Memo to Jim Hendry for 2010: Win or You’re Fired

Over the past two off-seasons many fans have grown upset with the Cubs, due to their lack to spend money on free agents that could have helped. Many have asked the question, Why haven’t the Cubs put the Money out to get a premiere free agent? To simply sum it up, it is because Jim Hendry ruined the Cubs payroll with some of the outrageous contracts that he has shelled out to unworthy players.

So lets take a look at some of the bad contracts that Hendry has signed on in an effort to improve the team.

2007

• He started the off-season off by giving Alfonso Soriano a ridiculous 8 year contract worth $136MM. Now despite the fact that Soriano has missed a combined 125 games over the past three seasons, he also has not produced in the way that the Cubs were hoping for. Granted his 2007 and 2008 seasons were both very good years for him, he failed to produce in the playoffs in both of those years. Last year was by far Soriano’s worst year as a member of the Cubs as he only hit .240 while barely hitting 20 home runs, and driving in 55. Not to mention his defensive has been a liability to the team since opening day of 2007.

2008

• Hendry’s big signing in 2008 is proving to be another bad decision by the free spending GM. As they spent 4 years/ $48MM on the career.258 hitter that is Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome was hyped by the Cubs to be the next Hideki Matsui with a hint of Ichiro. But, So far Fukudome has proven that if anything he is a platoon outfielder at best. As he cannot hit against lefties, and the power that was expected to come along with him never did. So to put that into even more perspective for you, the Cubs are spending roughly $12 million a year on a player that is not even a full time starter.

2009

• This may have been the worst move within all of Jim Hendry’s tenure, as he opted to trade Mark Derosa, and Jason Marquis so that he would have the ability to give a three year deal worth $30 million to Milton Bradley. Needless to say after a year of disappointment talent wise, that included constant blow ups with media members and fans of the Cubs, Milton Bradley is no longer with the team.  And to add even more “salt to that wound” the Cubs were the only team that offered three years to Milton Bradley.

So if the acquisitions of Marlon Byrd, Xavier Nady, etc prove to be more bad decisions by Jim Hendry.

Then after the season, Jim Hendry Will be…