Aramis Ramirez has had a tough year, not unlike the rest of the Chicago Cubs. For Ramirez, though, the reason was a bum shoulder, not a crummy performance.
But Ramirez wants you to know that he doesn’t blame general manager Jim Hendry for the disappointing 2009 season, and you shouldn’t blame him either.
The question came up in the context of the Cubs needing another bat in the lineup after they sent right fielder Milton Bradley home for the season with a suspension.
“I think they’re going to address that because we’re going to need a right fielder if they decide Milton isn’t coming back,” Ramirez said. “We’re going to need a right fielder or a center fielder if they move Fuky (Kosuke Fukudome) to right.
“We’ve got bats in here that they know could be better than what they did. We’re going to come back here next year healthy and do what they’re supposed to do, do what we’re supposed to do, and we’re going to be all right.
“That’s not (Hendry’s) fault. He thought (Bradley) was the right move. It didn’t work out. But at the same time, he’s the same guy that put back-to-back (division) championship teams together.” Daily Herald.
Probably what you’d expect a player to say. I can’t say I agree with him, especially with respect to the he-put-together-back-to-back-division-championship-teams thing. I’m thinkin’ there are a lot of folks who could do that in the NL Central with enough money to burn.
Aramis knows as much about GMing an MLB team as I know about how to hit a 95MPH inside fastball 400 feet over the Wrigley wall.
Still, I’m glad as heck that he loves Jimbo. We got a genuine “hometown discount” when he signed his big multi-year deal; he almost certainly could have hauled in millions (tens of millions ?) more if he’d played the market.
That said, Jim better start rubbing his lucky rabbit’s foot this winter. He’s got some serious work to do.
Yup; I can’t imagine a situation where this isn’t Jim’s last stand if the Cubs don’t make, and win in, the playoffs.
And what exactly makes you think that you, who unlike Aramis has no personal exposure to Major League general managers, think that you do know about GMing an MLB team?