Ken_Rosenthal Ken Rosenthal

Sources: Gillick not an option for #Cubs.

 

Bad news for the Cubs

Isnt he dead yet?

Having a brain cramp--who was our GM when we drafted Alex Fernandez, Frank Thomas and Robin?

Having a brain cramp--who was our GM when we drafted Alex Fernandez, Frank Thomas and Robin?

 

Ron Schueler.

Ron Schueler.

Larry Himes

Larry Himes

 

Wow, don't know where the heck my brain is, I was thinking late 90's, not late 80's...

Is till think the problem with the cubs was john mcdonough's involvement in player decisions.

 

I think his mo was to attract fans not wins and forced this issue on Hendry whether it was soriano, pinella or whatnot.

Yes! And the former owner, Sam Zell. I can't say they "forced" Hendry to dole out those big contracts, but clearly their vision was spend a lot on marquee names, make a big splash, and watch the value of the club go up. Hendry wasn't the greatest GM in the league, but he was also a victim of circumstance.

That's what I was thinking, just wondering if there was other stuff to it. Don't forget that Buster Olney said last week I believe that Cubs didn't want to break the bank for any one player.

 

It seems, then, that they have learned from their past mistakes and are going about the correct way of changing things. I hope we follow suit.

Even the Cubs are a step ahead of us now.

Yes! And the former owner, Sam Zell. I can't say they "forced" Hendry to dole out those big contracts, but clearly their vision was spend a lot on marquee names, make a big splash, and watch the value of the club go up. Hendry wasn't the greatest GM in the league, but he was also a victim of circumstance.

Shock" wouldn't be the word anybody would use to describe the Cubs' firing of Jim Hendry. But anyone who's blaming Hendry for the Cubs' glut of ugly contracts is ignoring one thing:

 

He was just following orders -- from an ownership group that was gearing up to sell and thought that winning, at just about any cost, was the way to get top dollar for the franchise.

Link

Link

 

is that quote bruce levine?

is that quote bruce levine?

Huh?

Even the Cubs are a step ahead of us now.

 

Well, not yet. Firing Hendry today really doesn't mean more than firing him after the season, unless they have waiver wire plans. But, they have the potential to be ahead of us now, and that is scary.

Well, not yet. Firing Hendry today really doesn't mean more than firing him after the season, unless they have waiver wire plans. But, they have the potential to be ahead of us now, and that is scary.

I meant in their organization making progress. We're obviously still ahead of them as far as personnel goes.

So if the GM who hired him is gone, is it a good guess that Quade's managerial career in Chicago ends this year?

ESPNStatsInfo ESPN Stats & Info

#Cubs before Jim Hendry as GM: 126 years & 2 division titles. WITH Hendry as GM: 10 years & 3 division titles.

 

ESPNStatsInfo ESPN Stats & Info

#Cubs before Jim Hendry as GM: 126 years & 2 division titles. WITH Hendry as GM: 10 years & 3 division titles.

 

That can't be right. They made the World Series ten times between 1906 & 1945.

That can't be right. They made the World Series ten times between 1906 & 1945.

 

I wonder if they are playing with the numbers since "divisons" didn't come along until the 1960's.

I wonder if they are playing with the numbers since "divisons" didn't come along until the 1960's.

 

LOL, I guess so. Then you can say that about nearly every team. In 100 seasons, the White Sox won 3 division titles. In just 10 seasons under KW, they have already won two of them. 1906, 1917, 1919, 1959 just don't count.

Link

Exactly.

I guess I'll be the one who steps in and defends Hendry's ridiculous contracts here.

 

In 2006-2007, when Hendry was signing anything that could move, the Tribune Company was clearly planning to sell off the Cubs. Everyone and their grandmother knew that. Jim Hendry's job at that point was to maximize revenue, to show how much money could possibly come in from a winning team. Even if they had high expenses, it gave a revenue baseline that could be used in selling the team.

 

Hendry did his job. He put together a team that made a 2 year run at trying to win a World Series. Made it to the playoffs with easy victories in the Central twice, and sold out that ballpark every game. Set them up so that they could ad additional ads and those sort of revenue streams.

 

Dude was told to win. Not to win while maintaining cost control, not to make sure this team is competitive for the next 5 years...win for those 2 years so that the team could be sold at a high value.

Didn't see this post until right now. Right on Balta. I'm surprised more people, especially Cubs fans, don't see things this way.

Didn't see this post until right now. Right on Balta. I'm surprised more people, especially Cubs fans, don't see things this way.

I understand how you do reach a point where you have to make him a sacrificial lamb for that fanbase to stay interested too, but there's no reason why he shouldn't be on the list the next time someone other than the Cubs is looking for a GM.

One more thing to add on to Balta's points. Yes the Soriano contract is awful right now. But he was the biggest FA out there, and Hendry had the mandate & the OK to sign him, so he did. Soriano was an important player for them in 07 & 08. As they battled for a division crown in 2007, he hit 14 homers alone in the month of September.

One more thing to add on to Balta's points. Yes the Soriano contract is awful right now. But he was the biggest FA out there, and Hendry had the mandate & the OK to sign him, so he did. Soriano was an important player for them in 07 & 08. As they battled for a division crown in 2007, he hit 14 homers alone in the month of September.

 

The Soriano contract has some similarities to the Marian Hossa contract with the Blackhawks (although I think Hossa at his peak is a better player). A deal with winning a championship early on specifically in mind. Regardless of how bad the Hossa contract ends up, the Hawks won a championship very early in it with him playing a big role, so the contract will always seem tolerable. With Soriano, the Cubs did win division titles his first 2 years, but the playoff failures make his contract just look like a total disaster. Especially now that he's not producing and old with the team being bad.

The Soriano contract has some similarities to the Marian Hossa contract with the Blackhawks (although I think Hossa at his peak is a better player). A deal with winning a championship early on specifically in mind. Regardless of how bad the Hossa contract ends up, the Hawks won a championship very early in it with him playing a big role, so the contract will always seem tolerable. With Soriano, the Cubs did win division titles his first 2 years, but the playoff failures make his contract just look like a total disaster. Especially now that he's not producing and old with the team being bad.

 

Great point. That 3 for 28 showing in their six playoff games will probably overshadow anything Fons did during the regular season.

What's the deal with their attendance? I thought it was way down this year. They just drew 42,343 today the most in 30 years? lolz