FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting that former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein will take over as the Cubs' next president and will hire a general manager. The move may disappoint some Cubs fans but it is actually a move that should change the entire philosophy of the organization.
The Cubs current president, Crane Kenney, is more of a business man with little baseball experience. He's done positive things on the business end with the club, but getting someone with Epstein's resume in that position gives the Cubs the potential for a powerhouse front office. The Cubs are reportedly eyeing former Red Sox exec and current Padres GM Jed Hoyer for the Cubs GM role, which is likely as enticing as it appeared for Theo Epstein... but his job certainly has it perks.
The Cubs are also reportedly looking at Padres exec Josh Byrnes, who used to be the Diamondbacks GM before joining the Padres staff. Kevin Towers turned the Diamondbacks around this year and would likely only jump ship so quickly to take the job Epstein appears to be taking. But one intriguing option, probably a dark horse candidate, is Diamondbacks exec Peter Woodfork. Woodfork has been discussed as a candidate for other jobs but hasn't landed one yet. He is a former Red Sox exec too which would reunite him with Theo Epstein.
The list for GM of the Cubs is not long at all, and will likely be kept tight lipped until after the World Series.