While the Cubs continue working on details to restore Wrigley Field with the city, neighborhood and the rooftop club owners, the team is also dealing with media rights between 720 WGN and WGN TV. WGN Radio exercised an option in their contract with the Cubs last month to re-negotiate the deal with the team due to "sharply declining ratings because of the Cubs’ struggles on the field." Under the current contract, WGN is paying as much as $10 million per season, and possibly more, to broadcast … [Read more...]
Hollandsworth, Otto and Possibly Coomer in the Mix for Cubs Radio Gig
WGN and the Cubs are in the process of finding a replacement for Keith Moreland in the Cubs’ radio booth alongside the great Pat Hughes. A report earlier in the week indicated eight former Cubs and Andy Masur were on the shortlist to fill the vacated spot. At the time, Mark DeRosa was thought to be the frontrunner, especially after he retired from baseball the next day. DeRosa took a job with the MLB Network which left Rick Sutcliffe, Kerry Wood, Dave Otto, Ryan Theriot, Doug Glanville, Todd … [Read more...]
Eight Former Cubs on List to Replace Keith Moreland
According to a report from Robert Feder, there are eight former Cubs on the shortlist to replace Keith Moreland in WGN’s booth. 720 WGN is on the "fast track" to find a replacement for Moreland to call games alongside of the Voice of the Cubs, Pat Hughes. Feder reported WGN would like to hire the Cubs’ new color analyst by the start of the Winter Meetings on Dec. 9. WGN compiled a list of potential candidates on Monday that includes Rick Sutcliffe, Todd Hollandsworth, Dave Otto, Kerry … [Read more...]
Weekend Update … It’s Decision Time for the Cubs
The next few days should be anything but boring for the Chicago Cubs. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer checked off two items from their off-season to do list when they signed Scott Baker and Dioner Navarro last week. The next deadline for the Cubs is Tuesday when they must file their reserve lists to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft. The Cubs have two open spots on their 40-man roster and several players that could be selected in the draft on December 6. There are moves that could, and should, … [Read more...]
Time for the Off-Season to Begin … Cubs Hire Minor League Pitching Coordinator and Other News and Notes
Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants for winning their second World Series title in three years ... When the Cubs announced the new staff structure for baseball operations last Tuesday, two positions had not been filled at that time ... Minor League Pitching Coordinator and Minor League Hitting Coordinator. According to Baseball America, at least one position has been filled. The Cubs have hired long-time Vanderbilt pitching coach Derek Johnson to be the organization's Minor League … [Read more...]
Replacing Brenly … and Other Cubs News, Notes and Rumors
The Cubs' off-season will not kick into full swing for a couple of weeks but the speculation has begun on which players Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer might try to sign this winter. The focus will be on adding pitching and filling out a rotation that was void of Major League arms for a majority of the last two months of the season. The search for Bob Brenly's replacement is expected to begin very soon according to a report from the Tribune. Bob Vorwald, director of productions for WGN-TV, told the … [Read more...]
Weekend Update … The Week that Was in Cubs News
The last weekend in January and the end of the final month without Cubs' baseball until at least October ... pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park in just 14 days. It was a busy six days for the team on the North Side of Chicago. From the non-roster invitations to minor league signings the Cubs were in the news just about every day. The Cubs' Spring Training broadcast schedule should be released in the coming week but as for the announcement of Pat Hughes' new partner, that could be a … [Read more...]
Is Jim Hendry Looking to Add a Veteran Infielder?
It is 18 days until pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park and Jim Hendry is not done tweaking his roster. Hendry said during the Cubs Convention that there could be more deals like the one Reed Johnson signed just before the fan fest ... a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to Spring Training. Hendry reportedly agreed to a non-guaranteed minor league contract with Todd Wellemeyer on Tuesday ... and more could be on the horizon. According to Bruce Levine, the Cubs could be … [Read more...]
Marmol Files, Theriot Talks and Other Cubs News
Pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park in 25 days ... It has been a busy beginning of the week for the Chicago Cubs following the long weekend at the Hilton Chicago. After agreeing to trade Tom Gorzelanny and his $2.1 million salary to the Washington Nationals for Michael Burgess, A.J. Morris and Graham Hicks on Monday, the Cubs announced they avoided arbitration with Matt Garza and Sean Marshall on Tuesday. The Cubs also received a commitment from Matt Szczur and exchanged arbitration … [Read more...]
News, Notes and a Few Cubs Rumors
The next five days figures to be anything but boring for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs announced on Tuesday that pitchers and catchers report to Fitch Park on February 13 with the first workout on February 14. The first full squad workout for Q's crew is scheduled for February 19 ... 31 days before pitchers and catchers report and 46 days until Chicago Cubs Baseball is on the air from Mesa. The Cubs kick off their caravan on Wednesday with a luncheon at Harry Caray's Restaurant. The two-day … [Read more...]