As I was driving home from work last night, digesting the news of the day, it occurred to me that yesterday's events were a good illustration of the differences between the White Sox and the Cubs. Specifically, we saw the difference between Sox GM Kenny Williams and Cubs GM Jim Hendry. But more on that in a minute....
First, let's make one thing clear: The last 10-14 days have shown that both Chicago baseball teams are pretenders.
The Sox have lost eight out of nine games entering Tuesday's action. They are six games out of first with 30 games to play. They went 11-17 in the month of August. It was men against boys when the Sox played Boston and New York. They got their asses totally kicked. Barring a miracle, they will not make the playoffs. Only a fool believes this team can win the World Series this year.
The Cubs have had a very disappointing homestand so far. Over the last week, they have gone 3-4 against non-contenders Washington, New York and Houston. They are 10.5 games behind St. Louis in the division race and six out in the wild card -- with four teams to pass. They went 11-17 in the month of August. It was men against boys when the Cubs played against Philadelphia and Los Angeles. They got their asses totally kicked. Barring a miracle, they will not make the playoffs. Only a fool believes this team can win the World Series this year.
Now that we've established that, the respective GMs reaction to the situation is unequal and opposite. Williams went ahead and backed up the truck last night. He traded two veterans (Jim Thome and Jose Contreras) who are not part of the 2010 plans. This was the right choice on multiple levels: The 2009 Sox were on life support, and it was time to pull the plug. Thome and Contreras now have the opportunity to pursue a championship with legitimate contenders. For the rest of the season, the Sox don't need to waste at-bats and innings on those two guys. Some younger players will get those opportunities as the team looks forward into the future. Making these deals was the sensible thing to do, regardless of what Rick Morrissey thinks.
On the other side of town, we have good ol' Jim Hendry. He had a chance to make two trades. He could have sent Rich Harden (pictured) to Minnesota and Aaron Heilman to San Francisco and gotten a prospect or two in return. But, no, he declined to pull the trigger. Maybe Hendry thinks he can sign Harden to a long-term deal after the season. I'm not sure. But there was certainly no reason to hold on to Heilman. Laughably, Hendry excused his non-action by claiming the Cubs are still in contention this year, and that Harden is an important piece of that puzzle. Naturally, Harden went out a few hours later and puked all over the mound in a 5-3 loss to the Houston Astros.
When it comes to the Cubs, you have to wonder whether these guys actually believe their own BS. If they pull off a miracle and end up winning the World Series this year, I'll be first in line to congratulate them. But I have five months worth of visual evidence that suggests their team stinks just as bad as the White Sox. Why do they claim to still be in it? Are they trying to protect the Cubbie brand? Are they just trying to do what the fans would want them to do?
Well, guess what? Sometimes you gotta make some tough, unpopular decisions. Sending Jim Thome away won't win many points with most Sox fans, but baseball-wise, it was the right thing to do. Winning organizations do what makes sense from a baseball standpoint, not from a marketing standpoint. You really have to wonder what the hell the Cubs are thinking. I know what the Sox are thinking: They are thinking, "What do we need to do to win in 2010?" The Cubs will be well served to get on that same train of thought sooner rather than later.
What difference there is between the White Sox and the Cubs? I lurk at JaytheJoke everyday at this site. When I look at the posters whining about the Cubs (one poster calls them "Frauds") and then compare them to the White Sox by portraying the White Sox as a team that does everything right, well I wonder about the intelligence of those fine folks at the site not to mention me being stupid for going through the site.
Certainly the Cubs (I am too sophisticated to call them "Frauds") underachieved all season and I called them out enough, but to their credit, they haven't quit and they can still have a winning season.
Can't say the same thing for the 2008 AL Central Champs*. Let's call it for what it is. They stunk all season, and I predicted that it would happen this year. They got lucky last year, and they got help by the commissioner (go post that statement at JaytheJoke, whitesox901) for that playoff appearance in 2008, and they got many calls that night too (a huge strike zone by Danks not to mention that Cuddyer was safe).
Seriously, how is the White Sox better? They have no speed. What prospects should folks look forward for next year? I keep hearing how "great" that starting rotation is, but if it was really great, how come most of their starters stunk this season? There's no guarantee it will get better. As far as I am concerned, they were the best team in the division this year, and that's what makes this year a failure and unacceptable.
It's time to fire Ozzie Guillen. His last three years have not been good with two losing season in three years and the commissioner bailing him out last year. Terry Bevington had two winning season with a garbage roster yet he was shown the door. Does that make sense? At least, Bevington's teams played hard, and they played grit. You can't say that with Ozzie. It's amazing how the Cults of Ozzie idolize that Venzuelan idiot.
While I am at it, what is about Kenny Williams that people like? Is it because he's black? Kw makes "astute" moves because he has money to work with. Jim Hendry can do the same thing. I read Dave's posts at JaytheJoke.com about how great is, but I sure like to get an answer for myself. Maybe "Dave" can post here and explain to me. At least, I can get a better answer. (Hey, whitesox901 or HEATHERFROMCHICAGO, Why don't you go fetch me Dave from that site and have him post here?)
I had no idea why everyone liked the White Sox. I did not think they were great, and I posted that many times this year. Their starting rotation was overrated, and they had no bullpen (I posted that sometime in April). They have hitters that are washed up (that Alex Rios was a nice acquistion). That team wasn't going to scare anyone this year, and it's not going to happen next year either.
It will be fun watching baseball this year without a representative from Chicago, and it may be a good thing for America considering the Frauds got swept twice in two years of the NLDS and the 2008 AL Central Champs* went out meekly against the Rays last year,
Maybe the commisioner will think twice about thinking about a Chicago/Chicago World Series.
The Chicago Tribune promoted David Haugh as the new columnist of the paper. The paper felt they needed another sportswriter that would smooch anyone that worked for a Chicago sports team. When one reads Haugh's work with Da Bears, it was a perfect fit to hire a columnist that would smooch over Chicago sports team.
Jay Mariotti is rolling over his groove along with Mike Royko when the news came out. Haugh wrote his third column for the paper since being named to his new position, and boy was it a doozy.
He mentioned it was not fair for anyone to call the White Sox underachievers. Is he kidding me?
I look at the White Sox as underachievers. You seriously can't tell me the White Sox are not the best team in the division when you compare them to the Tigers and the Twins. The Twins are winning through smokes and mirrors while the Tigers can't hit anymore.
When a team has a better starting rotation than the Twins and the White Sox, that team should be making the playoffs not sitting at home in October. Chicago's hitting struggled, but so has the Twins and the White Sox.
You have to consider the source though. Just last year, Haugh called Da Bears to resign Kyle Orton after his great performance against the Vikings last year at Soldier Field so that itself is why no Chicago sports fan should take Haugh seriously.
I told Haugh was wrong, and this was his response (go check with David Haugh if you think I am pligarizing him)
'It's a bad team. I'm not delusional or soft. I'm realistic.'
Not only was the response bland, but he missed the whole point what I am talking about. Not a good for a guy that got promoted as a columnist.
Maybe Mariotti is right. Chicago sportswriters are soft because his column certainly represents it.