Armchair GMs: Let's Support This Team

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

In the world of blogs and message boards, Armchair GMs are seemingly everywhere.  You know who they are, the ones that sit in their Lay-Z-Boy's and comment on signings of their favorite teams.  They usually have no proof to them, and are driven based on perception, but sometimes they can be right. 

And, I think all of us can be "GMs" of some sort.  I think of myself not as a GM, but as an informed fan, who can comment beyond what's on the surface.

I'm sure most of the city did not back Jim Hendry's signing of Milton Bradley this off-season for the obvious reasons.  He's hurt, he fights with umpires, doesn't play great defense, etc.  I backed the signing, saying at the time that I thought he was most athletic of the available right fielders, and the best hitter of the right fielders.

Some will say, Raul Ibanez is the best hitter.  I would say that he's definitely been better than Bradley, no matter what stat you look at.  But, Ibanez was never an option, Cubs fans.  He signed very early in the offseason.

But, I keep preaching that stats will return to the norm, if the conditions are right.  And, I'm not just saying this because I'm defending Milton, the stats show it!  I'm so confident that he'll begin to pound the baseball, that I guarantee the Cubs will go to the playoffs—and Bradley will carry them.

Some people won't agree with me, and I don't want everyone to agree.  But let's show the guy a little support?  If you have ever watched baseball before, it's obvious that he is pressing.  After throwing the ball into the stands, he tried too hard in his next at-bat.  He's trying to make the city love him, but everything he does is wrong.

How many times have you heard that it's not about the name on the back?  It's about the name that's on the front.  And as long as he has the C on his chest, he's a Cub.  As fans, we have to support him, and not continue to push him down that path of mediocrity, like so many other right fielders we have had.

I don't care who you wanted as our right fielder.  It's over.  We, as true Cubs fans, need to show support for our players, and hope that it will help them regain confidence and help this team win games.  That's the goal here, right?

I don't care if you can brag all around your cubicle that you called Milton Bradley's failures. I don't care that you said we shouldn't have traded DeRosa and cut ties with Kerry Wood.  I didn't agree with everything Hendry did, either. 

Criticize Hendry all you want, some of it is definitely deserved.  I'd rather see that than repeated bashing of players.  But, it's not easy running the Cubs, especially this off-season with everything that was going on. You really think you could do better?  Please.

Let's continue to root for the Cubs, and get a little patience.  This team will go as far as it wants to go.  Let's be there to support them.

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