All right. You wanted to know my thoughts on postseason awards? Here it is: they are not worth the newspaper they are printed on.
Congratulations to Geo Blanco, aka, Hank White's "Mini Me." Soto said recently that the Cubs "need" to re-sign Blanco. Geo "needs" to work on plate discipline and learn more about national league hitters and their tendencies. (Like, they "tend" to hit flat fastballs in fastball situations a long way. That kind of stuff.) He needs to let Hendry manage the roster.
Congratulations to Lou for winning the NL Manager of the Year. How did THAT happen? We spend a ton of money and load the roster for him. Trade for Harden. Add Edmonds and Johnson. All that's on Hendry. And Lou "manages" to do what everyone in baseball EXPECTED him to do. Win the central. That was what he did. He met expectations for the regular season. Nothing more. And we all know of his postseason managerial success in recent years. Six and out.
They say that a manager, a good one, anyhow, can account for up to seven wins in a season that the team would not have had otherwise. I don't know if I can give Lou that many...where his decisions helped snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Yes, Smitty, I said snatch. Quit the giggling. Maybe May 30. When we were down to the Rockies 9 - 1 in the sixth and we scored nine unanswered runs to win the game. That was the day Lou said "thems has lots of points, Larry. You play manager man and me go get pizza." We won that day. Why? Because Larry went with him, that's why. Daryl Ward managed the team to victory that day.
Speaking of postseason awards -- Lincecum deserved the NL Cy Young. Good call for a change. He was great on a shitty team.
The Peavy sweepstakes continue. Now the Braves are the frontrunners. They are offering pretty much everyone they have, plus a Jane Fonda "Klute" poster. Peavy wants an extension, too -- which could make him a 5/80 guy. Now I know he's a great pitcher, but at some point it makes sense to keep the farm system and just go get a free agent pitcher who is as good, or close to it, doesn't it? Don't get me wrong -- I'd take the guy in a minute, but at some point the cost is TOO much...what's that point? Let's hope Hendry knows.
I think we should re-sign Wood and Dempster and THEN pursue these other guys. Not the other way around, or you risk losing them all. This tells them (W & D) that they only fit if we can't find anyone better...which might piss them off to seek employment elsewhere. Baseball players are sensitive. It's only money. Sign them. Let Lou do it. He's the manager of the year, after all.
Well, I have stuff to do. Looking forward to reading your pithy comments. No I don't lisp. I meant pithy. Why did they put an "s" in lisp? That's just wrong.
I leave Jim Hendry with this sage advice: Big money, no whammies.
best to cb
js
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maybe Chummers can now win Pitching coach of the year...as voted on by flat fastball lovin' Nat'l League hitters...and Gerald Perry can win hitting coach of the year, as voted on by pitchers who love the down and away breaking ball for strike 3...where will it end? Quade gets 3rd base coach of the year, as voted on by the outfield assist coalition, and Alan Trammel would surely win top facial complexion award, as voted on by Otis Nixon and Bryan Adams.
What's wrong with Trammel's complexion?
The "S" is lisp, was placed there to torture small children who lisp. You can't raz adults who lisp because that would be gay bashing.
Lou did deserve an award, at least a Shermie, as he did go into the play off back to back for the first time in a couple of years, I think we might have been told that once or twice throughout the season.
Hendry also deserves an award as you pointed out, he assembled the parts Lou utilized.
These are regular season awards, not post season, so it seems fair.
Now as for post season awards, the goose that laid the giant turd award could be liberally spread across most of the north side.
I'm hoping acquiring Gregg from the Marlins is as a substitute for Bobby Whackit.
He's not an acceptable alternative to Wood.
You said Whackit and Wood. Heh heh.
Gregg is barely an acceptable replacement for Howry. I think we need to lock up Wood, regardless of what we do with the starting rotation. I'd like to think he'll only get better each year as a closer...we need his best years to be as a Cub.
There is also always the possibility that he was acquired to be used as part of a larger (read Peavy) deal...
ESPN.com (cyber fish-wrap) reports that the Gregg acquisition=bye bye Kerry. Gregg will set up, and the Marmot will close. Also reporting that the Braves and Pads are not even close on the Peavy deal. Maybe the Pads will take Bobby Gas-can in the Peavy deal. Call it Pie, Theriot, Veal, Marshall, and Whackit for Peavy and Khalil. That deal gets Hendry the Shermie for best trade by a walking Dunkin'Donuts billboard.
I suppose its possible that Hendry grabbed Gregg as additional bait in the Peavy fishing derby...seeings the Padres are divorcing Hoffman after 20 odd years. Maybe its Gregg in the deal instead of Marshall....that'd be OK.
No Wood is No Good. I said NOT as an alternative to Wood.
Whackit is a free agent, so we can't trade him, but can buy him a bus ticket.
I understand why Hendry let Kerry go, he will get a big contract with multiple years, and will spend some of that time on the DL. But it still makes me sad.
Say it isnt so....Kerry Wood leaving.
Stupido!
One of the last remaingin long termers.
Kinda like when they let Santo go to the Sox!
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