In an "unusual case of jumping the cyber-gun," an
"official" announcement stating that the Cubs had named Don
Baylor as their manager "was accessible through the Cubs'
official Web site Friday," according to Sullivan & Rivkin of
the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. A Tribune staffer "came upon the
material while researching a story on the team's managerial
candidates." Cubs GM Ed Lynch "denied Friday" that the
hiring of Baylor "was a done deal," while the team said that
a Cubs employee "was trying to be prepared in case Baylor is
named" and had put the information "in a hidden spot in the
Cubs' Web site." But the announcement "went so far as to
name the date of the Baylor press conference: '11-1-99,' the
day after a seven-game World Series would end." Lynch: "I
can't believe they put that on our site" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
10/23). The announcement was taken down by Friday evening
(CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/24). Cubs President Andy MacPhail and
Lynch called Baylor on Saturday morning "to apologize."
Baylor: "But I had already read it on the Internet myself.
I wasn't too outraged about it, because I knew it wasn't the
truth." Cubs Exec VP/Business Operations Mark McGuire: "My
understanding is that it was in (a location) not available
to the general public. It would take several steps to get
there" (DAILY SOUTHTOWN, 10/24).