MacPhail Resigns; McDonough Interim President
The biggest news always comes out of nowhere. Chicago Cubs president Andy MacPhail has resigned. John McDonough, Cubs senior vice president of marketing and broadcasting, will serve as interim president. MacPhail has been Cubs president for 12 seasons. The Cubs won one division championship (2003) during his tenure and one wild card (1998). They lost at least 94 games 5 times, despite having upper echelon resources.
That lack of success, combined with the pending end of Dusty Baker's 4-year reign as field manager, has led to a recent spate of criticism in the media of MacPhail and those in upper management below him.
The Cubs have no doubt been financially successful during MacPhail's term, and that is a big part of a team president's job. Now, however, the Cubs are witnessing the increasing popularity of the team on the south side of the city. The Cubs no longer have the near total claim on the city's buzz. Not even close.
All of which makes the story of MacPhail's resignation -- if anyone can get it -- very interesting.
Comments elsewhere: Bleed Cubbie Blue, The Cub Reporter.
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Honor, Decency and Pure Embarrassment
One thing to be said about the Cubs management is that these are very decent people, all the way up, from Baker through to the Tribune execs. So in the end some 'old school' sense of honor, the basic decency of the people involved, and the utter embarrassment of this past season combined to bring about serious change at the top of the Cubs. The real question is whether Chicago Cubs fans will be blessed by a new management that can bring off a miraculous re-invention of the team. Let's face it, it is going to take a lot of re-invention. There are some excellent players already there, but far too few to be seen as the focus of the effort.
Thank you Messrs. MacPhail, Hendry and Baker for trying. I just hope the new guys are smart enough to really graze some goats at Wrigley.
Respectfully,
FEARLESS BEAR
Cubs w/l history and 2006 Cardinals
Cubs record in 2002:
2002 67-95 (.414) 5th place Don Baylor, Rene Lachemann, and Bruce Kimm
Cubs record in 2003:
2003 88-74 (.543) Dusty Baker managing
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/...
Cubs record in 2004:
2004 89-73 (.549) 3rd place with Dusty Baker w/ better w/l record than 2003.
Cardinals in 2006:
2006 83-78 .516 1st place while ending just two games over .500
If the Cubs had just played a bit over .500, we could've delayed post-season depression by a week or two...or four.
Stats sources:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/...
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/standi...
Photos from Ryne Sandberg Day at Wrigley Field
Meet Ronnie the Collie
Hendry Stays??!!??**?
Well maybe I was presumptuously optimistic to think Jim Hendry would be leaving. It looks now like he believes he is in charge of looking for the next Cubs manager. If so, that signals a less than businesslike transition to a truly new regime by the Tribune, and a less than rosy future for the Cubbies. But hey, the more things change... Maybe Hendry is just rubbing the dirt in the Tribune's eyes, i.e. they owe him a buy out and haven't come through yet. Stay tuned.
Respectfully,
FEARLESS BEAR
RE: Hendry Stays?
I wouldn't get your hopes up about Hendry leaving.