The hot stove is heating up all over baseball, but all you hear at Clark and Addison is crickets. That, and the constant noise of Jim Hendry going through his fast food bags scrambling for the last french fry. It’s the middle of December and the General Manager of the Cubs has done zero to the help the Cubs improve the cesspool he built. Oh, I forgot they re-signed John Grabow for $7.5 million for 2 years. Sweet. More bad money spent on a guy with a career 4.03 earned run average. Everyone knows that tubby cannot do anything until he moves Milton Bradley. I would give a GM a pass if he had inherited a malcontent with an albatross contract, but Tubby was the guy who gave Bradley 3 years when nobody else was offering more than one. How is he not fired on that move alone?

With Roy Halladay going to the Phillies, the Red Sox signing John Lackey, and the World Champion Yankees trading for Curtis Granderson, baseball’s best teams in the big markets are getting better. The Cubs? There isn’t money to spend after foolishly wasting money Antoine Walker style in the winter of 2006. Speaking of that winter 3 years ago…..

Tom Ricketts inherits a mess on the north side that will take years to clean up. In a typical Cub move, the new owner is sticking with Jim Hendry to try and fix the mess he created when he went on a $300 million plus spending spree after the ’06 season. Sure it was cool at the time to try and re-build on the fly, but these are the Cubs and nothing is ever that easy. The GM, who the new owner could have whacked along with the sleepy manager right from the get go is back for the 2010 season for the saddest of reasons (Hendry is signed through 2012 and Lou Piniella is signed through 2010). It’s hard to fire a GM and a manager with money owed to them. Just wait for the the Bears to spin why Lovie and Angelo will be back. Ricketts probably wilted like Kirk Hinrich in a big game at the thought of paying off the two clowns and paying for their replacements. That, and the fact Hendry back loaded all of those big contracts he gave out to undeserving players. The Cubs have $118 million committed to ten players for the coming season. No, that’s not a misprint. With a projected budget of $140 million, that leaves $22 million for the remaining 15 players on the roster. Great planning Fatso. If Cubs fans didn’t want to throw themselves off the rooftops yet, remember this, you still have 5 more years of Alfonso Soriano! If you thought “Fonzi” hasn’t lived up to his contract, it’s all good, tubby back loaded his deal to where he now makes $18 million annually for the remainder. Jim Hendry everybody!!!!!

Jim Hendry gave this idiot 3 years and $30 million. Now he's desperately trying to trade him to Tampa Bay.

Those crickets are still the only thing you hear at Wrigley these days because nobody has taken the bate on Milton Bradley. Why would they when they know the Flubbies have to trade him? Memo to Tom “don’t call me Larry” Ricketts: eat the money and cut Bradley now! If the Rays come through and make the trade for Bradley, great, but don’t you think if they wanted the turd they would have made the deal by now? Man up Tom and release this guy before you have a Sammy Sosa situation on your hands. The longer this festers the worse your new investment becomes. Chicago sports possesses some of the worst GM’s in their respected sports. John Paxson/Gar Foreman-Bulls, “General” Jerry Angelo-Bears, and leading the pack of these no- minds is Cubs head slob Jim Hendry. I’m rooting for the 2010 Cubs to fail miserably and force change from Tom Ricketts to start fresh and hire a baseball “guy” who knows how to build an organization(Dave Dombrowski comes to mind). This is the only way for the Cubs to be a perennial contender and do it the right way. I’m going to list the players Jim Hendry gave no-trade clauses to and their 2010 Cubs salary. Count how many of these guys are worth a no-trade or the money they get.

Get a barf bag ready……

Alfonso Soriano $18 million(5 more years at $18 million each year.)

Carlos Zambrano $17.875 million(The headcase who can’t win more than 16 games is a born deadbeat you cannot win with. 3 years left at $18 million with an option for 2013)

Kosuke Fukodome $13 million

Aramis Ramirez $15.75 million-(keep in mind the shoulder injury that will nag him as long as he’s a Cub.)

Derrek Lee $ 13 million- At least the ’09 Cubs M.V.P is worth the coin he gets.

Ted Lilly $12 million

Ryan Dempster $12.5 million(That’s right, this guy has a no-trade clause.)

Don’t forget the 2 years and $21 million of Bradley’s deal Hendry is trying to move or the no-trade he gave the one pitch pitching ”phenom” Jeff Samardzija.

Wait ’till next year????? Get ready to say 102 years and counting.

The 2010 World Series? Better wait until next decade.