Pat Gillick

[dabynsky]

Personally Gillick taking over the organization is the most interesting story to me right now with the Cubs. Gordon Wittenmeyer wrote another article about Gillick today in the Sun-Times that I will post below, but I thought we ought to have a thread specifically discussing the Hall of Fame baseball executive. Here are the key parts I thought.

The good:

Asked specifically about the possibility and challenge of joining the Cubs’ front office, Gillick reiterated earlier comments that he’s not interested in another general manager’s job.

‘‘If I did anything else, it would have to be something in a presidency role that would interest me,’’ he said by phone from Cooperstown, N.Y. ‘‘As far as an advisory or consultant job, I’ve got a great deal in Philadelphia. There would be no reason for me to go any other place in an advisory or consultant role. We’re in first place. I like it here. The people are great to me.

‘‘If something came up where it would be above the GM position, I would think about it.’’

Gillick also said he’s well versed on what the Cubs have in their farm system, based on weekly conference calls with Phillies scouts and through the Phillies’ new Class AAA manager, Ryne Sandberg, who spent the last four seasons managing in the Cubs’ minor-league chain.

The bad:

While rumors and speculation linking Gillick to the Cubs have ramped up in recent weeks, the man in charge of World Series championships with the Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays denied a WSCR-AM (670) report that he already has talked with Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts.

‘‘That’s not true,’’ said Gillick, who has heard the rumors, too. ‘‘I don’t know Tom Ricketts at all and have never spoken to him.’’

Ricketts said the same Wednesday through a spokesman.

The indifferent, but worth noting:

‘‘I’m not interested in the business side or marketing or television. That’s not my expertise,’’ Gillick said. ‘‘Where I can help and support is on the other side, on the baseball side."

 

[daddies3angels]

To me be really smart to hire him as President

 

[bobferg]

Anyone who can boss around Hendry would be a good thing.

 

[dabynsky]

Well what this sounds to me like is that Gillick could come in with the title president and Crane Kenny could be moved to some purely business side of the team. If Gillick is the main person in charge of making the decisions about baseball for this team I would be pretty happy. Hopefully, Ricketts will at least get the hint that he ought to talk to Gillick since he is clearly indicating that he would be interested in a position if it carried a title of President of Baseball Operations or something like that.

 

[WC Jerome]

As long as Mr. Gillick is not just gonna be around to be a name or a face, I have no problem with it. I want him to be able to make some tough decisions, even if they are not popular ones.

 

[dabynsky]

As long as Mr. Gillick is not just gonna be around to be a name or a face, I have no problem with it. I want him to be able to make some tough decisions, even if they are not popular ones.

I don't think we have to worry about Gillick coming in as just a figurehead. He says clearly that he would really only be interested in coming in another organization at the president level directly above the GM. He said he has a consultant job with a great organization and doesn't want to take a GM job or another consultant/senior advisor role.

Now Ricketts needs to go make it happen...

 

[Rice Cube]

I don't think we have to worry about Gillick coming in as just a figurehead. He says clearly that he would really only be interested in coming in another organization at the president level directly above the GM. He said he has a consultant job with a great organization and doesn't want to take a GM job or another consultant/senior advisor role.

Now Ricketts needs to go make it happen...

That almost seems like you're asking too much :lol: