New GM/Cubs Future News Articles

[Little Slide Rooter]

I could see that Beane would really covet the Angels job, but he's so so committed to family and lifestyle in California that I don't see him overly craving the Cubs job.

 

Are you just getting that from the movie? His daughter is in college or graduated by now, so if she really was what kept him from Boston, I doubt it would now unless he has other kids there as well.

 

Everyone in baseball expects the Cubs to offer Theo Epstein their GM job, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link) and a slight majority expect that the Red Sox GM would turn such an offer down.

 

I guess we can file this one under take it for what it's worth.

[KingCubsFan]

I could see that Beane would really covet the Angels job, but he's so so committed to family and lifestyle in California that I don't see him overly craving the Cubs job.

 

Are you just getting that from the movie? His daughter is in college or graduated by now, so if she really was what kept him from Boston, I doubt it would now unless he has other kids there as well.

I think he has 4 year old twins too. Someone linked a Peter Gammons article a few pages back, and he doesn't seem like a guy willing to take on a new challenge. He seems pretty content in Oakland.

[Guest]

ChiTribRogers Phil Rogers

 

Look for Theo movement today or Friday. Tight lips in Boston seems likely to mean he and #RedSox are trying to work it out. But can they?

52 minutes ago

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

I could see that Beane would really covet the Angels job, but he's so so committed to family and lifestyle in California that I don't see him overly craving the Cubs job.

 

Are you just getting that from the movie? His daughter is in college or graduated by now, so if she really was what kept him from Boston, I doubt it would now unless he has other kids there as well.

I think he has 4 year old twins too. Someone linked a Peter Gammons article a few pages back, and he doesn't seem like a guy willing to take on a new challenge. He seems pretty content in Oakland.

 

Epstein is plenty content in Boston with a young family to take care of...yet here we are on day whatever of "Epsteins going to be offered the job." Beane is still very much a candidate IMO and one that for whatever reason is being slept on. He needs more headlines somehow.

[UMFan83]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

[Omar]

Boston Globe

One Cubs insider said Epstein could hire Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg as the manager, which would make him even more popular.

I asked Sandberg yesterday about the situations with the Red Sox and the Cubs, and he said, “My goal has always been to be a big league manager, and that hasn’t changed.’’ He would love nothing more than to manage the team he played with for so long.

 

Sandberg also would love the Red Sox job, but he turned down a chance to manage Pawtucket last year and chose to go to Lehigh Valley, the Phillies’ Triple A affiliate. Sandberg has been a very good manager wherever he’s been and is willing to pay his dues, even with his status.

 

Former Cubs GM Jim Hendry always liked Sandberg but didn’t believe he was ready for the major league job. Sandberg lost out to Mike Quade, who did a nice job as interim manager in 2010 after Lou Piniella left, and then got the job in 2011, with disastrous results.

[Guest]

Honestly, I really don't want Sandberg. Really. But I care about the manager so little that if that is who Theo decided to hire (and he wasn't rammed down Theo's throat), I'd be fine with it.

 

 

Let the casual fans have their guy so the rest of us can have Theo and hopefully they'll sell some tickets next year.

[Sammy Sofa]

The insider could have also said that Epstein COULD hire a cyborg chimpanzee to manage the Cubs, too.

[WilcoFan]

I vote to have Ryne Sandberg's name legally changed to "Ryne Sandberg-has-paid-his-dues." It might be easier for these lazy writers that way.

[Guest]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

 

Or they just could be negotiating compensation. If they wanted Theo to stick around, why not just decline the permission?

[Guest]

Sandberg is not going to be hired by Epstein, come on.

[Guest]

I vote to have Ryne Sandberg's name legally changed to "Ryne Sandberg-has-paid-his-dues." It might be easier for these lazy writers that way.

 

 

Except that guy said he is willing to pay his dues, so I guess Hollandsworth's mug is wrong. He still owes his dues.

[SouthSideRyan]

Phil Rogers says Ricketts may hire 'em all:

 

While the Cubs are taking steps aimed toward hiring Theo Epstein away from the Red Sox, it's possible they won't stop there. Executives with some other teams have heard discussions about the possibility Ricketts could attempt to hire two people on his list from the lengthy round of due diligence he has done on replacing Jim Hendry.

 

That would mean it's conceivable he could hire Epstein and someone on his secondary tier such as White Sox assistant general manager Rick Hahn or Braves director of pro scouting John Coppolella. The most likely hire to work alongside Epstein — as opposed to be sitting in the main chair — would seem to be Padres assistant GM Josh Byrnes, who was with Epstein from the start in Boston.

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1006-rogers-cubs-chicago--20111006,0,1987711.column

 

Make with the fellating Gooney.

[Guest]

Sandberg is not going to be hired by Epstein, come on.

 

 

Probably not.

 

And I didn't notice it was worded to pass speculation off as some sort of rumor. I hate when they do that.

[SouthSideRyan]

Ricketts needs to stop this right now. I know it's your family's new shiney toy and you want to play with it. Keep your hands off it. Hire the best GM and let him bring on his own hires. I've read that part of problem in Boston is a meddling ownership which wanted to make personnel decisions. We already have the makings of that here.

 

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[javy knows my name]

Ricketts is wonderful and Benchwarmer has some sort of learning disability

[javy knows my name]

THESE ARE FACTS

[Laura]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

I think Boston ownership is confronted with a dilemma. Ricketts is going to offer Theo his dream job (albeit in Chicago, not Boston). Boston can offer him an extension and more money, but can they promote him substantively vs designating a fancier title? Unless Lucchino is ready to ride into the sunset, I'm not sure they can.

 

Doesn't mean that it will happen, and Theo could be using this as leverage in Boston. Still, Ricketts will land one of his top picks. If you pass up an opportunity like this, you may never get another.

[UMFan83]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

I think Boston ownership is confronted with a dilemma. Ricketts is going to offer Theo his dream job (albeit in Chicago, not Boston). Boston can offer him an extension and more money, but can they promote him substantively vs designating a fancier title? Unless Lucchino is ready to ride into the sunset, I'm not sure they can.

 

Doesn't mean that it will happen, and Theo could be using this as leverage in Boston. Still, Ricketts will land one of his top picks. If you pass up an opportunity like this, you may never get another.

 

Here's the thing though. Theo is established in Boston, beloved by the ownership and has a long rope with the fans even if they are antsy about the last 2 seasons. He also grew up in Boston as a Red Sox fan. His original dream was likely to play for the Red Sox, and then be the GM for the Red Sox when his athletic dreams died like they always do. The Red Sox hold a significant advantage there. He may not be able to get a higher title right now but if he sticks around Boston long enough he will get the opportunity most likely. He's not even 40 yet so he can afford to be patient.

[UMFan83]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

I think Boston ownership is confronted with a dilemma. Ricketts is going to offer Theo his dream job (albeit in Chicago, not Boston). Boston can offer him an extension and more money, but can they promote him substantively vs designating a fancier title? Unless Lucchino is ready to ride into the sunset, I'm not sure they can.

 

Doesn't mean that it will happen, and Theo could be using this as leverage in Boston. Still, Ricketts will land one of his top picks. If you pass up an opportunity like this, you may never get another.

 

Here's the thing though. Theo is established in Boston, beloved by the ownership and has a long rope with the fans even if they are antsy about the last 2 seasons. He also grew up in Boston as a Red Sox fan. His original dream was likely to play for the Red Sox, and then be the GM for the Red Sox when his athletic dreams died like they always do. The Red Sox hold a significant advantage there. He may not be able to get a higher title right now but if he sticks around Boston long enough he will get the opportunity most likely. He's not even 40 yet so he can afford to be patient.

[Laura]

I agree -- if it wasn't for the Boston ties, this would be over. Permission granted, interview completed, offer made. The delay is because Boston has the ties; Chicago has the better opportunity; and it's a question as to whether Boston will up the ante enough to keep Theo happy and content.

 

If they do, on to the next choice!

[Guest]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

I think Boston ownership is confronted with a dilemma. Ricketts is going to offer Theo his dream job (albeit in Chicago, not Boston). Boston can offer him an extension and more money, but can they promote him substantively vs designating a fancier title? Unless Lucchino is ready to ride into the sunset, I'm not sure they can.

 

Doesn't mean that it will happen, and Theo could be using this as leverage in Boston. Still, Ricketts will land one of his top picks. If you pass up an opportunity like this, you may never get another.

 

Here's the thing though. Theo is established in Boston, beloved by the ownership and has a long rope with the fans even if they are antsy about the last 2 seasons. He also grew up in Boston as a Red Sox fan. His original dream was likely to play for the Red Sox, and then be the GM for the Red Sox when his athletic dreams died like they always do. The Red Sox hold a significant advantage there. He may not be able to get a higher title right now but if he sticks around Boston long enough he will get the opportunity most likely. He's not even 40 yet so he can afford to be patient.

 

Have you seen what the public sentiment has been?

 

Not just the insane people who comment on blogs and articles, either. The fan base seems to be indifferent at best on him leaving. The radio call in shows have been somewhere along the lines of the blog comments, too.

[Elrhino]

Epstein may be trying to leverage this into a Lucchino ouster.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

 

Or they just could be negotiating compensation. If they wanted Theo to stick around, why not just decline the permission?

 

Then we'd have nothing to speculate on during playoff season.

[UMFan83]

Yeah at first I figured no response was good because it meant they were actually considering letting the Cubs interview him, but the longer this goes the longer I think that there is something going on behind the scenes like trying him to agree to an extension/promotion.

 

I think Boston ownership is confronted with a dilemma. Ricketts is going to offer Theo his dream job (albeit in Chicago, not Boston). Boston can offer him an extension and more money, but can they promote him substantively vs designating a fancier title? Unless Lucchino is ready to ride into the sunset, I'm not sure they can.

 

Doesn't mean that it will happen, and Theo could be using this as leverage in Boston. Still, Ricketts will land one of his top picks. If you pass up an opportunity like this, you may never get another.

 

Here's the thing though. Theo is established in Boston, beloved by the ownership and has a long rope with the fans even if they are antsy about the last 2 seasons. He also grew up in Boston as a Red Sox fan. His original dream was likely to play for the Red Sox, and then be the GM for the Red Sox when his athletic dreams died like they always do. The Red Sox hold a significant advantage there. He may not be able to get a higher title right now but if he sticks around Boston long enough he will get the opportunity most likely. He's not even 40 yet so he can afford to be patient.

 

Have you seen what the public sentiment has been?

 

Not just the insane people who comment on blogs and articles, either. The fan base seems to be indifferent at best on him leaving. The radio call in shows have been somewhere along the lines of the blog comments, too.

 

I've listed to the radio shows. A majority seem to be ok with him leaving but aren't exactly running him out of town. Most of them respect that he was able to bring two titles and wouldn't be upset if he stays. You are right that they aren't flipping out saying 'we've gotta keep Theo' but given that they are 8 days removed from a historic Red Sox collapse that kept a heavily hyped team out of the playoffs, I can understand fans being ok with change even if it involves their highly regarded GM who has brought them 2 titles in the last 8 seasons.