Weekend Quick Hits: Castro Reports, Ricketts in Mesa and More

Yesterday was a busy day as the Cubs had their first full squad workout of 2012. Believe it or not, the first Cactus League game of the season will take place a week from tomorrow!

• Tom Ricketts met with the team and with the media yesterday. There are no plans for the Cubs to play anywhere else during Wrigley Field renovations.
• The new Cubs Spring Training facility is still expected to open in 2014.
• Blake DeWitt is happy to be in Spring Training with the Cubs. He said that his plans are not effected by the fact that he is no longer on the 40-man roster. Regardless, he is trying to win a job.
• Red Sox owner John Henry said that there was a misunderstanding between the Cubs and Boston on the Theo Epstein compensation package that caused the negotiation to take so long.
• The bunt tournament is continuing today at Fitch Park. Carrie Muskat reports that Steve Clevenger is set to face Tony Campana today, while Bryan LaHair takes on Anthony Rizzo.
• Dale Sveum clarified yesterday that Bryan LaHair will be the first baseman on opening day. "It's his job, not his to lose," he said.
• Starlin Castro arrived in camp and addressed the sexual allegation charges. He seemed ready to focus on baseball, and said that he learned that you have to be careful because there are a lot of bad people in the world.
• According to the Chicago Cubs twitter, "Szczur, Cardenas, Mota, Lalli, B. Jackson, W. Castillo, Clevenger and LaHair advance" in the bunt tournament today. " Lake, Vitters, Brenly, Adduci, Ha, Sappelt, Campana and Rizzo eliminated."
• According to Carrie Muskat, Alfonso Soriano said yesterday that the Cubs will not miss Carlos Zambrano.
  

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted.

Mid Week Update From Cubs Camp

The Cubs are settling in in Mesa, Arizona. Here's the latest.

• The compensation with the Red Sox for Theo Epstein has finally been announced. Minor league reliever Chris Carpenter has been sent to Boston, along with a Player to be Named Later, which will be announced by mid-April.
• Carrie Muskat reports that Dale Sveum has already penciled in Bryan LaHair as the starting first baseman.
• John Gaub (back spasms) is the only injured Cub. He is expected to bat and throw tomorrow.
• The 2012 Cubs bunt tournament starts tomorrow. According to Muskat, there are 64 entries, including manager Dale Sveum and strength and conditioning coach Tim Buss. Bussy took Chris Carpenter's spot when he was sent to Boston. Sveum will meet Kerry Wood in the first round.
• Here's Paul Sullivan's pic of the entire bracket.
  
• Sveum is hoping to have two left handers in the bullpen. He described Kerry Wood as the ideal setup man.
• The first full squad workout is scheduled for Friday. Tom Ricketts is also expected to speak to the team on Friday.
• Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro are the only position players on the 40-man roster who have not yet appeared in camp.
• James Russell is expected to play a much more important role this season with John Grabow and Sean Marshall gone.
• Be sure to check out the latest pictures on Sheridan's Blog.
• Doug Padilla thinks that Jason Jaramillo has a good chance of beating out Welington Castillo for the backup catcher's job.
  
• Bruce Levine predicts that Travis Wood and Paul Maholm will join Ryan Dempster and Matt Garza in the rotation, with Chris Volstad, Randy Wells and Jeff Samardzija battling for the final spot.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

News, Notes and Links from Day 1 in Mesa

Pitchers and catchers officially reported to Mesa, Arizona for the start of Spring Training workouts today. Here's the latest as we start the countdown to the Cubs Cactus League opener, two weeks from tomorrow against the A's.

• ESPN Chicago reports that Blake DeWitt has until Wednesday to decide whether or not he will accept his outright assignment to Triple-A or become a free agent. Jed Hoyer is hopeful that DeWitt will chose to remain in the organization.
• According to Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com, the Cubs don't expect Starlin Castro's legal situation to be a distraction. Castro is expected to report to camp on time.
• Mooney tweeted today that Jed Hoyer expects to discuss and extension with Matt Garza, possibly this spring.
• Bruce Miles tweets that Theo Epstein has not seen "Moneyball" and has no plans to. He is not a fan of "proprietary" info getting out.
• Reed Johnson likes Dale Sveum's commitment to playing the game hard.
• Marlon Byrd says he lost 20 pounds during the offseason.
• It was 70 degrees and sunny today in Mesa.
• Chicago Cubs Online posted a nice look back at the Cubs offseason.
• Dale Sveum had individuals meetings with pitchers and catchers this morning and met with the media later in the day.
• Tomorrow official workouts begin at Fitch Park.
• Theo Epstein has put together a manual for Cubs staff members explaining The Cubs' Way.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Pitchers & Catchers Report Tomorrow

Tomorrow Pitchers and Catcher will officially report to Fitch Park in Mesa, Arizona! Spring Training is right around the corner. Most of the Cubs have reported early to camp. Here are the latest news and notes on the eve of the official start of the 2012 season.

• Kerry Wood, Travis Wood, Darwin Barney, Geovany Soto, David DeJesus, Matt Garza and Randy Wells have all reported early to Fitch Park.
• Cubs fan Brian Pasnik is one of the finalists for the MLB Fan Cave Contest.
• Tim Sheridan's Boys of Spring Blog is a great place for pictures and updates from Mesa. Tim has already posted some great pics from the early birds working out.
• "I don't talk about that," Matt Garza said this week about the idea of signing a long term deal with the Cubs.
• Blake DeWitt will have the option of either returning to the Cubs as a non-roster invite or testing free agency if he clears waivers.
  
• For those that missed it, Kosuke Fukudome signed with the White Sox this week.
• The Cubs are STILL waiting to hear Bud Selig's ruling on the Theo Epstein compensation case.
• Patrick Mooney breaks down ten things to watch for the Cubs this season.
• According to Cubs.com, Dale Sveum is optimistic about the Cubs pitching staff for this season.
• Carrie Muskat reports that today Kerry Wood and Rodrigo Lopez threw off the mound, Rudy Jaramillo conducted early sessions in the cages, and Darwin Barney, Bryan LaHair and Josh Vitters were practicing in the field.

That's it for now, but I'll have more tomorrow!

Cubs Convention Day 1: Woody Returns

The 2012 Cubs Convention kicked off early this evening at the Hilton Chicago! It is my fourth year attending the Convention and with each one comes new story lines a lots of entertainment. The Convention officially started with the Opening Ceremonies in the Grand Ballroom at 5:00 today.

Pat Hughes once again served as the master of ceremonies. He introduced Tom Ricketts, who spoke on behalf of his family and the entire organization. Then Wayne Messmer performed the National Anthem.

After that, Pat introduced Cubs players of yesteryear, minor leaguers, front office personal, coaches, broadcasters and current players one-by-one. There was a warm reception for most. Crane Kenney received the loudest boos. Tom Ricketts and Starlin Castro both received mostly cheers with some boos mixed in, while Alfonso Soriano received about half and half.

After Hughes introduced Randy Wells he waited a moment and then said the words, "We have some breaking news." At that instant 90% of the fans in the room new what was about to happen. They erupted into loud applause and started chanting "Kerry! Kerry!"

"I'd like to introduce the Cubs newest acquisition... and the name does sound familiar. Welcome back Kerry Wood!" Pat finished. The fan favorite signed a one year deal to remain with the North Siders today. Woody's introduction was a very special moment.

This year's ceremonial first pitches of the Convention were tossed out by new Cubs skipper Dale Sveum and president Theo Epstein. After the Convention wrapped up, Cubs fans went on the Autograph Treasure Hunt. Among the people signing autographs were Milt Pappas, Randy Hundley, Eric Young, Milt Pappas, Rick Monday and Jose Cardenal.

WGN Sports Night live from the Convention started at 7:00 and ran until about 9:15. Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts spent the first hour of the show chatting with David Kaplan, Brian Noonan and Andrea Darlas. The trio was very informative and all three will appear during various sessions tomorrow. Dale Sveum, Chris Bosio and Rudy Jaramillo joined the guys for a half an hour, followed by Bob Brenly and Todd Hollandswoth. The remote was rounded out by Bill Buckner from 9-9:15.

Theo Epstein supporters were all over the place today. The Cubs fans are rallying behind their new leader and are excited about his approach. Various t-shirts and signs with Theo slogans were on display today.

This year's Convention is a sell out. The event has been sold out 26 of its 27 years... the only year it did not sell out was last year.

Tomorrow will be a full day of sessions! I'll have a recap tomorrow night!

Top Ten Cubs News Stories of 2011: Part 2

Yesterday, we started our countdown of the top ten Cubs news stories of 2011. Click here for the stories that ranked six through ten. And now for the top five!

5. Honoring Ronnie
Throughout the calender year the Cubs organization did a great job honoring Cubs legend Ron Santo, who passed away in December of 2010. It started at the Cubs Convention in January and continued in Spring Training and on Opening Day, when his family threw out the first pitch and sang the Seventh Inning Stretch. On August 10, a statue of Santo was unveiled outside Wrigley Field before the Cubs game against the Nationals. Pat Hughes did a great job all seasons long telling stories about Ronnie on Cubs radio broadcasts in addition to putting together a book and a CD on his longtime partner.

4. Goodbye Hendry
Jim Hendry tenure as the Cubs general manager, which started in the middle of the 2002 season, concluded on August 19 when he was relieved of his duties by Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts. Ricketts notified Hendry that his days were numbered on July 22, but Jim wanted to stay on to finish signing draft picks and making trades before the deadline. Although some of his moves were often criticized, such as Alfonso Soriano's contract and the Milton Bradley trade, Hendry will be fondly remembered on the North Side for leading the team to the playoffs three times and for his friendliness and loyalty.

3. Z Blows Up
Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano continued to make headlines for the wrong reasons when his emotions once again got the best of him on August 12. Z had yielded five home runs to the Atlanta Braves and in his frustration attempted to throw at Chipper Jones. Zambrano was ejected from the game, cleaned out his locker and claimed that he was retiring. He spent a stint on the disqualified list and did not pitch the remainder of the season, leaving his future with the Cubs in question.

2. Cubs Net Theo
The Cubs landed one of the brightest minds in baseball on Oct. 21 when Theo Epstein took over as their President of Baseball Operations. He had already agreed to a five year contract with the squad on Oct. 12. Epstein has already begun to put his stamp on the team, trading Tyler Colvin, DJ LeMahieu and Sean Marshall in order to build his own core of young players. The addition of Epstein along with general manager Jed Hoyer and VP of scouting and player development Jason McLeod gives fans hope for brighter days ahead.

1. Santo Elected to HOF
Without a doubt, the biggest story of the year is Ron Santo finally getting the call from Cooperstown. Santo will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July, a long overdue honor. Friends, fans and family members only wish that Ronnie was here to find out the news. He was very vocal about his wish to be enshrined in the Hall during his lifetime. None-the-less, the ceremony will be a great way to continue to honor and remember Santo.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

What are Cubs fans Thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving Cubs fans! I hope everyone has a great day eating, giving thanks, watching football and being with their families.

Every year here on Everything Cubs Blog, we take a look at a list of things that Cubs fans have to be thankful for. Although the Boys in Blue are coming off back-to-back losing seasons, there are still a lot of factors that make it a good time to be a Cubs fan.

• Tom Ricketts was able to bring Theo Epstein to Chicago.


• The 2012 Cubs will feature a new president, general manager and manager.


• Dale Sveum does not sound like he will put up with guys like Starlin Castro, Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano slacking. Sveum wants to crack down on Castro's defense.


• Only two months until the Cubs Convention.


• Just three months until Spring Training.


• A week from Monday is the Ron Santo Hall of Fame announcement... maybe #10 will finally make it in.


• You cannot get your Cubs fix all winter long as CSN Chicago has added a Hot Stove show covering the Cubs and White Sox on Tuesday nights.


• Baseball's Winter Meetings are just over a week away and the Cubs are poised to make some moves.


• It sounds as if Kerry Wood will return next season.


• All baseball fans can be thankful that a new CBA has been reached and that the NBA is the only sport facing a lockout.


• The Cubs have some solid prospects at the minor league level, led by Brett Jackson.


• The Cubs have one of the best play-by-play men in all of baseball, Pat Hughes.


• Matt Garza, Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney.

Once again, have a happy Thanksgiving Cubs fans!!!

Breaking News: Sveum Named Cubs Manager

A busy offseason for the Chicago Cubs continued today with the announcement of a new manager. Dale Sveum has become the 52nd manager of the team, signing a three year contract with an option for 2015. Sveum (pronounced Swaim) will be introduced by Jed Hoyer and Theo Esptein at a press conference tomorrow morning at 9:00.

Sveum was a big league infielder for seven different teams from 1986 to 1999, spending the 1992 season in Chicago playing for the White Sox. He coached on the Boston Red Sox staff during 2004 and 2005 seasons before spending 2006 to 2011 with the Brewers. His only big league managerial experience was in September of 2008 when he was named the interim manager for the final two weeks of the season after the firing of Ned Yost. Sveum served as a third base coach, bench coach and hitting coach during his time as a coach.

That's it for now, but we'll have much more on the Cubs new skipper.

Updating the Cubs Managerial Search

According to those of you who voted on our recent poll, Cubs fans are excited about welcoming Theo Epstein as the President of Baseball Operations. (Thanks to everyone who voted on the poll, by the way.) Epstein's first order of business as the Cubs President is to name a new manager... which leads us to our new poll question- who is the best Cubs managerial candidate? Four options of guys that are in the mix are listed on the right sidebar, please vote.

Now let's catch you up on the latest regarding the search for the next skipper.

• Mike Maddux interviewed with Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, Jason McLeod and Randy Bush. According to all report, the interview went very well and Maddux could even be the leader to land the gig.


• Maddux did not rule out the idea of his younger brother Greg joining his staff if he is hired by the Cubs.


• Mike withdrew his name from the Red Sox managerial search last week.


• Dale Sveum also interviewed for the job this week. He told the media that it does not sound as if Epstein and the Cubs plan to enter a rebuilding phase.


• Ken Rosenthal reports that Sveum is going to get a second interview with the Red Sox, but he is high on the Cubs list as well.


• Pete Mackanin, who was the first to interview, is still be considered as well.


• Sandy Alomar Jr. is the final known candidate for the job. The Cubs brass has indicated that the first round of interviews could be complete, but it has not closed the door on adding another candidate or two to the mix. Alomar's interview reportedly went very well.


• Some think that an announcement of the new manager could come as early as this week.


• The Cardinals have named Mike Matheny their new manager.


• According to multiple sources, Terry Francona will not be considered for the Cubs job.

It is a busy time for the Cubs management with the General Managers' Meetings starting this week in Milwaukee. Both Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer will represent the Cubs.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Let the Interviews Begin

With the firing of Mike Quade on Wednesday, the Cubs have wasted no time begging the interview process to find the best candidate to become the next manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Pete Mackanin was the first formal interview for the position. He chatted with Theo Epstein and company on Friday. Mackanin told the media that Theo nailed him with question after question. The interview included watching game film and asking Mackannin what he would do in certain situations. Mackanin is the current Phillies bench coach. He grew up in the Chicagoland area cheering for both the Cubs and White Sox.

Dale Sveum, who is the Brewers hitting coach, will go through the interview process on Monday, followed by Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux sometime next week. Other names floating around include Sandy Alomar Jr., DeMarlo Hale, Terry Francona and Joe Maddon. According to David Kaplan, Alomar, the Indians' bench coach, will interview next week as well.

The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals are also hunting for a new manager. All three teams are interviewing a similar list of candidates.

The other bit of news this week was the Cubs decision to hire Joe Bohringer as Pro Scouting Director. Bohringer as 21 years of scouting experience under his belt and had been in the Arizona D'backs organization since 2006.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Breaking News: Mike Quade Out as Cubs Manager

Mike Quade will not return for the second year of his contract. Theo Esptein made his first big decision today by electing to go in a new direction with the team's managerial position. Epstein said that he wanted to start fresh. Quade took the high road with his comments today, complimenting Theo for the way he went about making the decision.

Ryne Sandberg also received bad news today. He will not be considered for the Cubs open managerial gig. One of Epstein's criteria is big league coaching experience. Sandberg also spoke highly of the way Epstein notified him of the decision that he would not be considered.

I think that Theo is making the right decision in letting Q go. Quade did not receive much of a chance, but he was never really big league managerial material. He was an assistant coach who took over for a brief one year stint as a manager. My guess is he'll remain in baseball as an assistant. He is a baseball lifer, a hard worker and a great guy, but he was not the right fit for a managerial position in Chicago.

Yesterday Jed Hoyer and Jason McCloud were introduced as the general manager and VP of Player Development respectively. When questions about decisions on players (Zambrano, Ramirez, ect) were directed at Hoyer, Theo jumped in and answered. All indications are that Aramis Ramirez will not return to the Cubs next season.

Today the big discussion is the removal of Mike Quade and the question of who will take his place is being tossed around. Lots of names were being tweeted and blogged today. We'll have a full breakdown of managerial candidates later in the week.

Things are never slow on the North Side of Chicago! Lots of news early on this winter. That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Let the Offseason Begin

As much as it pains all Cubs fans to say it... congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning the 2011 World Series. Game 6 will go down as one of the best games in World Series history. I actually enjoyed watching the Cards come back time and time again because it was just such good baseball. Joe Buck's "We'll see you tomorrow night" tribute to his father was perfect.

Now the the World Series is over, what should be an action-packed offseason for the Chicago Cubs begins. The first bit of news was made today as Ryan Dempster decided to pick up his player option for 2012. He will make $14 million in the fourth and final year of his contract.

Theo Epstein is now in place as the President of the Cubs, but there are still many question marks heading into next year. Among them are-

1. Who will manage the team?
There is a chance that Mike Quade will return, but most seem to feel he is on the way out. The Cubs did not pay Theo all that money to keep things the same. Some big moves are likely on the horizon and that will start with a new skipper. Ryne Sandberg, Terry Francona, Bobby Valentine, Tim Bogar, DeMarlo Hale, Rick Renteria and Dale Sveum are among the names being tossed around.

2. Will Ramirez return?
Aramis Ramirez has been a fixture at the hot corner at Wrigley Field since the middle of 2003. Can the Cubs find an upgrade on the market, or will the best option be A-Ram for 2011? Ramirez will leave a big hole in the lineup if he leaves. He has a player option where he can elect for free agency even if the Cubs want to pick up his $16 million team option. Ramirez was quoted saying that he is more likely to want to return now that Epstein has taken over.

3. Which other free agents will the Cubs let go, and which will they bring back?
In addition to Ramirez, Carlos Pena, Reed Johnson, Kerry Wood, Rodrigo Lopez, John Grabow and Ramon Ortiz will all hit the open market. My guess is that Wood and Johnson return while Lopez, Grabow and Ortiz go elsewhere. That leaves Carlos Pena as the big question mark. Theo will have to figure out whether or not there is a better option on the free agent market, because the Cubs do not have much corner infield depth in the system.

4. Which additions will the Cubs make?
There is no doubt that this team will have at least a few new faces come Spring Training. The biggest area of need is the starting rotation. There are three spots up for grabs with only Dempster and Garza penciled in. Randy Wells did not have a good season, but will likely end up back in the starting five none-the-less. Casey Coleman and Andrew Cashner could battle for the No. 5 slot, but the Cubs are in trouble if they do not add at least one middle of the rotation starter. Additions to the lineup will be based on whether or not they decide to keep Pena and Ramirez. The bullpen could also use a few extra arms.

5. Will the Cubs find a way to dump Carlos Zambrano?
Carlos Zambrano's days pitching in a Cubs uniform are likely over. The question is how, not if, he will be moved. The Cubs will search for a trade partner that is willing to take the baggage that he carries with him. After the end of last year, it is unlikely that Z returns to the Cubs, but since there is an overhauled front office there is a chance the he comes back.

The Cubs have until Tuesday to work out a compensation package with the Red Sox, or Bud Selig will step in.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted all offseason long!

Breaking News: Hoyer & McLeod Added to Front Office

Theo Epstein has made his first additions to his staff. Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod have officially been announced as the Cubs Executive VP/General Manager and Senior VP of Scouting and Player Development. The Cubs will send a player to be named later to San Diego as compensation.

McLeod will be in charge of Oneri Fleita and Tim Wilken. His title will not be assistant GM, as originally reported. As of now Randy Bush remains the assistant to Hoyer.

On a side note- Bruce Levine tweeted today that Aramis Ramirez is open to returning to the Cubs now that Theo is in charge.

With the front office set, it's time to start talking about what moves it should make. We'll have breakdowns of managerial and free agent options this weekend.

Reaction as Theo Takes Over

Theo Epstein was introduced today as the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs. Click here for the article and video from CSN Chicago.

Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod will be introduced later in the week, no later than next Monday.

Here were some of the tweets that were being sent out today regarding #Esptein.

• Jon Heyman- Cherington said that compensation from the Cubs was agreed to be significant.


• Jon Heyman- No matter who was hired to run the Cubs, Quade was a goner. He was Hendery's guy. Of course, why pay Theo $3.7 million to leave status quo.


• CSN Mooney- Theo says he never asked for a contract extension or new role with the Red Sox.


• Len Kasper- The thing about Theo that is common among brightest people I've met--he's not condescending,he listens.Less is more. Great vibe.


• Chris DeLuca- Theo says if Francona hadn't left the Red Sox, he would have stayed another year.


• David Kaplan- By the way, yes that was Theo at Starbucks a couple of weeks ago. He confirmed.


• WGN TV- It certainly feels great to be a Cub today.


• Click here for more #Theo tweets.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Epstein's Press Conference Set

The press conference to introduce Theo Epstein as the general manager of the Chicago Cubs is set for tomorrow at Wrigley Field. The press conference will start at 11am and will likely be televised on CSN Chicago and WGN-TV Chicago. Look back at my recent posts for more Epstein coverage, and expected a recap tomorrow!

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Radio Recaps: Getting Set for the Epstein Annoucement

Bruce Levine joined Carmen, Jurko and Harry for the latest on the Theo Watch on Thursday-

• The Cubs were very close at that time to the deal with the Red Sox. One of the holdups may have been the medical situations of some of the deals that they agreed on.


• Levine called the situation a real tangled web, with Jed Hoyer moving to the Cubs. The front office will grow under Epstein and Hoyer.


• Theo will be the guy to call the shots. This is a lateral move for Hoyer.


• The media and fans are going to be talking to Jed Hoyer every day. Jed is going to be a very important part of the front office.


• Levine was told that there would not be any compensation need to San Diego, but some reports have said that there will be a low level prospect.


• Bruce was told that Trey McNutt and Brett Jackson are both staying in Chicago. Nobody is sure who the prospect going to Boston is.


• Bud Selig has not gotten involved much yet. He has allowed these teams to make the announcement during off days of the World Series so that the teams (San Diego, Boston and the Cubs) can be ready for free agency.


• Theo was probably the one who decided that he wanted a general manager under him. Esptein likes to have a lot of guys under him. At times, he has had three assistant general managers working under him.


• The Cubs going to add more people to the front office after Esptein and Hoyer. A few more guys from Boston and San Diego will become over.


• Levine shot down the possibility of John Lackey being sent to the Cubs. Starlin Castro and Matt Garza's names also came up during the compensation offers.


• Carem and Bruce agreed that the Red Sox have been set on dragging this thing out as long as possible. The Bo-Sox have made this as difficult as possible.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted.

Breaking News: Epstein to the Cubs

It's official, Theo Epstein is the President of Baseball Operations of the Chicago Cubs. Check back tomorrow for all the details.

Update Saturday 10:30am
Theo Epstein has joined the Chicago Cubs on the team's President of Baseball Operations. The compensation to the Red Sox has not yet been announced, but the two sides have reached an agreement as to the process that will be taken. The compensation issue will be worked out soon. If the compensation process does not work, Bug Selig will make the final decision.

With the World Series going on, the official announcement will be made on Tuesday, an travel day for the Cardinals and Rangers. Neither club will have further comment until that time.

A few days after Epstein's press conference, several more announcements are expected to be made. Padres general manager Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Jason McLeod are expected to join the Cubs organization as the GM and assistant GM respectively. Hoyer is set to sign a five year deal with a Cubs. The compensation to San Diego is expected to be a low level minor leaguer.

Crane Kenney will remain with the Cubs organization, but his title will change to President of Business Operations.

That's it for now, but we'll have much coverage of this story this weekend and early next week.

Radio Recaps: Rogers, Hughes & Moreland on WGN Radio

Although the deal is not officially done, Theo Epstein talked filled the radio airwaves this week. Phil Rogers joined WGN Sports Night this week.

• One of the most respected executives in baseball thinks the Cubs have a fighting chance. Theo would not be coming to Chicago if he didn't think Tom Ricketts was a guy who could do big things.


• There are a number of guys out there who have worked with Epstein before that he could bring in as an assistant general manager.


• Rogers reports that it is possible that there will be multiple levels of baseball operations where the second guy in charge could have the GM title. Epstein could be the guy who hires the general manager instead of becoming the general manager.


• For the most part, Theo will be working with the guys who are already there.


• Epstein is a guy who can make a very difficult decision. You will no longer see the general manager down the clubhouse becoming friendly with the players. Rogers expects him to be a tougher GM.


• Rogers is excited about Ricketts' commitment to the farm system.


• Demarlo Hale is the Boston bench coach and could be a candidate for the Cubs managerial position. Rogers if pretty sure that Terry Francona will not be the Cubs manager in 2012. Ryne Sandberg is a guy who does make sense.


• The deal for Theo Epstein is not done yet. This thing could still go sideways.


• Rogers thinks that Pujols will leave the Cardinals. The NL Central might be has winnable as ever in 2012.


• A turnaround to be competitive could happen in 2012, but the Cubs are 2-3 years away from winning 90-95 games. The lack of stability throughout the organization as been the biggest problem for the Cubs.


• The front office must take a patient approach.

Pat Hughes and Keith Moreland joined Greg Jarrett to talk about Epstein-

• "There's a feeling of this all being a bit premature right now. It looks like it's going to happen, but it's a little premature," Hughes said.


• Moreland said that he is sure that players are following the situation and wondering what might take place. Keith said that there is a lot of speculation going on at this point.


• The Cubs organization needs to put itself in position to win year in and year out for a decade.


• Hughes is impressed by Theo's track record for success. If indeed he does become the Cubs general manager, Pat will be pulling for him to do well.


• Keith thinks that starting pitching is the biggest area of need for the Cubs.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Breaking News: Epstein on the Verge of Becoming Cubs' GM

The Cubs are on the verge bringing Red Sox general manager to Chicago to fill a similar role, taking over for Jim Hendry who was fired in August. This deal seems to be all but official, and it should be made official in the next 24 hours.

Jon Heyman tweeted today that part of the agreement is that Epstein cannot take any other Red Sox front office members with him. Compensation will most likely be sent to Boston in the form of either cash or a minor league player. Heyman reports that Boston is leaning toward wanting the money.

Jeff Passan tweeted that Theo Epstein is a spectacular hire for the Cubs and an unnecessarily stupid loss for the Bo-Sox. ESPN's Buster Olney has reported that the deal is done. The deal is reportedly for five years and close to $20 million.

Bruce Levine was on ESPN today to talk about the move:

• The final hurdle is getting the compensation sorted out.



• The Red Sox could ask for a lot and the Cubs could balk at that. This could take a little while to get figured out, but Bruce would be shocked if it does not get done.



• Mike Quade's future in Chicago is unknown at this time. Levine thinks that people have gotten a little bit ahead of the story by talking about the possibility of the move under Epstein.



• Levine would be shocked if the Cubs went after a slugger like Pujols or Fielder. The Cubs need starting pitch, so that must be the top priority.



• The Cubs need a lot of help in the rotation behind Dempster and Garza. The money that they have should go toward pitching first.

Ryan Dempster was on The Herd with Colin Cowherd to offer his perspective.

• Dempster thinks that the Cubs have an incredible bullpen. He thinks that they have a bullpen that can be very strong.



• "The starting pitching has to do a better job, and that starts with me," he said.



• Demp also pointed out that the Cubs must to play better defense.



• Ryan and Cowherd agree that Chicago is one of the best cities for sports in America. Dempster said that the city appreciates hard work.



• Demp has never met Theo Epstein, but he is looking forward to having him on with the Cubs.

That's it for now, but I'll update you when the deal is official.

Epstein Close to Coming to the Cubs

Today news has broke that the Cubs are very close to bringing Theo Epstein in as their General Manager. There were reports today that the Cubs will have to compensate the Red Sox since Epstein is under contract, but that will be only a minor hurdle in completing the deal. The Bo-Sox would like Epstein to stay in Boston but they will not prevent him from leaving.

The Boston Harold has issued a report that says that Epstein is on the cusp of leaving his job in Boston for one with greater power in Chicago. An official announcement is expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.

According the Chicago Tribune Peter Gammons has tweeted that a deal could happen, but it is not as close and people think. The Tribune's article also said that the Cubs declined the comment on the issue.

Comcast Sports Net New England reports that the deal is close but not done yet. On the issue of compensation, most sources are reporting that it will not be top players on the Cubs roster, most likely only minor league prospects.

That's it for now, but we'll keep you posted as more news breaks.