Jim Hendry: Executive of the Year

There are countless people upon whom both blame and thanks are heaped during September baseball. It always seems to be the manager's fault when a team falls out of contention (Ned Yost), and the players always get the credit for a winning season.

But lost in the shuffle more times than not is the general manager, for whom the praises are few and far between, but the criticism is quick and sharp.

In Chicago this year, there are two general managers who deserve a great deal of credit for the successes of their respective teams. However, the job done by Cubs GM Jim Hendry has been one of the best in recent memory.

So as the final week of the 2008 campaign is upon us, and the Chicago Cubs have almost certainly wrapped up the best record in the National League, here are some grades for the acquisitions Hendry has made to put the Cubs in position to break their century-long curse.

Reed Johnson: A

Johnson was waived by Toronto towards the end of Spring Training and has been everything the Cubs had hoped to have as a part-time center fielder. His ability to put down a sacrifice bunt is something that has an enormous, yet understated effect on the ball club. He has hit when called upon and played center as well as anyone in the National League; his head-first dive into the left-centerfield wall in May will be one of the top highlights of the season in all of baseball.

Jim Edmonds: A-

There were a lot of haters on Edmonds early in the season. He was sent packing by the Padres because he showed very few signs of life at the plate and rumors said his arm was shot. Since coming to Chicago, where he was booed even in the home town pinstripes because of his years in St Louis, he has had a few ups and downs, but overall has stepped in as Option No. 1 in centerfield for Lou Pinella.

Signed for the bargain basement price of a prorated portion of the major league minimum (the Cubs will pay him under $300,000 for this season), Edmonds has responded with almost 20 home runs and over 50 RBI, as well as providing the left-handed outfield bat the Cubs have needed on a regular basis. And while his bat has proved many around baseball wrong, his glove and arm have been better than expected as well.

Kosuke Fukudome: C

Fukudome came to Chicago with huge expectations and a lot of seemingly baseless hype. His defense made him a YouTube phenom, and rumors of his gap-to-gap line drive hitting style had many Cubs fans salivating for a National League Ichiro. Many experts and talking heads credited Fukudome's patience at the plate with the Cubs' sudden major league-leading on base percentage early this season.

Since May, the imported right fielder has seen his batting average and playing time both slide as Lou Pinella has continued to explore the depth of the Cubs system for options at every position. While his bat has slowed, his defense has never been a question.

Rich Harden: A+

Harden has been overshadowed by CC Sabathia (perhaps more pun than avoidable given the stature of the two), but has been better than advertised upon his arrival in July in a trade from Oakland.

Though missing time because of soreness, Harden has still racked up a 5-1 record with a 1.66 ERA, while getting 85 strikeouts in only 65 innings. As the Cubs look into October, Harden figures to be a central figure in the Cubs starting rotation that has better depth than anyone else in baseball.

Chad Gaudin: D

Back issues have slowed Gaudin, who was not as consistent as many had hoped since coming over with Harden from Oakland. Considering the cost (Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson and Matt Murton, all of whom has spent time in the minors for Oakland), the trade still stacks up as a steal for the Cubs.

Jon Lieber: Incomplete

Lieber was brought into camp as a candidate for the fifth starting spot opening the season. Jason Marquis won the job, and the classy veteran never figured his way into the Cubs plans. Various injuries kept Lieber from factoring into the Cubs division run this year, but the former 20 game-winner has done anything and everything the Cubs asked.

Many general managers, especially in the American League East, have shown a tendency to unload top prospects if the right "Win Now" veteran becomes available. The Milwaukee Brewers shipped their top prospect, along with two other top-tier minor leaguers, to Cleveland for Sabathia in his walk year.

Hendry, to the contrary, has been able to keep the Cubs top prospects in the fold while continuing to develop the roster. Look at the young, home-grown players effecting the Cubs' playoff run this season: Geovany Soto, Carlos Marmol, Ryan Theriot, Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall, Micah Hoffpauir, Ronny Cedeno, and Mike Fontenot (who was acquired as a minor league player to be named in the Sammy Sosa trade to Baltimore).

Many "projects" Hendry has assumed over the past few years have now come to bear great fruits for the Cubs as well. Ryan Dempster, who closed for the Cubs for a couple years, was moved back to the rotation this year and has been dominant.

A little-remembered minor league deal that sent David Aardsma to the White Sox acquired Neal Cotts, who has become the lefty of choice for Pinella out of the bullpen late in games. And Ted Lilly, who was run out of Toronto after a number of issues with managers, has equaled his career high in wins (15) in both of his seasons on the North Side.

All in all, there are many deals that go into making a team good, and even more deals that make a team great. But if any general manager has consistently been proven to be pulling the right strings this year, its been Jim Hendry of the Chicago Cubs.