NL Central Pissing Match - 2011

[Hards Alumni]

They weren't waiting tickets, just for Bierbrauers t-shirts, which were the absolute tits yesterday BTW.

You were there too?

[MerrittsMustache]

Whatever the case may be, this is a picture from earlier today (presumably around the lunch hour):



The parking lots haven't even opened yet for today's game, and the six open ticket windows I can see are 7-12 people deep.

If you've got 50+ people in line at a given moment - in Milwaukee, no less - on a Monday morning/afternoon waiting to buy tickets (when they can more conveniently be purchased online), I can't think of a better way to demonstrate "buzz."

The only way there could be more buzz over this team right now would be to shoot Brent Williams out of a cannon over Miller Park. (EDIT: Something which I am absolutely NOT advocating as a faithful Warrior.)

Thanks for posting. Apparently there is more buzz than I had thought...although clearly those are all bandwagon fans waiting in line and filling up Miller Park otherwise they would have their tickets months ago and been going to games since at least the Billy Jo Robidoux Era. 

[reinko]

Thanks for posting. Apparently there is more buzz than I had thought...although clearly those are all bandwagon fans waiting in line and filling up Miller Park otherwise they would have their tickets months ago and been going to games since at least the Billy Jo Robidoux Era. 

Keep my name out your mouth!

[GGGG]

So....the Cubs let Hendry oversee the trade deadline and the draft....

And then they fired him in mid-August.  Bizarre.

[JWags85]

So....the Cubs let Hendry oversee the trade deadline and the draft....

And then they fired him in mid-August.  Bizarre.

Maybe giving him one last chance to make competent moves and when he bungled it (I personally think he was awful at the deadline), they had seen enough.

Either way, im too busy celebrating to worry about it.

[🏀]

Either way, im too busy celebrating to worry about it.

+1

[MerrittsMustache]

Maybe giving him one last chance to make competent moves and when he bungled it (I personally think he was awful at the deadline), they had seen enough.

Either way, im too busy celebrating to worry about it.

From what I understand, Ricketts wouldn't let Hendry have a fire sale at the deadline because that would have (in theory) made the team even worse which would have led to more empty seats and less money coming in. He wasn't going to hire a new GM or even promote an interim GM and then tie that guy's hands. Hendry was basically the fall guy.

Though Hendry is not thought of very highly right now, I actually think he was a very good GM for the Cubs. He was really the first guy to bring in well-respected, big name managers. Hiring Dusty Baker, fresh off a pennant, changed the dynamic of the organization and actually showed a commitment to winning. Hendry was able to build a team that should have won the pennant in '03 and another team that finished with the best record in the NL in '08 because he took risks in an attempt to win the World Series. Those risks obviously didn't pay off and the team has fallen off the map since '08 but had either the '03 or '08 team won the WS, Hendry would never have to pay for another meal in Chicago again. Since it didn't work out, he's unemployed.

[Henry Sugar]

Maybe giving him one last chance to make competent moves and when he bungled it (I personally think he was awful at the deadline), they had seen enough.

Either way, im too busy celebrating to worry about it.

Crane Kenney remains as team president.

[GGGG]

Anybody can spend money wildly and hand out bad long-term contracts for short-term gain.  Frankly I could have done that.  Hendry was terrible because he failed to build a decent baseball organization from the top down.

[🏀]

Anybody can spend money wildly and hand out bad long-term contracts for short-term gain.  Frankly I could have done that.  Hendry was terrible because he failed to build a decent baseball organization from the top down.

To be fair, he was never allowed to build it from the top down. From Tribune to Zell to Ricketts (until now), they all needed asses in the seats and new jerseys on the backs. Signing free agents and trading prospects for names was the method to do just that.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Trib pushing Hahn for the job.  May not be too out there as he fits the bill, and Ricketts wants a baseball only guy (with analytics) in there and not a new overall President as Kenny will stay to finish the Arizona development. 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/cbsports-cubs-search-could-be-short-hahn-is-right-man-20110819,0,624748.story

Meanwhile, Sandberg has improved the Phil's AAA team 44 games and is fighting with the BoSox affiliate for first place.  Hahn, although with the Sox, is a Northsider and a big Cubs fan who understands the fanbase. Sandberg would put fans in the seats and knows the Cubs farm and has the respect of vets. Some of you guys think I am nuts about him, but he will be a great big league manager.  Kiss Quade good-bye.  Fielder nor Pujois would ever play for him, and he is already losing the kids on how he rides the rookies but let's the vets slide.  Even on Zambrano, Hendry was the one who stepped foreword and acted. That was a clubhouse matter, and Quade just showed he was Hendry's and Bush's toady.

Hendry could buy talent, but he was too short-sighted and then the talent would burn-out, leaving a big talent void after the quick hits--as he over spent his $$ on long-term dead-enders.  Ricketts had had enough of his throwing good money after bad, and wants to build for the long-term. Hahn has done it all.

[MerrittsMustache]

Hendry could buy talent, but he was too short-sighted and then the talent would burn-out, leaving a big talent void after the quick hits--as he over spent his $$ on long-term dead-enders.  Ricketts had had enough of his throwing good money after bad, and wants to build for the long-term. Hahn has done it all.

McDonaugh and Kenney were more responsible for the overpaying/long-term deals of Soriano and Zambrano.

[Dr. Blackheart]

McDonaugh and Kenney were more responsible for the overpaying/long-term deals of Soriano and Zambrano.

No doubt. The Trib and then Zell mismanaged their entire business portfolio, and in many cases, were borderline unlawful like the LA Times deal and the bankruptcies. Hendry was lead on these Cubs negotiations if you check the history, though, and gave away the house (no trade clauses) when he didn't need to. The backloaded nature of these deals were structured by the Trib boys to win now, I get all that.  However, Hendry kept doing it during/after the sale, most recently giving $10mm to Pena when he could have got him for $5mm. The Bradley deal was just insane. Everyone in the Chicago media is pushing Hahn as he is brilliant on negotiations, even McDonough's guy Rozner, which means Ricketts will do the opposite. Right call, two years too late.

[MUfan12]

For Merritt's Stache, some figures to back my Brewers buzz post up-

http://www.jsonline.com/business/128136078.html

[MerrittsMustache]

For Merritt's Stache, some figures to back my Brewers buzz post up-

http://www.jsonline.com/business/128136078.html

Thanks for sharing. Clearly I was in the dark on the Brewers' "buzz." Perhaps my first full baseball season in the 'burbs, as opposed to downtown, has kept me out of the loop 

[reinko]

Give me 3 weeks and I'll get back to you.

AHEM

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5883/zack-greinke

[dwaderoy2004]

victory in our bet that never happened!

[MerrittsMustache]

Kudos to you guys...although ZG could still implode on Saturday 

It's unfortunate that none of you were confident enough to actually take the bet when it was first presented.

[Benny B]

Kudos to you guys...although ZG could still implode on Saturday 

It's unfortunate that none of you were confident enough to actually take the bet when it was first presented.

Has anyone ever taken an MUScoop bet before?

[dwaderoy2004]

Kudos to you guys...although ZG could still implode on Saturday  

It's unfortunate that none of you were confident enough to actually take the bet when it was first presented.

WHAT!? YOU were the one who backed out of the bet.  You offered and asked what I wanted to bet.  I accepted and set the terms as the loser can no longer post in baseball threads.  You did not accept.  go back and check for yourself.  Bottom of page 17 and top of page 18...

EDIT:  looking closer, I actually offered the initial bet, as well.

[MerrittsMustache]

WHAT!? YOU were the one who backed out of the bet.  You offered and asked what I wanted to bet.  I accepted and set the terms as the loser can no longer post in baseball threads.  You did not accept.  go back and check for yourself.  Bottom of page 17 and top of page 18...

EDIT:  looking closer, I actually offered the initial bet, as well.

You offered, I asked what you wanted to bet, you said loser doesn't post on baseball threads anymore...and then it was my understanding that you tried to change the bet in your edit, which is not how I operate. Apparently I misunderstood but since I would have lost either way (barring a meltdown tomorrow), how about this...

I won't post* on MUScoop baseball-related threads until the Cubs are ahead of the Brewers in the regular season standings. Could be Opening Day 2012, could be September 2017. If Greinke does have a meltdown tomorrow and his ERA goes back up over 4.00, you do the same. What do you think?


* - I'll post on here to acknowledge the wager if you accept it.

[dwaderoy2004]

Yeah, I can see the misunderstanding...i guess, lol.  If you're down, I'm down.  Kudos on a clever wager as well.

I accept the terms and conditions of this agreement.

[BrewCity83]

Bummer...I was looking forward to hearing Merritt's take on the Brewers pennant run and World Series exploits.

[MerrittsMustache]

Yeah, I can see the misunderstanding...i guess, lol.  If you're down, I'm down.  Kudos on a clever wager as well.

I accept the terms and conditions of this agreement.

Farewell NL Central Pissing Match! Until we meet again!

[wadesworld]

Champs