaced with literally no one at the AAA/MLB level
Jason Marquis was ably replaced by Randy Wells
Bob Howry was replaced by David Patton for some reason
Scott Eyre was ultimately replaced by John Grabow
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
by D98 on Aug 18, 2011 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 8 recs
Depressing when you look at that
How is it possible to DOWNGRADE the roster with every single transaction you make in one offseason?
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
The Hendry apologists will simply say it was "bad luck".
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
Didn't the Tribune force him to do it?
Or was that ONLY the Soriano thing?
My tinfoil hat makes me confused
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions
I've been told over and over again that they were all "rational moves at the time" and they just "blew up in his face".
But I’m still not convinced that he just not good at making a ML baseball roster.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
At the same time
… he did create the 2007 and 2008 teams, which were good and won division titles.
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Which is all the more reason why the 2008 tear down was so stupifying.
I remember watching that postseason and thinking “what in the name of holy god!?!?!?!?!?”
Chiefs Chat: chiefs.sportsblog.com
by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions
One really good year and one "whew me made the playoffs" year don't automatically make you good at being a GM...
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TURN AROUND AND SCREW THE ENTIRE ROSTER UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF SUCCESS.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Isn't that kind of what the point is in this part of the thread?
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I guess...but your standard response to any Hendry criticism seems to be bringing up 2007 and 2008.
I see those as outliers in his overal performance, not the standard to judge him by.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions
BUT WE'VE BEEN TO THE PLAYOFFS
or something, where we’ve failed, miserably, and the response to that semblance of prosperity in the regular season was to deal with it how this pitching staff handles prosperity on a game to game basis.
www.facebook.com/craighudak
by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
He also did that by outspending the division by
10 Million in 2007 and 20 Million in 2008
http://www.stevetheump.com/Payrolls.htm#2007payroll
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
by aaronb on Aug 18, 2011 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
There is that
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions
I remember thinking during many a game in 2008: Geez, they sure got lucky again.
At times, I wonder, especially when I look at the last 4 weeks or so of the 2008 season, how good was the 2008 team really?
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
I was loudly complaining at the time it was going down
Mostly over at TCR though. It was stupid to do all that when Abreu was sitting there just begging for a job.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
Are you saying there wasn't any bad luck invovled?
Aaron Miles has never had a season that bad before or since
Kevin Gregg has never had a season that bad before or since
Milton Bradley had never had a season that bad before
Alfonso Soriano has never had a season that bad before or since
Mike Fontenot was far worse than anyone projected. Almost every projection system was high on him that year.
I’m not defending all the roster moves Hendry made because some of them (Pie for Heilman, letting McGeehee while leaving Patton on the 40-man, etc) are indefensible. But I don’t see how you can look at the 2009 team and not see a lot of really, really awful luck – many of the decisions were sound, they just didn’t work out. It just happens that they all didn’t work out at the same time.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
None of the decisions were really sound
1.Trading DeRosa to save 5 million and giving 4.9 over 2 years for Aaron Miles?
2.Dumping Marquis and paying over half his salary to save money to sign Bradley.
3.Bidding against yourself to give Bradley when there was a GLUT of corner OFers begging for jobs. Bobby Abreu signed for 1/5 for chrissakes
4. Not even offering arbitration for KW and taking AT LEAST the Type A free agent comp picks
5. Trading Pie and Cedeno for Aaron Heilman. When you could have gotten MUCH more for either guy at any other point
6. Not even giving Mike Wuertz ST to earn a job. What was the rush to get him out of here?
The whole thing just reeked of “NO PLAN”
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
3 should read Bidding against yourself to give 3/30 to Bradley
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
Trading DeRosa was defensible, given the haul of prospects we got back.
Signing Miles was bad, but he was never intended to be our full-time 2B. That spot was reserved for Fontenot, which I still think was a good idea in theory. I’d say jettisoning Marquis was also the right move. We had an excellent 1-4 in Harden, Lilly, Dempster and Zambrano. Letting youngsters compete for the 5 spot was a good decision that worked out well with Randy Wells’ emergence.
I agree with you about 3-6.
Pat Riley is the devil.
Come on.
The defense of Milton Bradley is wrong. The guy could never get on the field. How can you or anyone defend his numbers when he would play about 90 games a year?
because RACISTS...that's why.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Well whatever, forest for the trees.
Obviously you still can’t mention Bradley’s name around here without a bunch of people who still want to string him up.
My point is the to characterize the 2008-2009 off-season as a “dismantling” is something that’s ignorant of the forces at work that off season (the impending sale), tempered with hindsight, and simply not true.
13 new players on a 25 man roster
Is 52% turnover.
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
You silly stat guys think numbers are always the answer.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
90% of the starters were retained
All of the turnover was on the bench.
And my point is this: returning the 2008 team as-is was simply not an option, due to the ownership situation. Saying Hendry “dismantled” the team implies he had a choice in the matter.
Mark DeRosa was absolutely a starter on the 2008 Cubs.
He played in 149 games and had 593 PA. Just because he played multiple positions did not make him a bench player.
Further, of course you can’t return ANY team intact — even World Series winners make changes. However, Hendry blew up a 97-win team. Most organizations don’t do that.
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I'm counting Derosa.
The only starters that weren’t retained were Marquis and Derosa. The core of the team was kept in tact.
To say that Hendry “blew up” the team is ridiculous. It was impossible to keep the bench together. Payroll on the team went up $15M from 2008-2009 even before any free agents were signed – because of arbitration raises and backloading, the payroll for the core team was $135M.
Even with payroll going up, there was no way to retain the team as-is. It was impossible. That’s the reality, and saying he “blew up” the team is just false.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
So relievers don't count a a major part of the team?
Considering how bad our bullpen was in 2009, I think those were pretty major losses.
They're not starters
They’re part of your bench.
And absolutely they were an important part of the team – but retaining Wood was impossible (we couldn’t afford him, even if he’d accepted arbitration – there were 8 or 9 roster spots to fill due to FA departures and barely any headroom with which to fill those spots).
Howry was pretty bad in 2008 anyway, and also was overpiced in 2009 (he signed with the Giants for $3M and was awful) as well. The Weurtz thing is crazy and made no sense, and he should have absolutely been retained.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
My point is that even if we could have afforded to keep Howry and Wood
- which we couldn’t – they were bad in 2009 anyway, and wouldn’t have made any difference.
Kevin Gregg and Aaron Heilman were worth .3 and -.1 WAR in 2009 at a cost of about $2M.
Howry and Wood were worth .4 WAR each at a cost of $13M.
This was a major loss?
Just to further illustrate
Wood and Howry were both each .4 WAR players in 2009 and cost a combined $13M in 2009 to their new teams.
Wuertz was good in 2009 (2.4 WAR) but I’m not arguing that he shouldn’t have been retained.
Gregg and Heilman were disasters but Gregg has been above average both before and since his one year with the Cubs, and Heilman was only 1 year removed from back to back years of where he put up 1.5 and 2.2 WAR. So I have a hard time faulting him in hindsight for trying to replace Wood and Howry cheaply.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm sensing your unwillingness to fault him at all in most cases.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions
No, I think Hendry should go.
There were some really bad decisions that year – dumping Pie for Heilman, getting rid of Wuertz, etc.
But I think most of the decisions he made that year were sound. The 2009 team was good on paper, and it sucked because of a perfect storm of injuries (Soriano, Ramirez, etc) and unprecedented underperformance by others (Bradley, Miles, Gregg).
Ricketts approves!
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 4:34 PM CDT up reply actions
you set it up on a tee my friend....
the “it’s just injuries” excuse is THIS year’s fashion.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions
You're harping too much on the word 'dismantling.'
You’re right that Soriano, Kosuke, Ramirez, Theriot, Lee and Soto returned. And you’re right that Hendry had some bad luck when it came to Fontenot, Soto and (I guess) the injuries to Soriano and Ramirez.
But he signed Miles for a role he couldn’t fill (super infield sub). He signed Bradley for a role HE couldn’t fill (Bradley SAID he was never an RBI guy, and his best stats came as a right-handed hitter). And he traded DeRosa to save money when it was possible to not sign Miles and not make the Gaudin/Gathright/Miles moves and keep DeRo.
Hendry did a piss-poor job after 2008, whether you want to call it ‘dismantling’ or not.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
I'm refuting this narrative that Hendry "blew up" a 97 win team
…which would indicate that #1 it was possible to keep that team together (it wasn’t) and #2 that it would have been repeated the success of 2008 if it had (the mountain of regression, injuries, and poor performances exceed the poor personnel choices).
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Edmonds was a starter
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
Compare the players
2009 Bradley .257/.378/.775
2011 Pena .225/.345/.803
$10M each.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Bradley was 30 million for 3 years
And then we got silva.
God silva! Another cubs handling players great example. This team is a joke.
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 1:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Pena is a far and away a better defencive player
respective to their different positions, Pena is also a good teammate. I’ll take him 1000x over game board any day of the year.
You can count on Pena to have your back and not do anything behind your back. With MB you had better never turn your back towards him.
Just win the next game...!
Also, a 1-year deal versus 3 years? Huge, huge difference.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
I'm comparing only the players
Their deals were made under entirely different circumstances.
Just win the next game...!
Maybe they've never had seasons that bad ...
because several of those guys were put in roles not suited to their talents. This is particularly true of Miles, Bradley and (to a lesser extent) Fontenot.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Also Fukudome in CF.
Remember when Hendry noted that Aaron Miles could play all three OF positions? He couldn’t even play third.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
I rec'd your post, but have to respond:
With most of those deals the problem was not in getting rid of the member of the ’08 team; it was in the quality of the replacement.
- DeRosa had peaked with the Cubs, and Hendry probably moved him at the exact right time.
- Edmonds had gotten too old, and while his contributions were valuable in 08, they weren’t likely to return in 09 forward.
- Pie was not/is not an MLB caliber CF.
- Howry struggled a lot in 08 and needed to be replaced. After one bounceback year with SF in 09, he bombed in 2010 and is now out of baseball.
Really the only guys that with hindsight I’d have kept for 2009 are McGehee, Wuertz and Wood. The latter of those was a salary/budget issue, plus we had Marmol around to replace him. Losing McGehee and Wuertz definitely hurts no matter what.
So its not so much that he made moves to “dismantle” the 2008 team, in my view. Its that he signed or called up the wrong guys to replace them.
by Orval Overall on Aug 18, 2011 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Jim Edmonds was all kinds of awesome in 2010.
There’s no reason to think that he couldn’t have contributed in 2009, given that he posted an .822 OPS in the season prior, and a .846 OPS in the season following.
Especially considering that he would have been well rested as half of a platoon with Reed Johnson, and spelled on occasion by Pie.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
On the other hand, Edmonds had a -23.6 UZR/150 in 2008
That dragged him down to being a <1 WAR player in 2008. Somehow, he rebounded to put up a 14.4 UZR/150 in 2010, but I don’t see how you could’ve expected that.
Pat Riley is the devil.
Ugh,
That is a very dubious list. I may vomit.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions
You’re glossing over the fact that a lot of the players Hendry “dismantled” away from the team that year went on to be bad. Howry continued his plummet out of baseball, Derosa had a bad injury-plagued year and hasn’t been good since, Ward and Edmunds didn’t play in the majors in 2009, Blanco had a down year, and Wood’s contract was a disaster.
That’s not to mention that Eyre and McGehee are a stretch to include here as one was released in 2008, and the other only played 9 games in 2008.
Again, I’m not defending all the moves Hendry made that off-season. But most were based on sound reasoning, and it took a perfect storm of awful luck to make 2009 happen.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
You could go a step further on one of those moves.
Marquis wasn’t really replaced by Wells, he was replaced by Marshall. Wells came up as an injury replacement and pitched so well that they then shifted Marshall to the pen when all SPs were healthy.
So if we’re talking off-season planning… Wells wasn’t really part of the plan. It certainly doesn’t change the overall argument, but it takes some of the shine off the one move that worked.
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
Ha, I forgot about the David Patton thing.
Boy was that stupid.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
Wow, no kidding.
To make a Rule 5 pick like that is fine. To keep him on the roster after he pitched as poorly as he did in spring training — awful.
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I'd really like to know the rationale for that.
It’s just dumbfounding.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
It's the same reasoning they used to avoid arb with Hill.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions
IT'S NOT HILL'S FAULT THIS TEAM IS BAD.
STOP SAYING IT IS.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
captain pale is well liked by the pitching staff?
I'm a sad panda.
by jesus christos on Aug 18, 2011 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Looking back at all of that
It makes you wish that Hendry had been fired on the spot. It’s depressing.
RIP Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) and Ron Santo (February 25, 1940-December 2, 2010).
If you disagree with me in any way, you are wrong.
Goodness I knew of the moves,
but laid out like that, that is downright ugly. And Hendry still has work.
I didn't read anyone mention this
but that off-season was the futile attempt to get PV. I still believe that was the reason that Hendry got rid of DeRosa, he was trying to get all the parts of the puzzle together in order to land him by himself instead of getting a 4 team trade going.
"I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy and have fun. Nothing more."
What about prospects in any of these deals?
Wasn’t one of the guys obtained in the DeRosa deal sent to TB in the Garza deal?
Just win the next game...!
Yes, the Cubs got Chris Archer (and Stevens and Gaub) for DeRosa.
Stevens and Gaub are not really worth the continued discussion. And there were no prospects received in any of these other deals. In fact, we were the ones trading young guys for players like Aaron Heilman.
Chris Archer had an awesome 2010, and was traded (along with 4 other guys – one of whom is now considered a top 30 prospect, and was recently promoted to AA, Hak-Ju Lee) for Matt Garza.
So consider the opportunity cost with perfect hindsight. The 2009 Cubs were coming off one of their best seasons in decades. Would you rather:
1. Try to keep the championship window open 1 more year and Keep DeRosa for 2009, considering that he was the starting 2B, 4th on the team in OPS, the sole backup 3B, was (for better or worse) the team’s clubhouse leader, and was entering the final year of his deal earning $5M,
OR
2. Trade DeRosa, replace him with Aaron Miles, and acquire a prospect you will subsequently use to acquire a solid young pitcher in Matt Garza to join the dead-ass 2011 Cubs.
I’d go all-in and take option 1 every time, for a few reasons. First, we can’t say “DeRosa got hurt, we dodged a bullet”. The world is random, and who knows if he takes a ball off the wrist if he’s never traded. Maybe he would have gotten hit by a bus instead. Maybe not.
Secondly, even looking at the 2009 team before Hendry blew it up, the core of this team was looking weak-to-pitiful for 2010-11 and (sadly) somewhat beyond. The big-money deals to aging players had us more or less locked into the “win now” mentality. Trading one of the best players on the team was half-assing that “win now” mindset, while not really “rebuilding”, either. Adding Matt Garza to the 2011 Cubs, for all his valiant work, has been the equivalent of when Kerry Wood returned to the 2000 Cubs. Nice way to fill your SP2 spot, but what about the other 24 guys?
Finally, there’s no requirement that the Garza deal couldn’t have been done without the DeRosa/Archer trade. First, maybe Archer could have been acquired for a different player. Secondly, TBR wanted Garza traded last offseason. Perhaps a slightly different slate of prospects could have accomplished that deal.
As an aside, Archer’s finally turning his season around. He’s given up 7 ER in his last 30 IP (a 2.10 ERA), winning 4 of his last 5 starts (and getting a no-decision in the other.) His walks are down, Ks are up, and his FIP is now down to 4.57 (ERA Is down to 4.92).
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
by D98 on Aug 18, 2011 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
First of all, you can't just completely ignore Stevens and Gaub
Both looked like fairly decent relief prospects at the time of the trade. Neither panned out, but that doesn’t mean they were worthless at the time.
Also, it’s not like DeRosa was straight-up replaced with Miles. The idea was to give Mike Fontenot the majority of the at-bats at 2B, which seemed like a pretty good idea after his prolific 2008 season. Unfortunately his BABIP and ISO each fell by about 80 points.
Pat Riley is the devil.
that is stunning to read......
I think I had purged that disaster from my memory bank
Joey Gathright? AAAAAHHHHHHH
trading Kosuke Fukudome in part to make room for Tyler Colvin to play — and then Colvin sits on the bench half the time since his recall.
Why do you keep harping on this even after you’ve been shown it’s not true? Colvin has started in 2/3rds of the games since he was called up.
And frankly, if Colvin can’t learn to play with sporadic playing time he has not future anyway. He doesn’t really project as a starter at this point, since he’s basically Jonny Gomes with better defense. And don’t trot out the Hendry quote about finding out if Colvin’s an everyday player – that was clearly PR spin to Colvin, who wouldn’t have been called up if it weren’t for the necessity due to roster constraints. He certainly hadn’t done anything in AAA to earn the callup.
Bottom line, no matter how close they've come with Hendry
I think ten years (almost) without a WS title should result in a change in leadership
Wut is the point of making a big announcement in the middle of august?
if he was going to fire people wouldnt he make the announcement after the season?? Most teams dont make an announcement saying they will make an announcment to fire people. Tommy boy seems like such an amatuer i dont think he knows wut he is doing.
Big announcement = "All Bleacher tickets are $10 for the rest of the season."
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions
i meant if the big announcement was for canning people.
i doubt there would be this much buildup for an announcement if they were switching hot dog makers. Hes prolly just gonna say that everyone gets one more chance next year cuz if he was gonna fire someone he wouldnt announce it in advance that he was gonna have an announcement he is firing someone.
I hope the announcement is that they hired Pat Gillick and he will oversee the last month of the season. i doubt it tho.
plus i dont think Tommy wants to pay 2 manager and 2 GMs when he knows the team will suck next year.
He wont say it exactly but i think the announcement will be bullshit pr for throwing in the towel for next year.
Best GM Since Bill Veeck Sr.?
Jim Hendry has been the most successful Cubs general manager in 70 years — because since the 1930s, no other Cubs GM had brought the team to as many postseason appearances as he has (three).
Nice criteria. An 88-win division, and 2 division titles when Tribune and McDonough allowed him to spend freely. In 6 short years (or about 1/2 the time that Hendry has spent with the organization) , Dallas Green constructed 2 legitimate division winners—the first one through trades (Sutcliffe, Sandberg, Dernier, Matthews, Eckersley et.al;..really the whole damn team) and the second one through the farm (Maddux, Grace, Girardi, Jerome Walton, Dwight Smith, Damon Berryhil, not to mention trading a future 500 HR hitting, and 250 winning pitcher in Rafael Palmeiro and Jamie Moyer—also homegriown— to augment these youngsters). Green’s player development puts Hendry’s to shame, and to ignore Green’s regime while tripping over yourself to praise Hendry’s is shameful
Apologies in advance for being so combative, but that nonsense is so dumb (and so transparently equivocal, par for the course, I guess) that it glows in the dark. Jim Hendry is a bumbling buffoon who has stumbled into whatever success he’s accidentally enjoyed and has produced so few homegrown players—even though he’s been in player development for a major market franchise for over a decade— that you ought to be embarassed by any praise you throw his way. He’s hardly been better than Ed Lynch, and the insult to Dallas Green is so steeped in wilfull and deceitful ignorance as to provide a disservice to your readers, even though you’re just a blogger. My brain hurts.
by Mike D. on Aug 18, 2011 11:54 AM CDT reply actions 7 recs
You are correct about Green's player development.
I have written before that one of the biggest mistakes Tribune ever made was letting Green go.
However, it is true that no Cubs GM produced as many postseason appearances as Hendry since the 1930s. Green wasn’t GM in 1989, although you are also correct that the players his system produced helped win that title.
For those who love to bash Hendry, I suppose they’ll enjoy your comment. It’s as if the Cubs have been 1950’s bad during his regime, if you believe them, and you. That has not been the case. However, it is clear that he needs to go now.
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Correction
Letting go of Green was not “one of” the biggest mistakes the tribune ever made, but THE biggest.
And I’m talking quality over quantity. I am well aware that Green was not the GM in 1989 but that was his team. ‘84 and ’89 proved Green could do it both ways. ’03 and ’07-’08 does little toward convincing me that Hendry has been “a better GM”. He hasn’t, and your counting statistic of division winners is unfair when you consider that Green’s career was cut short. It’s not a stretch to deduce that the Cubs would have won at least 2 peenants had Green been allowed to stay on. Not his fault that John Madigan is/was a horse’s ass.
by Mike D. on Aug 18, 2011 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Homegrown Players on 1989 Team
Greg Maddux, Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Jerome Walton, Dwight Smith, Joe Girardi, Les Lancaster
The 1984 team had Lee Smith, a homegrown talent. Beyond that, I can’t think of any homegrown player other than Henry Cotto, who had any real impact on the team. Cotto was a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement. It’s a stretch to say he had a real impact on the team.
The Cubs were definitely moving in the right direction in the mid-1980’s in building a good farm system. It bore fruit in the late 1980’s. Also, Jamie Moyer and Rafael Palmeiro, Cubs farmhands, had long MLB careers, but got traded before the 1989 season.
Good things come to those who wait... and wait....and wait.
No they haven't been "1950's bad" under Jim Hendry...
…but at no time in Cubs history had the pocket book been expanded as it was under Jim Hendry, something that he failed to parlay into a championship. With the money he was allowed to spend, Dave Littlefield could have been the GM of this team with the same results. It’s your belief that Jim Hendry is a wonderful human being that blinds you to the fact that he’s actually been a lousy general manager.
Guys, hitting is not about muscle. It's simple physics. Calculate the velocity, v, in relation to the trajectory, t, in which g, gravity, of course remains a constant.... It's not complicated. - George Costanza
by troutfishin on Aug 19, 2011 12:46 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Same here
Tone is unnecessary, but many valid points.
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
by Shanghai Badger on Aug 18, 2011 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Mike d
Your tone is pitch perfect.
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 2:14 AM CDT up reply actions
Says you.
Say a lot of other people, including me: he’s combative.
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Hendry is easily the most successful GM in recent memory
Greene wasn’t given enough of an opportunity otherwise I would have said him. The ‘04 and ’08 teams are the best teams the Cubs have had including the ’84 team. They just didn’t deliver on their potential.
The players and managers have to take some responsibility for their actions and for their health. Hendry built a few teams that were able to go a long way.
Hendry should go now though. However, parting ways with Greene was a colossally stupid decision.
by jerry morales rules on Aug 18, 2011 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Being the most successful GM in Cub's recent memory is not necessarily something of merit.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
It's like being the skinniest girl at fat camp
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions
lol
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Aug 18, 2011 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Or the best SS on a co-ed softball team.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions
oh burn! :)
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Aug 18, 2011 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Hey. That was ME back in the day!
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions
Recent memory of a 12 year old perhaps
:)
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Most people on the Internet are 12.
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 2:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Mike D
You have won the Internet.
You are also now my favorite poster.
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 2:12 AM CDT up reply actions
I think at some point Hendry will get moved into another role within the organization
and not get summarily shit-canned as a lot of us have hoped. I remember them just letting Dusty’s contract expire and letting Lou “retire” because they had given up.
I will take him getting moved into a position where he doesn't have direct control over the team in a heartbeat.
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions
If Hendry is such a nice guy and everyone loves the dude
Then re-assign him to Springfield so he can convince some folks to give Tommy Boy his 200 million.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
I don't particularly care for "announcements of announcements"
Yet you write an article about it?
When was the announcement of the announcement?
What? It hasn’t happened yet?
As you were.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
i wonder how many times the word announcement has been said here. lol
Having an announcement to announce that u will be making an announcement to announce very important announcements sounds like something from Seinfeld. lol
He said he didn't care FOR them. He didn't say he didn't care ABOUT them
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 18, 2011 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes, that's right.
I didn’t announce I was writing an article. I actually did it. It’s a valid thing for me to do here — write about what I’d like to see Tom Ricketts say.
Now, if I’d announced that I was going to write such an article within 10 days, you might have cause to bitch.
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What if he calls off his announcement?
This place will implode.
RIP Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) and Ron Santo (February 25, 1940-December 2, 2010).
If you disagree with me in any way, you are wrong.
Yeah, it probably will.
Now that the announcement of the announcement is publicly known, he kind of has to do it.
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I will bet the bank this is what he will say
I have scouted our new prospects(because after being fired from every job at wrigley on undervccover boss i found my true calling being a scout even thogh i know nothing)
and i have decided to spend more money on unproven worthless talent and hand out more huge no trade contracts to HS kids who will take at best 5 years to reach the major leagues..
I have total confidence in everyone and keep buying tickets ( because in 5 years or so we will be good) forget about the Wait til next year im changing it to wait til 5 years from now so I have a great excuse now that my PR man told me to act like I suddenly understand baseball by “scouting?” our picks
This way I dont have to give anymore press conferences to explain why we are losing everygame and charging the third highest ticket prices for a toliet on the field….
just wait till our 17 year old prospects who we are overpaying.. develop and trust the cubs h…ave we ever failed to produce a winner in 103 years?
Soi get ready for NO CHANGE speech and this BS to spewed out how we are overpaying for unproven talent and just wait 5 or more years or even better just plan on dying before you see the cubs win
The guy fired on undercover boss
fwiw was his brother I believe, but definitely not Tom.
Well you've already lost that bet because...
it was TODD Ricketts who was on Undercover Boss, not TOM.
Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica. - Jim Halpert as Dwight Schrute
say what you will....
at least Senor Gato could pull some statistics for his beliefs…this guy can’t even watch TV correctly.
My predictions
+ Ricketts will reiterate his commitment to the future by recounting the draft and the epic amount of money spent.
+ He will express disappointment with the actions of Zambrano, and the fact the team has underperformed.
+ He will announce that Hendry will be promoted at the end of the season to the position of “Senior baseball adviser”.
+ He will announce search for a new GM will begin at the end of the season.
I think I speak for everyone here when I say, "Wait, what the hell are you talking about?"
then he will dodge the
raw produce being thrown at him.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
What would be wrong with that??
New GM should make everyone happy.
Hopefully some of the Cubs employees/players that may read this blog
will see and understand what it is that you’ve written.
For years, I’ve been saying this team lacks the general fundamentals (no bunting skill, no baserunning skill, can’t move runners over, can’t hit a sac fly with runners on and less than 2 outs) of a successful team and that the team needs to have a strategy from the top down. Something unified, something that says “This” (whatever that is) is what it means to play the Cubs way.
I was roundly criticized. Much like DmL (I think) was for a long time whenever he brought up how all of Hendry’s horrible contracts were going to significantly limit what the Cubs could do in the future.
Well said Al.
I have to think if things continue the way they are, even Ricketts begging people to come to Wrigley won’t make a difference as the ballpark will be almost completely empty.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 12:26 PM CDT reply actions
I'm beyond caring.
This team makes me embarrassed to be a Chicago Cubs fan. Management’s attitude towards headcases is clear and consistent. Management’s inability to trade players until their value is nothing is clear and consistent. The only positive I have right now is the farm system and Latin development seems headed in the right direction. The rest? I’m more invested in the next season of EASTBOUND & DOWN than I am in this team.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
I really wanted to like Eastbound since I think McBride is amusing
but just found it depressing. I didn’t even watch season 2.
And I have seriously considered trying to switch to a different team since this organization is so fundamentally flawed but can’t bring myself to do it.
Season 2 starts off so...different.
Then it ends furiously and fantastically.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
It's ending is amazing
Just awesome. Those last couple episodes were amazing.
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by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Here's what's going to happen
- Hendry and Quade are up talking about the season and the positives about it
- Ricketts comes out, and we all think he’ll say, “NO! You’re WRONG!” and instead hugs Hendry and Quade and the nWo music plays
- The band is staying together for the long haul, brother
- Need more money for better players, so ticket prices are going up. So cheer up, we’re (theorhetically) going to be able to afford more overpriced players
- Season ticket holders…We want you around FOREVER, which is why we’re busting out the PSLs!
- Year 3, the battle for 3rd place. Set the bar low and be pleasantly surprised if we overachieve
- I’m far too afraid to even mess with Big Z, so he’s staying. I mean really, would you tell him “No”?
- Crane Kenney can stick it, brother! Ricketts introduces 4th member of the band, new team president, STEVE PHILLIPS!
- We’re going to allow Dewitt to wear #10, and Z gets to wear #31. IT’S WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE TEAM
- New statue going up by the Captain Morgan Club, and it’s ME, in the Captain pose!
- Profit
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by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 12:42 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Amen, brother
RIP Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) and Ron Santo (February 25, 1940-December 2, 2010).
If you disagree with me in any way, you are wrong.
Flourish?
So if Sam Fuld’s .240/.304/.365/.669 is indicative of the fact that this mascot is “flourishing” then I look forward to Rey Sanchez’ Hallf of Fame Speech in Cooperstown.
What a disingenious comment, and nobody here previousy bothered to point it out to you.
shakes head
Context.
Almost everyone understands that Sam Fuld is a 5th OF.
An injury opened a spot in the everyday line-up and he played very well, particularly for a replacement, in April (.289/.358/.433/.791 plus 10 SB and a number of highlight worthy defensive plays). He has since been fairly awful offensively, as the numbers you posted allude to (particularly subtracting out April).
He’s a high-IQ, strong fundamental, high-energy, excellent defender, low-cost, likable player… in other words, the anti-Cub. Sure he has decided offensive limits. But if used correctly as a 5th OF, there’s no reason he can’t be a useful player in the bigs for a while.
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
Exactly.
“Flourishing”? OK, so he’s not an All-Star. But he is a contributing player on a winning team.
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Al, you sure do know how to pick an off day topic.
It seems like every one of these pisses half the people off and the other half then get pissed at them.
Just because we have chiseled abs and stunning features, it doesn't mean that we too can't not die in a freak gasoline fight accident.
by Fat Punk Kicker on Aug 18, 2011 1:02 PM CDT reply actions
Well, I just wanted to open the topic for discussion.
I’m thinking that, at least, worked.
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Maybe Ricketts had the same idea
Perhaps he’s reading all the comments before deciding what best to say. We’re his focus group.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
What will be said?
Move along. Nothing to see here.
RIP Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 - May 16, 2010) and Ron Santo (February 25, 1940-December 2, 2010).
If you disagree with me in any way, you are wrong.
Coming: A Change
Excellent article. There has to be a change. Ricketts is aware of it. He will make changes that will allow those drafted to either find success or fail. They will be placed in a position to succeed, but its up to them. Along this line, I believe Hendry will be retained as a consultant but will be out as GM Quade and his minor league staff will be replaced. Quade will probably leave by September so that what quality minor leaguers were in the syste before the draft will really have a chance to play in September. A new President will be named perhaps by September. He will work with Hendry on a transitional basis until the end of the season when a new manager and staff will be hired. The man in charge of the draft and Oneri will stay on. He will mention the draft and the minor leagues but the changes you say must happen will begin to be implemented .
Breaking News. Crane's Chicago Business.
IMHO this is what Rickett’s will discuss.
So disappointing. With the city and the state broke, schools struggling, and more cops needed this is not the time for this.
Also, Tom needs to keep a lid on this. I predict that the press conference will take place ASAP. His people need to get in front of this.
I had very high hopes for him. IMHO he has been a PR disaster.
by timeforachange2009 on Aug 18, 2011 1:41 PM CDT reply actions
Link?
Where? You can’t put links in the title. Try again.
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Thank you....
I could not post it.
Very sad. Ricketts is out of touch. I hope that Rahm has the common sense to say no. Now is not the time.
Full disclousure. I live less than a half mile from the park. I also have children attending CPS. There are more important issues for the city to address than Wrigley Field.
by timeforachange2009 on Aug 18, 2011 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions
If Ricketts says one word about getting
public money for the Cubs, he shouldn’t be allowed to spend a day in this city. I’d be shocked to hear anything about the finances the way the past two seasons have gone.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
It is coming.....
Ricketts is a PR nightmare.
If Rahm, Quinn or the Illinois Legislature think that this will fly they are sadly mistaken. No way, no how.
I believe Ricketts is tone deaf. He heads a poorly run club, got his hand out from Mesa and now wants another one from Chicago. He bought the club. Don’t ask for our help.
by timeforachange2009 on Aug 18, 2011 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions
I find it hard to believe Rahm is going to start handing out cash.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
I don't...and without getting political...it's exactly the kind of thing his former boss excels in.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Tell it to the Chicago public workers and teacher's unions.
The guy hasn’t been in office for 100 days, and he’s taken dramatic action to cut spending and balance the city’s books without resorting to silly one-off schemes as his predecessor did.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Political discussion ended here.
Take it somewhere else. This is a baseball site.
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Unfortunately, Cubs discussion is about to get a lot more political.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
How can you say this Al?
The funding of the renovation is a political issue.
The proposal requires taxpayer monies. As a resident of Chicago, I have a right to express my displeasure.
Ricketts is tone deaf on this issue. He will get killed by the public.
IMHO he should pay for 100% of the renovations. We have more pressing issues in our city. Schools, cops, firemen and infrastructure come first.
by timeforachange2009 on Aug 18, 2011 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Because this is a Cubs blog and nothing more ;(
Guys, hitting is not about muscle. It's simple physics. Calculate the velocity, v, in relation to the trajectory, t, in which g, gravity, of course remains a constant.... It's not complicated. - George Costanza
by troutfishin on Aug 19, 2011 12:53 AM CDT up reply actions
The discussion of the Cubs' proposal is fine to discuss here.
Discussion of other political issues can go somewhere else.
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Possibilities
What would qualify as
an announcement on the Chicago Cubs’ future and share his view of the state of the team within the next 10 days?
Releasing Carlos Zambrano? My thinking is that Rickets might want to personally make this announcement as part of a “line in the sand” speech abokut what will be and will not be acceptable going forward
Is an announcement of cheaper tickets for next year, in an attempt to assuage disgusted fans, enough to be a major announcement?
Triangle building? Wrigley renovations?
Al, when will you have an opprotunity to sit down with Ricketts again?
I remember that you had a chance to talk with him last year, but didn’t know if you would get a chance to talk to him again. If you had the chance to talk to him again and post your Q &A on BCB would you ask him some questions relating to this post you made? I would love for him to here some of this stuff. Maybe he’s just blind or asleep at the wheel and needs to be woke up.
My optimistic opinion is
That Tom just doesn’t know how to run a baseball team yet. Which is understandable. It’s a lot to take in, and unfortunately, the people who were in place when he took over suck at their jobs. Or something.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
I'm guessing Al's phone call asking for another "sit down" went something like this...
“Hello Mr. Yellon…you what? CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE I’m sorry…the connection just got really bad! BYE.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions
LOL
Actually, no. I hope to do that again after the season is over.
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Announcement
Perhaps about the hotel he’s building and all the Wrigleyville businesses he’s buying up and how that will retain the quaintmess of Wrigleyville.
by DavidArthurKingman on Aug 18, 2011 2:24 PM CDT reply actions
The hotel that "he" is building?
Well, that’s news. Because the hotel being proposed across from Wrigley has nothing to do with the Ricketts family.
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Really????
I think you’ll change your tune when The Cubs build that hotel and a large hotel chain pays them to put their name on it & run it. I’m sure it will be quite affordable too are is all things Chicago Cubs.
by DavidArthurKingman on Aug 18, 2011 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions
If you've got proof of your claim, post it.
Because the outfit building that complex is NOT the Chicago Cubs.
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Wish I could
Very interesting contract as well as very aggressive. Ricketts will make their money in business, not in baseball.
by DavidArthurKingman on Aug 18, 2011 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Here's what I know about it.
A website laying out the proposal.
It’s got no connection to the Cubs.
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My only comment
is that it’s not personal, it’s business as it should be and Ricketts needs to remember this! You want to make money, shake up the FO and the rest will fall in place IMO. Whether or not this happens who knows, but it sure as hell would be nice.
What Ricketts will say
It would be pretty easy to create another DIY posting with pulldown choices for this. If there is anything Tom Ricketts has shown us, it’s that he is NOT full of any surprises. And he lacks the spine to make serious changes in the realm of “true baseball people”.
At his press conference, he will declare the following:
“We just had the best draft ever, spending twice as much money as we ever have. We have new facilities in the Dominican and Arizona. I have faith in Jim Hendry and Mike Quade and Crane Kenney tells me that he is a very good baseball man. We have a large stable of first base prospects – you hear me? One of them is big and fat, just like Prince Fielder. Please be patient. We will pad our rotation with another affordable #3 starter. We will continue to value tools and athleticism over actual statistical results. We love football players! Tickets sales are only down slightly. It’s not a problem. I love the Cubs. I love the fans. I love Wrigley. Blah blah blah. More statues will be erected on every free space around the field… Hector Villanueva’s statue is being constructed in an airplane hangar in Kankakee…”
Here is what he will not declare:
“I am well aware that ticket brokers will stop buying our tickets because they lost their shirts this year, and those empty seats next year will actually NOT be paid for. I will go after either Puhols or Fielder. I will trade for a legitimate ace, taking a risk at parting with overvalued prospects that are unlikely to pan out. We will continue to value statistical results and character over tools, athleticism or mlb-level strike zone judgment.”
PS My apologies for a recent post that was inappropriate. 3.75 seasons and $47 million dollars of waste just didn’t sit right with me, and my intention was playful, not malicious. I’m an asshole sometimes.
Hack Wilson IX
by KO Stradivarius on Aug 18, 2011 2:31 PM CDT reply actions
I bet BCB could argue whether or not the sky is blue.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
It's not.
The blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by the air.
However, much of the shorter wavelength light is absorbed by the gas molecules. The absorbed blue light is then radiated in different directions. It gets scattered all around the sky. Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you. Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
KNOCK OFF THE NAMECALLING
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Your act is old. Get new material.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions
We need a poll to see who should go first.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions
i vote Hendry
Chronologically inept since 2060
Q: Why did Chuck Norris cross the road?
A: Ditka
Ditka's mustache can block a Chuck Norris round house
Ditka's mustache can kill two stones with one bird
It is better to spend money like there's no tomorrow than to spend tonight like there's no money! - Irish toast.
slcathena is my wonder twin, and our battle cry is "Twinners rooting for the Winners (by which I mean Starwin and Darwin)"
Hey, why is your wrath so much bigger than mine?
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Its not the size of the Wrath
" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "
My wrath was juicified...
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
It's just wild speculation anyway.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Just read the cubs inbox
And muscat wrote. It is unlikely the cubs go after pujols or fielder! I thought that was a main goal for the cubs this offseason. Is it possible they went after all the first basemen in the draft, because those two are not in our future plans?
The main goal for the cubs this offseason..
discuss.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions
Hire swl
as team president, and TJ as GM!!!!!!!
Hey!
I thought I was going to be GM.
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by Al Yellon on Aug 18, 2011 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
If you really want swl as your boss
then the job is yours!
Awful.
It’d just be the same old crap. Ryno would come in and interview for manager, and then SWL would just give the job to Dan.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
As part of his contract, I'd make Dan shave off his eyebrows first...and also bat Koyie Hill 2nd in every Cardinal series.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions
Make sure Koyie bunts every at bat.
Even if no one is on base.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
Same reason Pena was not traded
because he is coming back.
"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Cubs win....what a lucky break!!" ---Harry
i hate this team
I'm a sad panda.
by jesus christos on Aug 18, 2011 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Co-signed
www.facebook.com/craighudak
by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions
I heard Tom Ricketts say that first-hand last Saturday at the Wrigley HS All-American game.
It went something like “you don’t have to spend big to get production- look at Carlos Pena. There are always guys coming off bad years who will sign smaller deals.”
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
That's our owner.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Let's look at that statement from two standpoints.
It IS true that you don’t NECESSARILY have to spend big money to get big production.
However, “Carlos Pena” is not the answer to “big production”.
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Well, yes.
I just hope that’s not his M.O. moving forward. “That guy stunk last year…which means he’s cheap! Sign him up!”
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
To be clear - I am paraphrasing. And he was not speaking to me - he was speaking to the guy sitting NEXT to me.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Yes, but they've spent their $ on good baseball players.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Jon Heyman at SI.com says Hendry’s job may be in jeopardy.
Link contains some info about the Zambrano situation, too.
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Well, if Tom says at his press conference that he's retaining Hendry
I hope he makes sure to mention how personable Jim is, and how that’s a big reason he’s gonna be sticking around.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
Yeah, that would be pretty bad.
Affability isn’t a reason for the man to keep his job.
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Tell that to Koyie Hill.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't forget
that the pitchers love to work for him.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
I dont think the Cubs tried that hard on trading him. Here is my reason
The DBacks traded for jason marquis. Your telling me they would rather have Marquis over Zambrano. BS
If by "not trying hard"
You mean “weren’t willing to pay 95% of Z’s salary,” then yeah.
FIRE JIM HENDRY. Injuries aren't the problem.
I'm really sick of hearing
what a gosh darn jolly great guy that good ol’ Jim Hendry is. Just a real friendly fellow!
www.facebook.com/craighudak
by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 3:06 PM CDT reply actions
Yea I'm a real nice guy
and my family and my bosses family are very close, but If I was losing him money I’d be his unemployed friend!
Jim Hendry is a great guy, but as the dead horse croaks from the beatings we’ve given it here, he’s made a ton of bad decisions.
Keeping Jim Hendry is like saying, “I love spaghetti even if someone takes a dump on it.”
The Cubs have got a good farm system. Let’s use it. Find a veteran player or two to actually lead this team. Ramirez, who’s been the only one who’s produced to potential this year, hasn’t and won’t step up. Soriano, like Zambrano, is too self-absorbed to do it. Wood needs to be a little more outspoken. Dump Quade…he’s was a minor league manager for a reason – and his comments and his interviews have proven it.
Stick a fork in this year. It’s done. This team needs an enema bad. So pass the Ex-lax with the blue kool-aid.
I think the best thing Ricketts & Co. could do right now would be to fire Quade, and randomly pick a fan from the cheap seats and have them managed the team for a game. Hey, it can’t get any worse than another walk-off Grand Slam in the 9th and losing by 1 run.
by ChicagoBlues1983 on Aug 18, 2011 3:17 PM CDT reply actions
Had to work today.
The majority of the comments on the board express how I feel. There is no question Jim Hendry needs to be let go. I sure hope Quade is replaced also.
Al I agree 100% about accountability, and some form of discipline. The idea of not standing as a team during the Anthem bugs the crap out of me. I know for some it is not a big deal, but to me it is.
It is time to go.
I tell you if Ricketts keeps him in the GM seat, I then will without a doubt question Ricketts ability to run this franchise.
I'm not letting this cat out until Hendry is gone.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 3:22 PM CDT reply actions
Oh God
I’ll never be able to un-see that, and I’ll laugh every time I think about…it…
www.facebook.com/craighudak
by Craig in South Bend on Aug 18, 2011 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm traveling, so I haven't read all the comments.
Jim Hendry and his people need to be shown the exit, but I don’t really think they need to do so because the clubhouse lacks accountability/professionalism. To me, that’s a valid point — but also a side issue.
Frankly, I don’t think Jim Hendry is good enough when it comes to evaluating talent, and I don’t think he’s very adept at putting together teams that work well. Case in point, after 2003 and 2008, he made additions that certainly looked good on paper (and some that worked) but that made the teams less effective.
It’s possible that time has just passed Hendry by in this regard. There are fewer Dave Littlefields to fleece and there are more GMs who are willing to arm themselves with advanced statistics (Hendry, reportedly, is not). I also wonder if the nice-guy approach that Al mentioned is now such an oddity — i.e. GMs no longer do favors for players — that doing the nice thing is more of a disadvantage now than it was in 2003.
The Cubs need to have a culture that doesn’t allow the Zambrano/Sosa style crap, and I hope a new GM/leadership is coming that will appreciate that. But I hope the new GM/leadership will mostly do a better job of assembling a roster and building a farm system.
Sorry, if someone else has made this point already.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Your point is valid.
However, part of “putting together teams that work well” is having a culture of accountability and professionalism in the clubhouse.
The Cubs don’t have that.
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and that kinda stuff starts and the top...
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Point taken.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
A final thought unless something else breaks on the leaked announcement
First reading the original post taken in context with the Knightengale Tweet and the Crains Chicago Business Report today.
What appears is that Levine being a good reporter called Ricketts PR guy (Cullerton) to get a clarification on the Tweet by Nightengale, (possibly in that it conflicted with what was being heard or known but not confirmed as a story that Cubs have been talking to senior baseball execs), and in that conversation “off the record” as a source close to the Ricketts, Cullerton screwed up and said that an announcement regarding the “entire” Cubs future is coming in 7-10 days,
This of course is news. But Cullerton told Levine that he couldn’t quote him on that since it was not bow tied or that the announcement was not yet okay’d with the Mayor’s office and other external people (including a new senior exec).
But Cullerton is quoted in saying the following:
that any reporting about the status of the Cubs front office right now is premature in nature.
When you place that next to the tweet
general manager Jim Hendry will return next year unless Ricketts changes his mind,
Suddenly you can see the veiled thoughts….“changes his mind” and “status of the Cubs front office right now is premature”
Now take that in context of a bigger more strategic development, the rebuilding of Wrigley Field (with public financing) and you can see the writing on the wall.
Ricketts comes out and announces a new position; COO of baseball operations and moves Kenney over to off field business development where Ricketts can fully concentrate on getting the new Wrigley Field financed and built (along with surrounding new properties). This takes Tom (and family) out of the limelight of baseball decisions and puts him in the comfortable back room of financing a major development.
Hendry is given the opportunity to stay on a senior consultant in transition to the new COO so that things are controlled. This is why I think there were no wholesale trades on July 30th as someone else wanted to be in control…
But we shall see…
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
Thank you for showing why I hate 'tweeting' breaking news
In 5 ridiculous paragraphs.
He never spells Sandberg right either.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!
To him, names are merely literary devices in his prose.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 5:55 PM CDT up reply actions
santo and sue, unfortunately I haven't set up my dragon software yet
though my severe dyslexia is acute when typing names….sorry it imposes on you.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
Everyone can proof-read and take the time to correct errors...
you’ve been doing the same things for at least the last 3 years with Sandberg’s name on a pretty consistent basis. After the first dozen or so times, people just figure you don’t care or are doing it on purpose. ESPECIALLY since this appears to be the first time I’ve seen you explain why it’s always misspelled.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
One of my co-workers has severe dyslexia.
And yet she is always good at not only writing, but proofreading the things she writes.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 6:26 PM CDT up reply actions
sadly this medium I admit I don't proof read enough in part
in other communication I often type it, print it, walk away up for a day, edit it, print it, have someone else proof it, and finalize it, often 3 days later
everyone’s dyslexia is different though,
my daughter’s is a short term memory dysfunction, causing a slow reading issue while my son’s is a problem where he can’t recognize the phenom of words and has to memorize entire words,
she is cum laude and he is summa cum laude
and both got interventions in elementary school, I did not….where I got used to simply dictating…
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
yet these things often are not so radical when you understand things in context
Ricketts’ family gets control of team at the October 2009, far too late to do anything wholesale and the conventional thought is that the Cubs will compete in 2010 anyway.
2010 is blamed on Piniella but Ricketts is more worried about more foundational aspects of the club going forward. Wrigley Field, the most important asset of the team needs to be completely refurbished for the next 25-30 years if the club is going to be healthy. Secondly is the spring training, minor league and international development facilities and process.
Ricketts focuses on this while the expect that a top 5 payroll will hold the line at the major league level until they can focus on this, but life doesn’t allow this kind of board room timing. In Nov Cubs get approval from Mesa for a new spring training facility.
So the Cubs had a good draft signings in 2011 first time in the top third in $$ and prospects.
In the meantime the major league club is falling apart. And at the same time the Cubs need to focus on their biggest challenge—-rebuilding and revamping Wrigley Field.
Boston and NY did it, Cubs will have to do it. But at the same time they have to rebuild or build an actual competitive front office for the MLB club. Ricketts and family know they don’t have the skills to do this and now it is apparent that Hendry & Co are not able to do it either.
So now the timing is right to work on both items, Ricketts and Family working with the mayor and banks in financing Wrigley while having a new professional team actually build a front office regime.
This is a dream but
My heart tells me that if it is Gillick (reprise of the Phillies connection) Gillick brings with him one of the best Asst GM’s installs him/her as the Cubs new GM, but also he brings with him Ryne Sandberg as the Cubs Mgr who also brings with him Larry Bowa as his 3rd Base Coach and Jim Riggleman as his Bench Coach and the reprise of Mazzone as their pitching coach—-thanks to Greg Maddux who is named as Asst GM.
The Cubs seriously look to become the best fundamental team, a turnaround of monumental proportions where Sandberg and Co. bring about the best pitching and defense not ever witnessed here.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
I have dream!
That ivy walls’ dream comes true!
by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 19, 2011 2:58 AM CDT up reply actions
The other reason I am skeptical of major changes in this announcement
Is that, as I’ve relayed before, it removes Ricketts’ ability to do anything next year of consequence if things once again go poorly which, based on the team’s current talent, payroll obligations and other factors appears very possible if not likely. If you can the GM and/or Quade, it basically means that no matter how bad things get next year, odds are no major changes can be made. Fans have already accepted this year is a failure and tuned out en masse, so as bad as the team might play the rest of the way the heat will be manageable. Next year I’d think Ricketts would want to retain some control to make big adjustments if things turn sour early.
Ok Al, so let's look at it this way.
Let’s say Hendry “blew up” or “dismantled” the team. And that if this insidious thing hadn’t happened, the entire 2008 team could have been brought back in tact. Awesome!
I’m sure that 2009 Cubs team would have been just as good the next year! Let’s see how they did!
Player – WAR (net loss / gain)
Kerry Wood – .4 (-1.8)
Geovany Soto – 1.2 (-2.5)
Aramis Ramirez – 2.2 (-2.7)
Mark Derosa – 1.9 (-2.4)
Alfonso Soriano – -.1 (-4.2)
Rich Harden – 1.9 (-2.6)
Ryan Theriot – 2.5 (-1.1)
Mike Fontenot – .3 (-2.8)
Reed Johnson – .3 (-1.3)
Ryan Dempster – 3.8 (-1.4)
Carlos Marmol – .6 (-.7)
Shark – -.3 (-.8)
Cotts – -.4 (-.5)
Cedeno – -.4 (-.6)
That’s 25.4 Wins worse just from that group.
On the plus side:
Derrek Lee – 5.2 (2)
Zambrano – 3.7 (.8)
Wuertz – 2.4 (2.2)
Marquis – 3.8 (1.9)
Marshall – 1 (.4)
Lilly – 3.8 (1)
8.3 wins gain offset that, so you’re left with a team that’s 17.1 wins worse.
So there’s your 2009 Cubs Al, 17.1 wins worse than 2008 which makes them… oh, pretty much the same team they ended up being in 2009. Maybe slightly worse.
*Fukudome was 1-win better in 2009, but that’s almost entirely due to the position switch so I’m not including that. Nor am I including Blanco, whose WAR increased even though he was worse in 2009, due to increased playing time.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 5:01 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
plugging in #'s cannot tell you what would have happened....
but I’m pretty sure everyone here get’s what you’ve been repeating over and over again. You don’t blame Hendry for the disappointing season of 2009. Noted.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 5:03 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Plugging in numbers is better than waving your hands and saying it's all Hendry's fault
Sorry if the facts don’t support the narrative you’ve constructed about what happened in 2009. I think Hendry should go, and I think he made his share of mistakes in 2009, but I also think that injuries, bad luck, and regression played a much larger role in that failure.
by Wreckard on Aug 18, 2011 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
As I recall the changes made in 2009 didn't work.
Those are the actual numbers that count to me, not the projected ones.
by Fraggin Judge on Aug 18, 2011 9:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes, but the projected ones are supposed to make you feel better about it. Or something.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 9:35 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't think you understand the point I was making
I’m not saying the decisions in 2009 worked out. I’m saying that even if the same team had come back 100% in tact (which was a literal impossibility) the result wouldn’t have been much different.
Also you have to take into account why the players were not as good with the other teams.
My only example is Reed Johnson. We got rid of him and he played like crap. We brought him back to this team and he is one of the best role players on this team. That is why you cant plug in numbers. Derosa’s WAR dropped the next year but if he stays with the cubs it might have been the same. We keep Wood his numbers don’t drop. Along with a couple of other players then we are fine. Yeah Cedano, Fontenot and a couple of others you get rid of but not 10 people. Also didn’t people blame the playoffs sweeps due to not having a playoff caliber team. Oh but wasn’t it Sweet Lou who took our number one pitcher out of the game in the sixth to save him for game 4. I still haven’t witnessed Game 4
I'm expecting
Step1. Gillick to be announced as future Prez. He’ll be given time to assess the needs of the team and who will stay and move on. Eventually Hendry will resign after the season for the good of the organization and a replacement will be names. New GM will replace Quade.
Step 2. Pigs will fly.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
by tharr on Aug 18, 2011 5:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Step 3. Cook County issues hunting licenses for flying pigs.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 5:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Step 4. Dogs and Cats start living together.
Step 5. Brett Favre apologizes to the Packers for his misdeeds in mid-2008.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Step 6. SBNation includes this in their comment features..
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions
LOL
You win. I think I’m going to have a lot of fun annoying people using that site.
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State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions
maybe Ricketts got a call from God to run for President
and plans to announce it
Chronologically inept since 2060
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by dtpollitt n SWL on Aug 18, 2011 7:05 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
I wish there was an rss feed just for your guy's posts.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions
shut up idot.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 18, 2011 9:33 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll be sure to add your post to my RSS feed.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 18, 2011 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Well said, Al, but...
reading Bruce Miles’ article that Hendry is probably staying and the recent news I think it is probable that Mr. Rickett’s announcement will be about the mayor’s endorsement of a new financing plan to refurbish Wrigley Field and the Triangle Building.
It seems that those who said that if Hendry wasn’t gone before the trade deadline he would probably stay beyond that were right. So, I guess I have to start looking for another team to root for because this one is going nowhere in my lifetime.
Great Post Al.
It just galls me that this team is so fundamentally inept………….. Honesty compels me to say, if I were Hendry, I think I would take responsibility for this-blankety-blank-blankety-blank-blankety-blank-chicken-dog-cat-cow-goat-hog-horse-manure train-wreck debacle and resign.
I haven't read the whole thread.....
But my $00.02 would be to compare it to Doug Collins —→ Phil Jackson with the Bulls. Jim has no doubt done some good things with/for the Cubs….BUT I think it’s clear he isn’t the GM to “get the Cubs to the next level”…..Can’t complain about the 1st “winning decade” in my lifetime…..and 3 playoff appearances in 6 years….it’s a start…..but the Cubs need “new management” to get to the next level….IMHO…there’s so excuse for the Cubs to NOT be in the central mix year in and out given their vast financial “edge” over the rest of the teams in the division.
The best defense is a good offense.....
Dusty Baker is the only manager in the last 100+ years to lead the Cubs to a post season series win....
"Take the hands off the clock, we're gong to be here a while"
You can have all the money in the world...
it doesn’t mean they’ll play come October or the rest of the year.
by ChicagoBlues1983 on Aug 18, 2011 11:44 PM CDT up reply actions
Is anybody down with Hendry....
Blowing up the team and rebuilding from scratch? I’m not but it is better than trying o make this team a contender.
Hendry shouldn't be allowed to be the one to do it.
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by Nunyabidness on Aug 19, 2011 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions
I agree...
I am fairly new to the site, with that said, I agree with kcjones’s post regarding the Doug Collins-Phil Jackson example. My question is this…if Ricketts dumps Hendry, Q , etc. where does he find better replacements?? I like Ryno…I think Ryno is the hire to make IF you are serious about changing the culture..clean house and start fresh…but where would we go for a GM?? Beinfest, Ng, Friendman??? I am curious.
Still think it is all about leaving Boise
All the other stuff is smokescreen
by doofus cubs guy on Aug 19, 2011 8:57 AM CDT reply actions
Bush takes over as interim GM
Doesn’t that mean Quade stays?
wow wow wow
Never thought I’d seen this day….Al and others that felt that Ricketts wouldn’t fire Hendry, I owe u an apology….you guys were right……this is a great day for Cubs fans….I honestly haven’t felt this good since 2003…..this team does hold people accountable…I am proud of this team and I have renewed faith and trust in Ricketts…..maybe he isn’t a bad owner….
Rejoice!!! Hendry is gone!!! Feels goodman!!!
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by Unclemike on Aug 19, 2011 10:51 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
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