Red Storm Fading Away?

Had the opportunity yesterday to spend the afternoon with a rather well known figure in the Cub hierarchy. This person's feeling was that Matt Murton's time in a Cub uniform was nearly over.

While this would certainly sadden a portion of Cub fans, and would leave three kids in Glenview fatherless, should such a move occur it really begs a familiar question:

At what point does Jim Hendry learn to scout his own players properly and trade them when their value is highest?

Just look at the "Mark Prior is on the block" rumors from this week. Trading Prior NOW!?!?!?!? You make that move in 2005 if you are going to do it. Matt Murton? 2006. Angel Guzman? 2005. Andy Sisco? Oh yeah, they let him go for nothing. The list goes on. Corey Patterson, Ryan Harvey, Bobbie Brownlie, Luke Hagerty, Chadd Blasko, Brian Dopriak. All guys who yielded little to no value to the team.

If there's been on huge failing of Jim Hendry, it's been a total failure to generate talent from the minor leagues. And that doesn't only mean developing guys that become regulars on the team. It means making more of the Hee Seop Choi for Derrek Lee type deals. Where would this team be today if, in 2004, Hendry had taken three of those names above and sent them to Kansas City for Carlos Beltran?

With it looking more and more like Sam Zell can close his purchase of the Tribune in the next few weeks, one only hopes that means the sale of the Cubs will move to the front of the queue. And that will, hopefully, end the Jim Hendry tenure rather quickly.