12-23-2009, 08:44 PM
Agreed that payroll $ per win is a BS stat but as more people criticize Cubs spending it comes in handy.
Regarding Hendry era, the Cubs have operated in 2 extremely different modes and as GM Hendry has operated accordingly. It's extremely difficult to evaluate a guy who spends his first 4 years as GM operating in a tight spending environment followed by 2 years of spending like a drunken sailor then returning to a tight spending environment.
With the Tribune and Andy MacPhail in charge, the Cubs operated under a small market team atmosphere. MacPhail made his mark with the Twins a small market team with an excellent farm system. The Tribune thought the Twins model of developing home grown talent made sense so he and was brought in to revamp the Cubs organization. By the time, Hendry was made GM 2002/3 MacPhail's tenure was getting old but the Cubs still operated under relatively tight budgets. The Cubs would sign occasional veteran to make certain the bleachers were packed and would kick the tires on big name free agents but rarely made a truly, significant free agent signing. Probably the best example of this activity would be Carlos Beltran free agency in 2004/5. The Cubs showed up at the table to check out Carlos but no way were they interested in actually spending enough cash to sign him.
Everything changes in 2007. When Zell took over in 2007 and decided to sell the Cubs, the Tribune opened up its coffers and decided to spend like a drunken sailor in order to improve the team as quickly as possible. In 2007, Hendry overpays for Soriano and Z but makes decent deals for Lilly, DeRosa and Aramis. In 2008, again Hendry overpays for Fukudome.
In 2009 with bankruptcy looming for the Tribune, the Cubs go back to a tight budget and Hendry screws up leaving the team without backup third baseman and trading away enough budget to sign Bradley and Gregg.
It appears that 2010 is another tight budget year. He moved Bradley and got cash but who knows what the hell is going to happen.
The only issue I'm pointing out is that the guy has operated under near polar opposite budgetary environments so judging him over this span becomes challenging.
Regarding Hendry era, the Cubs have operated in 2 extremely different modes and as GM Hendry has operated accordingly. It's extremely difficult to evaluate a guy who spends his first 4 years as GM operating in a tight spending environment followed by 2 years of spending like a drunken sailor then returning to a tight spending environment.
With the Tribune and Andy MacPhail in charge, the Cubs operated under a small market team atmosphere. MacPhail made his mark with the Twins a small market team with an excellent farm system. The Tribune thought the Twins model of developing home grown talent made sense so he and was brought in to revamp the Cubs organization. By the time, Hendry was made GM 2002/3 MacPhail's tenure was getting old but the Cubs still operated under relatively tight budgets. The Cubs would sign occasional veteran to make certain the bleachers were packed and would kick the tires on big name free agents but rarely made a truly, significant free agent signing. Probably the best example of this activity would be Carlos Beltran free agency in 2004/5. The Cubs showed up at the table to check out Carlos but no way were they interested in actually spending enough cash to sign him.
Everything changes in 2007. When Zell took over in 2007 and decided to sell the Cubs, the Tribune opened up its coffers and decided to spend like a drunken sailor in order to improve the team as quickly as possible. In 2007, Hendry overpays for Soriano and Z but makes decent deals for Lilly, DeRosa and Aramis. In 2008, again Hendry overpays for Fukudome.
In 2009 with bankruptcy looming for the Tribune, the Cubs go back to a tight budget and Hendry screws up leaving the team without backup third baseman and trading away enough budget to sign Bradley and Gregg.
It appears that 2010 is another tight budget year. He moved Bradley and got cash but who knows what the hell is going to happen.
The only issue I'm pointing out is that the guy has operated under near polar opposite budgetary environments so judging him over this span becomes challenging.