Again, at the time of the signing, you were getting a 40-40 guy with poor defense that you hoped could be hidden in left field. You had a lineup that had potential in some places and you hoped that Soriano's bat would take you over the top. And in all honesty, the second half of the '07 season and the '08 season you had one of the top three teams on offense in the whole league. Granted, Jacque Jones really drove the team bus the second half of '07, but Soriano's production that year was very good. 33 homers and a .299 batting average. Last year, he hits 29 home runs and a .280 batting average. Was he overpayed? Yes. But for that, he was your top offensive power producer the past two years. Unfortunately, he is having a bad season this year. Unfortunately, he has not hit in the playoffs as a Cub. Unfortunately, he has had some misplays in left. But unless the guy completely tanked the last two years, I cant see how you make that an argument for Hendry being fired.

Would you rather have had Carlos Lee the past two years? Seriously.

ATTN Elmhurst Steve:
Excellent review of the Jim Hendry issue. The only thing I would add to that is after all his years as a man in charge of the farm system and then GM,where is the product from the minors? Geovany Soto? Ryan Theriot? Ok,then what? Hendry has only that to show for all his years here? Reason enough to launch him. You were right on about that Cubs OF. I still think Bradley will rebound BUT I never would have touched the other 2 guys for that kind of money.

... except the night I dropped my pants and then loudly proclaimed I was the Whore of Babylon and demanded more wine, but that's another story.

You look at Homers, as if they are all that really counts. He is not a team player, thats what counts in my eyes. You have a tie game or are behind a run and have runners on 1st and second with nobody out, he's swinging for the fences even with 2 strikes on him, when all you need in for him to move those runners. He's always been a selfish, ignorant, lazy player. I don't give a shit if he were making just 5 million a year, I wouldn't have touched him with a 10 foot pole. I HATE Soriano as a player, always have and always will. Now when he's not hitting homers, all his other flaws get much more notice, but I saw the kind of player he was from the start and never would have signed him to play for the Cubs. Players of poor character...ME guys, (Soriano, Bradley) Hendry likes far too often.

... except the night I dropped my pants and then loudly proclaimed I was the Whore of Babylon and demanded more wine, but that's another story.

Yes. he's a better clutch hitter and actually plays a better LF. I wanted Lee at the time too and said as much on the radio-over Soriano. The contract would have been far more reasonable to boot. But I would rather have Lee, even if they could have signed Soriano at the same price.

... except the night I dropped my pants and then loudly proclaimed I was the Whore of Babylon and demanded more wine, but that's another story.

you hoped could be hidden in left field.

You can't hide anyone on the field in the Major Leagues-that's a silly thing to suggest.



he was your top offensive power producer the past two years.

The Cubs do not develop position players.

Wasnt Lee hurt though in '06, yet was still asking around $100 mil?

PUCKHEAD SAYS:The Cubs do not develop position players. They just dont. I dont know why. I assume it is because it is more difficult to develop hitters than pitchers. If the guy throws 95, and the Cubs had a lot of these guys, you could make a pretty safe bet he would perform in the majors. If the guy hits in the .300's in the minors (Jake Fox, Corey Patterson, Bobby Hill, Brooks Kieschniek, Felix Pie, Micah Hoffpauir...), it doesnt automatically translate that they will be able to do it in the majors. Do I fault Hendry for that? No. I think he realizes it and that is why since he has been a scout through today, he has focused on pitching prospects and pitching development. Look at the pitchers this guy drafted: Kerry Wood, Justin Speier, Kyle Lohse, Jon Garland, Adam Everett, Scott Downs, Dontrelle Willis, Todd Wellemeyer, Mark Prior, Ricky Nolasco. And as a GM, he has seen Carlos Marmol and Carlos Zambrano come up through the ranks.

The Cubs buy their position players. They have done that now for the past 8 years. I can take your argument to fire him if you think there is someone out there right now who can revamp the farm system to develop positional players. But, expect the Cubs to sucks balls for quite a while.

Many that is true, but an incomplete statement.

This thread is probably going to make Tim Raines want to do cocaine again.

It's more fun to be a victim

There will never be an effective vaccine. I'll never get one anyway.

Yes, I want Hendry fired. Any G.M that gets a payroll over 100 million needs to do better than this. IMO, Cashman and Omar should be fired also. The Mets have had injuries like the Cubs, but they have spent bad money also.

I have MANY years of experience in trying to appreciate steaming piles of dogshit.

The Yankees have the 3rd best record in baseball at 53-37 and lead the wildcard by 4 games.

... except the night I dropped my pants and then loudly proclaimed I was the Whore of Babylon and demanded more wine, but that's another story.

By the way, thanks for the good discussion. I am still not completely swayed, but you guys bring some good arguments to the table. I am still torn on how to look at the Soriano signing, especially after a few years go by and his skills continue to diminish. Ill be curious to revisit this closer to the end of the season, especially if the Cubs fail to make the playoffs.