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Former Major League Baseball third baseman Aramis Ramirez announced his retirement Thursday on a talk show in his native Dominican Republic after 20 professional seasons, per Yahoo Sports‘ Israel Fehr.

It didn’t come as a huge surprise. Ramirez hinted in spring training that 2015 could be his last year, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com: “I don’t want a multiyear deal,” Ramirez said. “I’m going to play this year, and probably be done after this year. I don’t know if I want to play after this year. I think this is it. I had a nice career, and I think enough is enough.”

Ramirez racked up 2,303 hits, 386 home runs and 1,417 RBI while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. He started his career in 1998 with Pittsburgh and was traded back to the team this year to finish out his career. He was hitless in his lone at-bat during his final game—a 4-0 loss to the Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game.

The 37-year-old hit at least 25 home runs in a season 10 times and knocked in 100-plus runs seven times, yet he was named to only three All-Star Games. A career .283 hitter, the third baseman never received the accolades he deserved. As Jerry Crasnick of ESPN pointed out, he retires as one of the most prolific-hitting third basemen of all time:

After hitting 76 home runs in parts of six seasons with the Pirates, Ramirez was traded to the Cubs in 2003, where he blossomed. In nine seasons he slashed .294/.356/.531 with 239 home runs and 806 RBI. He earned two of this three All-Star selections while in Chicago.

In his first season with the Brewers in 2012, he led the league with 50 doubles. In 2014 he earned his final All-Star selection.

Ramirez’s numbers are impressive, but he won’t be a Hall of Famer. He never played in a World Series, although he did play in the postseason four times in his career.

He never won a ring but certainly deserved one. As Crasnick pointed out, Ramirez’s career is one he can talk about with pride. Although he is done with MLB, he said it’s possible his playing days aren’t over. He hinted on the radio station suiting up for his hometown Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League is not out of the question.  

It would be great if he were able to keep playing and a thrill for local fans to be able to cheer on one of their own.

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Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez has accepted the mutual option on his contract and will remain with the franchise for the 2015 MLB season.     

The Brewers’ official Twitter account announced the news Monday:

According to Bill Baer of HardballTalk, the one-year option is worth $14 million.

Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com broke down why it was a smart move for Ramirez:

Ramirez will be 37 years old in June and is coming off his worst offensive season since 2010. His .285 batting average, 66 RBI and 15 home runs would be considered solid output from an ordinary third baseman, but Ramirez has the talent to contribute more to the offense.

During his career, Ramirez has hit at least 25 home runs in 10 different seasons and has racked up 100 or more RBI seven times. There is no question that he has slowed as he has gotten older, but Milwaukee expects more offensive production from the veteran.

Prior to the announcement of Ramirez remaining with the team, principal owner Mark Attanasio spoke on the Brewers’ plans heading into free agency, courtesy of Adam McCalvy of MLB.com:

I wouldn’t say we’re quite at a crossroads, but we’re at [the point] where you can take a path in the woods, and you take one direction or the other. We do have a lot of talent, we have experienced players. We need to identify what’s missing.

With the Brewers locking up Ramirez early in the offseason, the franchise can now focus on filling other needs at the middle-infield positions and in the starting rotation.

Stats via MLB.com.

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In the New York Yankees‘ endless search for viable bats, the next name on the list could very well be Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Aramis Ramirez, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.

Ramirez is scheduled to come off the disabled list on Monday after nursing a sprained knee, and the Yankees (along with the Boston Red Sox) will be sending scouts to the game in an effort to gauge where he is physically at this point in his career.

The third baseman is currently in his 16th season in the majors, spending his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs before moving to the Brewers before last season. He has consistently been one of the better offensive third basemen in the league—hence the Yankees’ alleged interest.

Over the course of his career, Ramirez has crushed 347 home runs while posting a line of .285/.344/.501. He has placed in the National League MVP voting five times and has been named an All-Star twice. He also won the Silver Slugger in 2011, his final season with the Cubs.

Yankees fans shouldn’t have qualms in acquiring the 35-year-old third baseman, as he put up arguably his best career numbers last season. He led the NL with 50 doubles, posted a line of .300/.360/.540 and recorded 27 home runs and 105 RBI.

Ramirez is signed through the 2014 season with a mutual option for 2015. He is scheduled to make $12 million next season. The Brewers would likely have to cover some of that salary if a deal is to be made. Even with his numbers from last season, Ramirez is a liability at third given his age and apparent knee issues.

The Brewers would likely seek a prospect-heavy package in return. As a team sitting in last place in the NL Central, they need to start stockpiling talent for the future.

Yankees fans should also keep in mind that Alex Rodriguez expects to return on Monday against the Texas Rangers, according to Gabe Lacques of USA Today, so it will be interesting to see how the team envisions using both players. Rodriguez could become the full-time designated hitter, but then Travis Hafner would be without a role on the team.

It’s far-fetched, but Rodriguez and Hafner could split DH duties depending on the pitcher. Rodriguez would then see at-bats against lefties, though that would result in far fewer at-bats compared to Hafner. A 50-50 split could work, with Rodriguez seeing nearly all at-bats against lefties.

Or, Ramirez could move to first base. While he has never played a single inning there during his major league career, Ramirez has the build and defensive capabilities to make a near-seamless transition across the diamond. This solution would make Lyle Overbay expendable, or it could simply shift him to a bench role (a role that he is best fit for).

It will be interesting to see how the Yankees play this out. Everything will weigh on what the scouts see on Monday when the Brewers take on the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. In their quest for offensive firepower, Ramirez could end up being just what the team needs.

***UPDATE, 7/20, 11:16 AM***

Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com is reporting via Twitter that Ramirez will miss 10-14 more days and is no longer a candidate to be traded in July. If he clears waivers, then he can be dealt in August.

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Teams will normally assess where they are in the standings much closer to the trade deadline on July 31st before deciding if they will be “buyers” or “sellers”. Yet, here we are in June and there are a handful of teams that have to feel like they are heading in the wrong direction and it’s getting close to “do or die” time. 

Back in April, I made some arguments for why teams should consider making trades earlier in the season, if possible, with the few extra wins in the standings potentially being the difference between going to the playoffs or going home for the winter. 

In these June trade ideas, the goal is for a team to avoid dropping out of contention and into “seller” mode by the end of July or, in some cases, to just make a trade a month earlier to try and win a few extra games. The challenge is finding a non-contending team—Astros, Brewers, Cubs, Marlins, Mets are included in this group—that has an impact player that they’re willing to trade now. 

Here are three potential trades that should be made now.

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The population of third basemen in Major League Baseball is talented and getting increasingly young, and with the promotion of Manny Machado and impending ascension of top prospects Anthony Rendon, Nick Castellanos and Mike Olt (if he stays at 3B), the position is getting deeper and becoming even younger.. 

With that said, it should be understood the position has several question marks among the top echelon of players (ie, health issues, consistency issues), so in consideration of the depth of the position it may be advisable to wait until the middle rounds to make a selection if you do not get one of the top three or four options.

Of course, even in the middle rounds there will be some questions that attach to your selection, but if you’re going to select a third baseman with some questions it would be better to gamble with a fifteenth round pick than a fourth or fifth round pick.

(NOTE: Hanley Ramirez is included among the shortstops, as opposed to the third basemen)

Related articles: Top 10 Catchers, Top 10 First Basemen, Top 10 Second Basemen

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It’s just been that kind of year.

Nothing has gone right for the Boston Red Sox. Their lone bright spot, rookie Will Middlebrooks, hit .288/.325/.509 with 15 home runs before breaking his wrist. While he’s only been placed on the 15-day DL, there’s a very good chance he misses the rest of the season.

Boston is now in a delicate situation. The Sox need a third baseman, but need to avoid any options that will make the roster too rigid in the future.

Here are a few waiver wire options Boston can explore before the final trade deadline.

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After a tumultuous offseason, Ryan Braun is shutting up his critics so far in 2012.

In early October, Braun tested positive for a banned substance. He appealed the findings and was eventually exonerated due to a chain of custody issue. Because of this, the majority of fans believe that Braun got off on a technicality and have labeled him a cheater.

Many thought that the hatred from the fans during road games would distract Braun and his level of play would decrease. Critics of Braun also pointed out that, with Prince Fielder’s departure, teams would pitch around Braun more often, and he wouldn’t see as many good pitches as he did with Fielder behind him.

Braun claims that he tunes out opposing fans and doesn’t let it affect his play. He must be telling the truth.

For the season, Braun is hitting .357 with one home run and four runs batted in. In four games on the road, Braun is hitting .375 with three RBI. This includes three games at Wrigley Field, where Cubs fans loudly booed him every time he stepped to the plate. If Braun doesn’t let the wild fans in Chicago faze him, I don’t see what will.

Aramis Ramirez is no Prince Fielder, and Ramirez will be the first to admit that. Since Ramirez is no Fielder, many people thought Braun would struggle without someone like Prince behind him. Although Ramirez is struggling mightily, batting .111, Braun has still been able to deliver. It doesn’t seem to matter who’s hitting behind Braun, because he is just that talented. When Ramirez starts hitting like he has his whole career, the Brewers will be extremely dangerous.

Say what you want about Ryan Braun. He may very well be a cheater who got off on a technicality. Or, he could be telling the truth. Personally, I’d rather believe that Braun is clean and has done things in the most professional manner. It’s better for baseball if people believe in him.

We may never know the absolute truth, but what we do know is that not many things affect Braun, as he’s proving. Braun is a once-in-a-lifetime player, and he will contend for the NL MVP once again.

If Braun continues to perform in MVP style in 2012, there will still be critics, but not as many.

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Continuing in Dugout Central’s annual pre-season ritual, I am going to present my predictions for the National League Heartland – er – Central Division in 2012. Last year saw an early-season surge by the generally hapless Pittsburgh Pirates, only to see them fall right back in the race where they’ve been for the better part of 20 seasons. July 17 saw Milwaukee Brewers pick-up Zack Greinke out-duel then-Cub Carlos Zambrano 2-0 to put the Brewers up half a game on the St. Louis Cardinals and 1.5 on Pittsburgh. The Brewers didn’t look back, going 41-17 from that game to win their first division title in 29 years. However, the last laugh was had by the Cardinals, who snuck into the wild card spot and defeated the Brewers in the NLCS en route to their NL-best 11^th World Championship.

There were some major shake-ups both in the front office and on the field, ensuring that 2012 would be an exciting new year for the division.

Chicago Cubs

2011: 71-91, 5th Place, 25 GB, Scored 4.04 R/G (8^th in NL), Allowed 4.67 R/G (14^th in NL)

Key Losses: Aramis Ramirez (3B), Carlos Pena (1B), Carlos Zambrano (SP)

Key Additions: David Dejesus (OF), Ian Stewart (3B), Paul Maholm (SP)

Why they could win it all: The bright spot on the Chicago Cubs last year was the left side of the infield. While Aramis Ramirez packed his bags and moved up north, the Cubs feature one of the bright young stars in the game in Starlin Castro. Just 21 years old, Castro led the National League in hits last year with 207. A little more patience on both sides of the ball (he had almost as many errors as walks) will result in him being one of the players that the Cubs can build around moving forward.

Why they could fail: The Cubs completely revamped their front office by bringing in Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, both of whom have been successful executives at the big league level. However, the damage from the Hendry regime has been done. Alfonso Soriano is eating a tremendous amount of payroll to play poorly (just 2.0 WAR total since 2009), as is Carlos Zambrano (to play for Miami). A 1-year turn-around just won’t be possible with the mess left-over. However, a big payroll and smart people to manage it may mean good things for the Cubs in the future as it did for the Red Sox.

What to watch: Alfonso Soriano needs to go, as he is deadweight in most aspects of his game. His .289 OBP and lackluster outfield defense have made his 136 million dollar contract one of the worst in history. Look for the Cubs to exploit a possible fast start by Soriano and turn it into a trade to an AL team, where he could potentially serve as a platoon DH. The key won’t be the player acquired, but rather the amount of salary his new team will be willing to eat.

2012 Prediction: 66-96, 5^th place

Cincinnati Reds

2011: 79-83, 3^rd Place, Scored 4.54 R/G (2nd in NL), Allowed 4.44 R/G (12^th in NL)

Key Losses: Francisco Cordero (RP)Edgar Renteria (SS), Edinson Volquez (SP), Travis Wood (SP), Yonder Alonso (1B/OF)

Key Additions: Mat Latos (SP), Sean Marshall (RP), Ryan Madson (RP)

Why they could win it all: Remember that the Reds did win the division in 2010, posting over 90 wins before falling to Roy Halladay and the Phillies in the NLDS. The Reds did out-score their opponents on the year, and made a couple of nice pick-ups in Ryan Madson and Mat Latos. The offense is as potent as ever, with Joey Votto leading the charge as the best 1B in the division with Fielder and Pujols gone (though some may argue he had already reached that plateau).

Why they could fail: The Reds continue to employ Dusty Baker as their manager, so it’s hard to be shocked when they underperform their expected win-loss (not that a manager is necessarily responsible for that, but he can be). The rotation is a mess; Bronson Arroyo’s over the hill, and yet, he was the only Reds starter to make 30 starts last season, besides Mat Latos, recently acquired from the Padres. Latos has had good numbers in his first couple seasons, but he’s going from pitching half his games at the most pitcher-friendly park in the game to starting those games at one of the most hitter-friendly.

What to watch: Drew Stubbs was the leadoff hitter for most of the year. His league-worst 205 strikeouts wouldn’t be so alarming if he followed them up with actual on-base ability…which he does not (just a .321 OBP last year). Here’s a guy with some good tools, but he’s depriving Votto and Bruce of RBI opportunities by reaching so sparingly. Not saying he should be replaced on the team – his center field defense alone makes him worthwhile – but he shouldn’t lead-off.

2012 Prediction: 86-76, 3^rd place

Houston Astros

2011: 56-106, 6^th place, 40 GB, Scored 3.80 R/G (13^th in NL), Allowed 4.91 R/G (16^th in NL)

Key Losses: Jeff Keppinger (IF) Michael Bourn (OF), Hunter Pence (OF) [all mid-season last year]

Key Additions: Like, 100 prospects (including Jonathan Singleton and Jarred Cosart).

 Why they could win it all: Wandy Rodriguez was solid yet again last year; over the past three years, he has a very nice 118 ERA+ and 1.279 WHIP. Unfortunately, he’s no Old Hoss Radbourn, and as such, can’t start every game for the Astros next year. Also, he has about as much chance of being an Astro come the trading deadline as I do.

Why they could fail: They were 56-106, added nothing at the big league level, and will now be without Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn for the entire 2012 season, as opposed to just half of it. The team that once owned this division like nobody’s business in the Killer-B years is now poised to leave it for the American League West, where, on a brighter note, they will have the luxury of facing the Mariners 18 or so times a year. I’ll be nice and give them 55 wins…and I’m thinking that’s probably optimistic.  

What to watch: Carlos Lee is in the final year of a 6-year, 100 million dollar deal that I still don’t understand. Let’s see if he plays well enough to eek out another deal before hanging up his spikes or if El Caballo is happy being a rich guy with 350 career home runs.

2012 Prediction: 55-107, Last Place.

Milwaukee Brewers

2011: 96-66, 1^st Place,  Scored 4.45 R/G (5^th in NL), Allowed 3.94 R/G (6^th in NL)

Key Losses: Prince Fielder (1B), Casey McGehee (3B), Yuniesky Betancourt (SS), Takashi Saito (RP), LaTroy Hawkins (RP)

Key Additions: Aramis Ramirez (3B), Alex Gonzalez (SS), Jose Veras (RP), Norichika Aoki (OF)

Why they could win: The Brewers won the NL Central last season, and while they lost their superstar first baseman Prince Fielder, they patched up their two biggest holes – the left side of the infield. Despite winning 96 games last year, the Brewers featured the absolute worst third baseman and shortstop in the game. Aramis Ramirez has been a fixture in the division for the last decade with both the Pirates and Cubs, making two all-star teams. He won his first silver slugger last season, after hitting .306/.361/.510 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI for the hapless Cubs in 2011. Meanwhile Alex Gonzalez will take over at shortstop; he has roughly the same plate presence as Yuni Betancourt (horrific), but is a well-regarded fielder at the position and will certainly represent an upgrade. Finally, the Brewers have just received a major shot in the arm as their team leader and reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun has been cleared of all charges regarding a failed drug test last October.

Why they could fail: Losing Prince changes the landscape of this offense – Aramis Ramirez just isn’t going to be able to spell the same level of protection for Braun. Furthermore, there are just too many question marks. Will Mat Gamel be the hitter he was always projected to be, or will he be the hitter he has been in parts of 4 big league seasons? Will Randy Wolf continue to defy his peripherals? Will Greinke ever perform even close to the level he did in 2009? And what’s with this Aoki guy? He’s won 3 batting titles in Japan, but can we expect that to even remotely resemble what he does in the Majors? Lastly – does anyone think the Brewers will go 30-18 in 1-run games next season?

What to watch: Corey Hart is obviously going to be playing every day. That leaves two positions – either CF and RF or 1B and CF up for grabs. I say that because Hart can play 1^st and it isn’t clear that Mat Gamel can perform at the big league level. The Brewers have a solid center field platoon lined up with Nyjer Morgan (who hit over .300 last year) and Carlos Gomez (one of the best defenders in the game). But what about the Japanese batting champion, Aoki? Will Morgan show he can replicate his 2011 performance? All we know for sure is that Hart is playing every day and Gomez is only starting against southpaws and finding his ways into other games as a pinch runner and late-inning defensive replacement. All told, this makes for an incredible log-jam – and that’s before you start including all of Morgan’s alter-ego’s.

2012 Prediction: 87-75, 2^nd place

Pittsburgh Pirates

2011: 72-90, 4th place, 24 GB, Scored 3.77 R/G (14^th in NL), Allowed 4.40 R/G (11^th in NL)

Key Losses: Paul Maholm (SP), Ryan Ludwick (OF), Derrek Lee (1B), Jose Veras (RP)

Key Gains: AJ Burnett (SP), Erik Bedard (SP), Casey McGehee (3B), Rod Barajas (C), Clint Barmes (SS)

Why they could win: Gotta hand it to the Pirates – they made quite the turn-around last year. After winning just 57 games in 2010 (while placing last in both runs scored and runs allowed), the Pirates jumped out as contenders early-on and were in first place as late as July 25^th. They went just 19-43 from that point on, however, all while tacking on a pair of has-been veterans in an effort to put them over the top. There exists a fine young group of talented players on this team, however, led by Andrew McCutchen – who had a break-out first half and is one of the best players in the National League.

Why they might fail: Their first half made for a great story but it can be chalked up to flukiness. A lot of players came back down to Earth in a hurry, most of which were to be expected. All-star Kevin Correia struggled mightily in the 2^nd half, failing to qualify for the ERA title, not that his 4.79 mark would have gotten the job done. No Pittsburgh starter made it to 175 innings, and it’s highly unlikely that AJ Burnett will turn that around. No regular hit over .275 or OPS’d over .830 and only McCutchen was a measurable force of any kind. They’ve got a major talent on their hands in center field, but given the Pirates’ history, he’ll be fulfilling that potential in some place besides Pittsburgh.  

Things to watch: Joel Hanrahan emerged out of nowhere last season to be one of the National League’s premier relievers. However, like most closers, he was criminally mis-managed, as Clint Hurdle saved him only for save situations – including an 18-inning affair against the Braves that ended on a blown call. Has Hurdle learned his lesson? The fans at PNC better hope so.

2012 Prediction: 73-89, 4^th Place

St. Louis Cardinals

2011: World Series Champs, 90-72, 2^nd place, 6 GB, Scored 4.70 R/G (1^st in NL), Allowed 4.27  R/G (9^th in NL)

Key Losses: Albert Pujols (1B), Edwin Jackson (SP), Octavio Dotel (RP)

Key Gains: Carlos Beltran (OF), Adam Wainwright (SP)

Why they could win: The departure of one of the greatest players to ever play the game certainly could spell doom, but GM John Mozeliak did a fantastic job of overcoming that loss by signing future hall-of-famer Carlos Beltran to an affordable 2-year deal, locking up Lance Berkman and Chris Carpenter for 2 years before the season even ended, and bringing back spark-plug Rafael Furcal. They would be better off for 2012 with Albert Pujols, but 10 years at 24 million per season was just too much – and I think Mozeliak made the right call by thinking beyond 2012 (apparently, he doesn’t take Mayans too seriously). Holliday-Berkman-Beltran spell the best heart of the order in this division and the return of Adam Wainwright to the rotation means that the Cardinals have the pitching necessary to take them back to the post-season. They are my pick to win the division.

Why they could fail: They did undergo some changes, that’s for sure. Mike Matheny will take over for Tony LaRussa and the great pitching coach Dave Duncan will not be around for 2012, as he is helping his wife, Jeanine during her bout with cancer. And of course, Albert Pujols is no longer a Cardinal. This could have far-reaching effects beyond the .328/.420/.617, 42 HR, 126 RBI line he averaged in eleven years as a Cardinal. Losing Pujols means everyone gets pitched to differently, it means teams can approach situations differently, and it means that lesser players have to take up the slack. That’s not to hate on Berkman, Holliday, Beltran, or NLCS & World Series MVP David Freese – but there’s excellent ballplayers, and then there are transcendent ballplayers. Pujols was the latter.

What to watch: All eyes will be on Adam Wainwright, who returns this season after losing 2011 to Tommy John surgery. Wainwright placed top-3 in the last two Cy Young ballots, posting 11.9 WAR in that time span. He pitched over 230 innings in both years but is unlikely to reach 200 this season in his recovery. We’ll see how his new arm ligaments hold up.

2011 Prediction: 92-70, 1^st Place

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Aramis Ramirez, who has manned third base for the Chicago Cubs for the last nine and half years, has declared that he will play elsewhere next season. But if the fish are not biting, could Ramirez return to  the North Side in 2012?

Without a doubt, Ramirez makes the Cubs a whole lot better. After hitting .306 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI in 2011, Ramirez has proven that he still can produce the numbers of an elite third baseman. While he isn’t the greatest fielder in the world, his batting outweighs his poor fielding, and he is still the best option.

If new Cubs’ president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer decide that they will not spend over the top this winter, perhaps spending a little extra to bring back Ramirez will be within their payroll. There is no doubt that Ramirez will be much cheaper then a player such as Prince Fielder, but Ramirez’s age (33) definitely causes hesitation to handing out anything long term.

Ramirez has been a consistently productive hitter when healthy, and when he plays his best there are not many third baseman who hit better then him. If the Cubs decide they want to stick with their farm talent, then Ramirez may be a good option over the next couple of years.

While prospect Josh Vitters will have his chance to show what he can do this spring, there is just no guarantee that he will produce. His numbers also indicate that he will not put up anything close to what Ramirez does.

While Ramirez and his agent continue to stand tall on their decision to not return to Chicago, perhaps once free agency really kicks off, the two parties will discuss and find a way to make things happen and keep Ramirez in Chicago.

There is no doubt that Ramirez’s asking price will be high, but he will likely come at no greater price then many other players the Cubs would target if they were to try and find a replacement. Being the best third baseman on the market, his price remains to be seen.

On the other hand, the Cubs just may not spend at all, and they could decide that Ramirez is a piece they can live without. If the Cubs don’t sign a guy like Fielder, though, they will be left without a power hitter. Alfonso Soriano just isn’t a consistent option.

If the Cubs want a power hitter but have no intentions of breaking the bank, they need to sit down with Ramirez and hammer things out. There is no doubt that they need him to have some life in 2012.

Otherwise, the North Side may look drastically different this coming season without Ramirez manning third.

Jeff Chase is from Chicago and is an undergrad at Arizona State University. He currently is interning with B/R and is in process of becoming a Featured Columnist for Arizona State football.

More Cubs Articles by Jeff Chase:

Cubs with the Most Trade Value

Could DeMarlo Hale be the Next Boston Piece to Join Cubs?

Should Epstein Target James Loney?

Cubs Rivalry Steal Could be Mark Buehrle

Evaluating the Cubs Options at First

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In a move that was no surprise to most Chicago Cubs fans, the Cubs and general manager Jim Hendry parted ways on Friday.  Hendry’s initial track record—the only general manager to take to the Cubs to three playoff appearances—does not seem all that bad, but during his tenure, Hendry overspent on many players that never lived up to their contracts.

I look at the departure of Hendry in two different ways.  I can appreciate his effort, at times, to make the organization better.  He was able to pry away guys like Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee for virtually nothing, but he also gave an aging Alfonso Soriano a $136 million contract.  In Hendry’s defense, someone else was going to give Soriano that money, and it is hard to know whether or not he could live up to that contract. 

Soriano’s first two years in Chicago made it appear as though that contract was worth the money, but ever since, his play has declined.  I supported the decision to sign him then, and I still think it was the right move.  The Cubs at that time had not been to the playoffs since 2003 and needed something to get them over that hump.  Soriano provide some pop at the top of the lineup, which in turn allowed the Cubs to win two straight central division titles, but ultimately their 136 million dollar man never showed up.

On the other sign of the coin, Hendry’s biggest blunder was the signing of Milton Bradley. In no way did Bradley seem like a good fit with the Cubs, or any team in general.  He was a problem from day one, never contributed on the field, and was suspended at the end of the season. 

Hendry was able to trade Bradley during that offseason for Carlos Silva, who at first seemed to be a nice return, but during a spat with the manager and Hendry this Spring Training, Silva too was sent packing.

When I look back at Hendry’s tenure with the Cubs, I will remember the three playoff teams he put in place and the great deals he made.  However, like all other Cubs general managers in the past 100-plus years, he just couldn’t get it done.  There’s always next year…

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