Enough Waiting

The Daily Herald's Bruce Miles gives us a look into what he thinks will be the eventual moves made by Jim Hendry. There's really, not one thing to disagree with in the column. Hendry makes moves in the middle of the summer. He's not afraid to give up younger players who don't seem to be rising to their potential (Hee Seop Choi, Bobby Hill).

What is not questioned in the article is: Why does Hendry only make moves mid-season? Why not make the moves before the season starts? Earlier moves would seem to add wins earlier in the season. And three wins in April of 2004 would have made the collapse last year against the Mets absorbable.

What got me thinking along this line was a brick-a-brac yesterday with Bleed Cubbie Blue's poster Scott (aka The Dumbass). I Googled myself and found this proposed trade I suggested in the alt.cubs newsgroup from January 2004:

"Anyone think a package of Clement, Patterson and one of Guzman/Ryu/Sisco gets (a trade for Carlos Betran) done?"

Now, let's ignore the fact that I pulled that suggestion out of my rear. Let's also ignore that, of the guys I suggested, 2 are gone for no compensation, 1 is perennially injured, and another is just plain bad. Finally, let's ignore the respondents who were wrong when they called this suggestion "ludicrous" and that this trade would get Jim Hendry "tarred and feathered" for "too rich" of a deal.

The real issue is this: Let's see a GM who makes these moves BEFORE the season starts. Right now, the season rests on whom the Cubs might be able to acquire at the trading deadline. Considering the Cubs are already 6 games out, doesn't it make more sense to make moves earlier?

Jim Hendry only gets beatification / canonization when he starts the season with the whole team, not when he pieces it together on the fly.