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Benefiting Chicago Cubs Charities and Epstein’s Foundation To Be Named Later, the fundraiser will feature an ensemble of comedy and a variety of acts with performances by The Smashing Pumpkins, The Figgs, Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents, members of Buffalo Tom, and the Hot Stove All-Stars with actors and comedians Mike O’Malley, Jeff Garlin and Joel Murray serving as the evening’s emcees.
The concert takes place the night before the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox kick off their three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.
Greenberg Traurig, Key Bank and Chicago Trading Company Present…. HOT STOVE COOL MUSIC: A Concert Benefiting Chicago Cubs Charities & Foundation To Be Named Later
CHICAGO — Theo Epstein can’t simply pack up his office at Fenway Park and move his belongings to Wrigley Field.
Epstein has reportedly agreed in principle to a five-year deal, worth between $15 million and $18.5 million, to join the Cubs. But because he has one year remaining on his contract with the Red Sox, the two teams must resolve compensation and determine who — if anybody — can accompany Epstein from Boston.
The Cubs declined to comment Thursday on the reports or the general manager search, and the Red Sox have not commented on or confirmed the reports.
If Epstein does move to Chicago, he’ll inherit a team that finished fifth the past two seasons, and had a 71-91 record this year. Giddy Cubs fans who are predicting a World Series win in 2012 should keep in mind the Red Sox were coming off a 93-win season when he took over.
Epstein became Boston’s general manager in late 2002, at the age of 28, and put together a team that won the World Series in 2004, ending an 86-year wait, and then did it again in ’07. The Red Sox reached the playoffs in six of his nine seasons as GM, but the 2011 team went 7-20 in September and blew a nine-game lead in the American League Wild Card race. Manager Terry Francona and the Red Sox mutually parted ways two days after the club’s season ended.
Epstein will face a 103-year drought since the Cubs’ most recent World Series championship
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Source: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111013&content_id=25637028&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Look, Q101.com realizes it has more shirtless men on our site than The Pride Parade's Flickr account...but this one was TOO good to pass up!
Ozzie Guillen is out as White Sox Manager, Mike Quade’s future is in doubt as the Cubs make changes in their front office, so why not bring in a manager that has 2 world series rings? Terry Francona managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1997-2000 and the Boston Red Sox from 2004-2011. His best years were in Boston, and during his time there he broke the Red Sox Curse of the bambino by winning the World Series in both 2004 and 2007. His record as a manager stands at 744 wins, 552 losses, with a winning percentage of .574
His postseason record alone stands at 28 wins, 17 losses, a .622 winning percentage, and the 2 aforementioned world series championships. Both the Cubs and White Sox would be ideal fits for Francona, and here’s how: Both teams will {hopefully} pay top dollar to get him in their clubhouse. The fans on both sides of Chicago tend to idolize winning managers. After the success of Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox could really use another successful, big name manager to re-establish a winning tradition.
The White Sox haven’t had a 700 win manager in their dugout since Paul Richards back in 1976 back at Old Comiskey Park. They last won the World Series in 2005, so bringing in Francona would be a historic move in some regard. Lou Piniella was the Cubs most recent 700+ win manager. However he was unable to bring a world series title to Chicago, the Cubs last won it all in 1908. And since Francona broke Boston’s curse, perhaps he can be the man to finally break the Curse of the Billy Goat.
Aside from winning, Francona is also known for maintaining solid pitching staffs. As the Red Sox manager, Boston had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. With the Cubs needing an overhaul with their pitching, and the White Sox possibly needing to replace both Mark Buehrlie and Jake Peavy, Terry Francona is the man for Chicago. Francona also has a reputation for having multiple .300 hitters in his lineups every year.
This year alone he had David Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Jose Iglesias, and Adrian Gonzalez all batting with an average of .300 or better. Terry Francona could help Adam Dunn get back to his game as a solid hitter, and improve the White Sox batting overall. In 2011, only Reed Johnson, Aramis Ramirez, Starlin Castro, and Carlos Zambrano were .300 hitters for the Cubs. Ramirez and Zambrano will not be back in 2012 and are rumored to be heading to Miami to join Ozzie Guillen with the Florida Marlins.
But with Alfonso Soriano and Marlon Byrd still on the payroll {for now}, and with Starlin Castro as the face of the franchise, Francona will still have something to work with should he join the Cubs. So either team would be a win win situation for Terry Francona. And one way or another, Chicago will have a winning and possibly championship contending baseball team in 2012. So let the bidding wars begin for Terry Francona’s services!
By Q101.com Blogga Gabe Salgado
You can follow me anytime on Twitter @GabeSalgado82, you can also friend me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GabeSalgado82 you can even find me (really) on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/gws1182. Gabe: And I would like to give a shout out to my homegirl Deb Renner, check out her latest movie: www.composedthemovie.com
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