Friday, October 06, 2006

News From the Worldwide Leader

The boys over at ESPN were stirring up the waters today concerning the Cubs. The Dali Lama (Peter Gammons) said that it looks like Jim Hendry and John McDonough may be on the verge of their first spat. According to Gammons, McDonough prefers Joe Girardi as the Cubs next manager, while Hendry wants Lou Pinella.

For McDonough, Girardi has the connection to the Cubs and the appreciation for the Cubs place in history that McD wants in a manager. Pinella, on the other hand, is Hendry's guy because of Pinella's reputation as a players manager (despite his oft viewed fight with Rob Dibble during Pinella's days with the Reds). Hendry feels it will be easier to sign free agents with Pinella in place, which may be true. The question is, who will make the final decision? McDonough or Hendry?

Buster Olney is reporting that the Yankees may be forced to trade ARod, unless ARod has an exceptional post-season. Olney's reasoning is that he doesn't think ARod can can have the type of performance he is capable of in the situation he finds himself in in NY. The fans are constantly on him, the media expects way too much out of him, and even his teammates are relatively unsupportive. In fact, another reason the Yanks may need to move ARod is because of the toll the ARod sage takes on his fellow Yanks.

Olney's comments track with the observations I made a few days ago concerning ARod. I don't see any way he can return to the Yankees in 2007 and be expected to perform considering the untenable position he is in. And this creates an opportunity for the Cubs. The Cubs have the arms that the Yankees would need in exchange for ARod, and they also certainly have the need for his services, particularly if they don't re-sign Aramis Ramirez.

Which brings up another point. Much is being made in blogdom about the imperitive of re-signing ARam. ARam is valuable, but he is not irreplaceable. Free agents can be signed, trades can be made. The Cubs can contend, even without ARam. Granted, he is one of the better 3rd basemen in MLB. However, a contending team can be built without ARam's services.

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