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<!--quoteo(post=14819:date=Jan 30 2009, 09:40 AM:name=veryzer)-->QUOTE (veryzer @ Jan 30 2009, 09:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14814:date=Jan 30 2009, 09:10 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 09:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->I have been considering the possibility that Lou is behind some of this shit, but the buck stops with Hendry.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
IMO, every single move this offseason has come because that's what Lou wanted.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
me too. there's no doubt in my mind.
as for hendry. the lateral or negative moves aren't significant enough to really hurt this team and the positive moves are really gonna help.
i like the team the way it's constituted. my only real concern is injuries. if we can stay relatively healthy or at the very least not all get injured at the same time, we'll be just fine in 2009.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
What were the positive moves? Bradley? Considering how much time he'll play, he'll basically replace Edmond's production for the 2 or 3 months we had him. Gregg? He's a small step back from Wood. Miles? He's a huge step back from DeRosa. Bako is a step back from Blanco (not that a backup catcher is going to make a huge difference, but still). I have no idea who our #5 starter will be, but maybe they'll be better than Marquis. Who really knows? Probably a lateral move, at best.
We'll probably still win the division, but that isn't because we improved. It's because the NL Central is going to blow.
The problem is that Hendry was incredibly active this offseason -- he probably made more moves than any GM in baseball so far, but where has it gotten us? He's just wasted resources, as far as I can tell.
The DeRosa deal was really the kicker. We got dogshit in return for him, and look how valuable he would be the way this team is constructed. He could play 2B when we're facing a LHP. He could play RF when Bradley hurts his vagina. He could play 3B when Ramirez goes down. He could spell Lee at 1B to give him a day off here and there. Without having a starting spot on the team, he could play in 100+ games, easily. Instead, we have Aaron Miles.
And don't tell me it was some sort of salary issue. DeRosa will be making $5.5M this season. That's an absolute bargain. Miles is getting paid $2.2M this year and we have him for $2.7M in 2010 for some reason. Did we really need to give Aaron fucking Miles a two-year deal to land him? In this market, was Miles worth $5M over two years? The answer to both questions is a big, fat no.
We should still win somewhere between 88 and 92 games, IMO. But that doesn't mean Hendry had a good offseason.
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I'm just not convinced that we are a better playoff team at this point, and that seems to have been Hendry's focus since October.
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<!--quoteo(post=14814:date=Jan 30 2009, 08:10 AM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 08:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->I have been considering the possibility that Lou is behind some of this shit, but the buck stops with Hendry.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
IMO, every single move this offseason has come because that's what Lou wanted.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Absolutely. I said right when the playoffs ended how the team's main goal was going to be to get more left-handed because that's what Lou wanted.
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<!--quoteo(post=14829:date=Jan 30 2009, 09:28 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Jan 30 2009, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm just not convinced that we are a better playoff team at this point, and that seems to have been Hendry's focus since October.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, we couldn't possibly be worse. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]
@TheBlogfines
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<!--quoteo(post=14829:date=Jan 30 2009, 10:28 AM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Jan 30 2009, 10:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm just not convinced that we are a better playoff team at this point, and that seems to have been Hendry's focus since October.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We're basically exactly the same team, more left handed with different names, but pretty much the same team.
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<!--quoteo(post=14835:date=Jan 30 2009, 11:25 AM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 11:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14829:date=Jan 30 2009, 10:28 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Jan 30 2009, 10:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm just not convinced that we are a better playoff team at this point, and that seems to have been Hendry's focus since October.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We're basically exactly the same team, more left handed with different names, but pretty much the same team.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
exactly.
and to say bradley is just gonna replace edmond's production is just silly. edmonds had some clutch hits, some good games, but overall he was just average. even if bradley ends up playing the exact amount of games that edmonds did, he's gonna be much much better. i also think the bullpen is going to be stronger as well.
otherwise, as ruby said (and i'm not sure i've ever agreed with ruby as much as i have lately, which is scary) this team is pretty much the same team as last years, just more lefthanded.
Wang.
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Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).
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<!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
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<!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
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<!--quoteo(post=14852:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
We sure did, but he fell off a cliff late in the season. He was on fire for a month or so but pretty non-existent for the rest of his time here. I just hope that we get more consistent production between CF/RF than last season, barring injuries of course.
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<!--quoteo(post=14852:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley is leaps and bounds better than Edmonds, he was arguably the best offensive player in the MLB last season, it's not close.
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<!--quoteo(post=14888:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14852:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley is leaps and bounds better than Edmonds, he was arguably the best offensive player in the MLB last season, it's not close.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm only talking about the period of time Edmonds was a Cub. His SLG was better than Bradley's last year in that timeframe. Yes -- Bradley bests him in BA and OBP, but this isn't Bako vs. Bonds. It's closer than you think.
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<!--quoteo(post=14890:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:52 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14888:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14852:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley is leaps and bounds better than Edmonds, he was arguably the best offensive player in the MLB last season, it's not close.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm only talking about the period of time Edmonds was a Cub. His SLG was better than Bradley's last year in that timeframe. Yes -- Bradley bests him in BA and OBP, but this isn't Bako vs. Bonds. It's closer than you think.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So we can just ignore what Edmonds did in San Diego and how he disappeared for almost 2 months at the end of the season? It's not close Butch, you know it too.
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<!--quoteo(post=14895:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:57 PM:name=ruby23)-->QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 02:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14890:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:52 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14888:date=Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 02:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14852:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14850:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14846:date=Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 01:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Edmonds' OPS+ with the Cubs was 136. That's far above average -- especially for a CF. He hit 19 homers in 85 games. I think it's possible that you're forgetting how good Edmonds was as a Cub. In fact, Edmonds' slugging percentage was better than any other hitter on our team (including Ramirez and Soriano).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley/Fuk/Johnson > Edmonds/Fuk/Johnson
The production is just gonna be coming primarily from RF instead of CF.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you really need to include the /Fuk/Johnson to both sides of the equation?
Are you saying that Bradley is a better hitter than Edmonds? Yes, he is. But not by as much as you guys seem to think. We got a ton of production out of Edmonds during his short time with us.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bradley is leaps and bounds better than Edmonds, he was arguably the best offensive player in the MLB last season, it's not close.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm only talking about the period of time Edmonds was a Cub. His SLG was better than Bradley's last year in that timeframe. Yes -- Bradley bests him in BA and OBP, but this isn't Bako vs. Bonds. It's closer than you think.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
So we can just ignore what Edmonds did in San Diego and how he disappeared for almost 2 months at the end of the season? It's not close Butch, you know it too.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
For 2009, I want Bradley over Edmonds -- and it isn't close. But I'm talking about the 2008 Cubs vs. the 2009 Cubs. What Edmonds did in 2008 for the Cubs probably won't be eclipsed by all that much by what Bradley does for the 2009 Cubs. That's all I'm saying.
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<!--quoteo(post=14827:date=Jan 30 2009, 10:15 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 30 2009, 10:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14819:date=Jan 30 2009, 09:40 AM:name=veryzer)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (veryzer @ Jan 30 2009, 09:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=14814:date=Jan 30 2009, 09:10 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Jan 30 2009, 09:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <!--quotec-->I have been considering the possibility that Lou is behind some of this shit, but the buck stops with Hendry.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
IMO, every single move this offseason has come because that's what Lou wanted.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
me too. there's no doubt in my mind.
as for hendry. the lateral or negative moves aren't significant enough to really hurt this team and the positive moves are really gonna help.
i like the team the way it's constituted. my only real concern is injuries. if we can stay relatively healthy or at the very least not all get injured at the same time, we'll be just fine in 2009.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--coloro:#0000FF--> <!--/coloro-->What were the positive moves? Bradley? Considering how much time he'll play, he'll basically replace Edmond's production for the 2 or 3 months we had him. Gregg? He's a small step back from Wood. Miles? He's a huge step back from DeRosa. Bako is a step back from Blanco (not that a backup catcher is going to make a huge difference, but still). I have no idea who our #5 starter will be, but maybe they'll be better than Marquis. Who really knows? Probably a lateral move, at best.
We'll probably still win the division, but that isn't because we improved. It's because the NL Central is going to blow.
The problem is that Hendry was incredibly active this offseason -- he probably made more moves than any GM in baseball so far, but where has it gotten us? He's just wasted resources, as far as I can tell.
The DeRosa deal was really the kicker. We got dogshit in return for him, and look how valuable he would be the way this team is constructed. He could play 2B when we're facing a LHP. He could play RF when Bradley hurts his vagina. He could play 3B when Ramirez goes down. He could spell Lee at 1B to give him a day off here and there. Without having a starting spot on the team, he could play in 100+ games, easily. Instead, we have Aaron Miles.
And don't tell me it was some sort of salary issue. DeRosa will be making $5.5M this season. That's an absolute bargain. Miles is getting paid $2.2M this year and we have him for $2.7M in 2010 for some reason. Did we really need to give Aaron fucking Miles a two-year deal to land him? In this market, was Miles worth $5M over two years? The answer to both questions is a big, fat no.
We should still win somewhere between 88 and 92 games, IMO. But that doesn't mean Hendry had a good offseason.<!--colorc-->
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Butcher and I have always agreed about 95% on all "baseball/Chicago Cubs" topics. Which is why I've always considered it a bit mystifying that he's the most popular guy on the board, and I'm about the least popular.
Maybe it's because he's a cool guy, and I'm a dick.
But that 95% has been upped to 100% with this post of his.
It's perfectly written and <b>completely accurate.</b>
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance
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