Theo Epstein will take control as general manager of the Chicago Cubs as soon as the Cubs and Boston Red Sox finalize the deal. Epstein takes the reins of the Cubs after the haphazard tenure of Jim Hendry.In nine years, Hendry oversaw moderate success. Hendry's Cubs teams made the playoffs twice and went to the National League Championship Series once.However, Hendry didn't do a terrific job running the baseball side of the Cubs in his nine years as general manager.Hendry spent fortunes on players who weren't worth their pay (e.g. Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez), and the ChiCubs minor league system ...
When the Chicago Cubs hired Theo Epstein as general manager, the Cubs helped themselves in numerous ways. One major aspect in which the Cubs helped themselves by hiring Epstein is in their quest for public money to aid renovation of Wrigley Field.For about a year, the Cubs organization has been seeking to obtain taxpayer money, either from the city of Chicago or from the state of Illinois, for renovations. Last November, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts made an unsuccessful plea for public money at both the municipal and state level. Ricketts asked for $200 million from city amusement tax revenues for renovations. Both ...
