The Cubs fired longtime GM Jim Hendry today and they’re already thinking about their next permanent general manager. Former assistant GM Randy Bush has taken over in the interim, but he’s not a long-term option, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (on Twitter).
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts says he’s reaching out to 'industry veterans’ and will search for a well-rounded candidate. "We are not running a baseball organization by a computer model," Ricketts said, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin (on Twitter). But as MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes notes, the Cubs will look to find someone more statistically inclined than Hendry (Twitter link).
Ricketts is looking for someone who will emphasize the farm system, according to MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat (on Twitter) and he wants farm director Oneri Fleita and scouting director Tim Wilken to stay, according to Sullivan (on Twitter). As for specific candidates, Ricketts says he’ll impose silence around the process from here, according to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald (on Twitter).
Hall of Famer Pat Gillick is not a candidate to run the Cubs, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Here’s MLBTR’s list of top GM candidates in MLB.
