Another Look at the Jim Hendry Firing

By Joel C. Reese in News on Aug 19, 2011 9:05PM

(Ed. Note: Former Cubs Fan Report Editor-in-Chief Joel Reese checks back in with a look at today's firing of Cubs GM Jim Hendry and puts a few things into perspective. — CS)

So the Cubs made their second big move within the past few weeks: They bid goodbye to Jim Hendry, who’s likely been the team’s most successful GM ever. (The other big move: One of the team’s most successful drafts in its history — more on that in a bit.)

Calling Hendry the Cubs' “best GM ever” is a tallest-midget compliment, like telling a woman she could be a part-time model.

Hendry got the team within a booted groundball of the World Series in 2003. And he put together teams that made the playoffs in 2007 and 2008. But this year’s team has looked largely lost, and the farm system doesn’t exactly seem stocked. The latter issue is the more damning: Since Hendry began with the Cubs in 1995 and headed the team’s personnel moves as GM for nine years, the lack of impact youngsters can be laid squarely at his doorstep.

So, OK, Hendry is officially gone. It’s unquestionably the right move to make. But what can we learn from this?

Here’s what I take away: The Ricketts family is on the right track. The train may be moving a little slowly (to continue a tortured metaphor), but as I said in my Cubs season preview, I see many reasons for optimism.

After a rough season, many fans have lambasted the Ricketts family, incredibly saying the team was better off when the anonymous suits at the Trib ran the team like it was a Widget factory. That is, as we say in the business, wrong.

Since the Ricketts family took over, they have:

• Solidified plans to build a top-notch facility in Mesa, AZ.
• Made plans to expand their facilities in the Dominican Republic.
• Made improvements to Wrigley Field. (Can we please stop sneeringly say, “Oh, thanks for the new troughs?” Would people be happy if the Cubs hadn’t done jack to those nasty-ass bathrooms? You have to start somewhere.)
• Made forays into getting financing for dramatic improvements to Wrigley Field. (Ok, that hasn’t exactly been a flawless situation. But they’re new to this, and apparently didn’t realize the best way to get public help for a stadium is be a complete asshole and threaten to move to St. Petersburg.)

Not everything has been perfect — the “noodle” wasn’t exactly elegant, for instance. But there are going to be missteps wherever you go. If you look beyond tomorrow, things are looking up.

Another thing I take away here: Tom Ricketts tends to move cautiously — maybe a little too cautiously for Cubs fans who have been waiting for a World Series trophy since Keith Richards’ liver was still nice and pink. As this Forbes article shows, he took his time when he started his own company in 1999. According to the article, he may have lost some money making sure all of his ducks are in a row.

Let’s also remember the bigger picture: Tom Ricketts had an idea that brought in a shitload of cash. Slow and steady… blah blah blah. Everything the team has done points to an organization that’s building a steady base with the idea of competing every season, not just the occasional lucky year.

Back to the Hendry firing. There have been some questions about the timing of the move. Why, for instance, did Ricketts tell Hendry he was fired a month ago, then make the universally liked GM wait to make it public?

The way I see it, the Cubs just had what some are calling their best draft ever. They spent $12 million signing this year’s picks, an unprecedented amount of money for a team that had never spent more than $6 million in any draft. And several of the Cubs’ draftees, including first baseman Trevor Gretzky (yes, son of that Gretzky) and widely heralded pitcher Dillon Maples, required big bucks to keep them from going to college.

What kind of message of stability would it send to a prospective signee if the team axed its GM before the kid accepted a contract? It could be the difference between signing with the team and heading off to college. Now, every draftee is signed, and the team is ready to move forward with a new GM. What’s not to like?

Here’s the bottom line: Cubs fans have been clamoring for Hendry to get axed for ages. Now that he’s fired, some fans are acting like a 16-year-old girl who wants a Porsche for her birthday. Then when she gets one, she breaks into tears. “But I wanted a red one!” she weeps.

Enjoy it. I feel bad saying that it’s a good move when someone loses a job. Hendry is a smart, classy guy. But this is the best thing for the Cubs to do. The team will have a lot of money to spend next year, and they’ll likely have someone making the moves by December. They might have an exciting team next year. And Prince Fielder is an exciting player, isn’t he?