One-Two-Three: A Trio Of MLB Franchise Notes

McClatchy Claims That Pirates' Final Decisions Go Through Him

Pirates Managing General Partner Kevin McClatchy, in the final part of a two-part interview with Dejan Kovacevic of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, said of speculation that co-Owner G. Ogden Nutting and his son, BOD member Robert Nutting, have taken control of the team: “I am clearly running the franchise. I am the managing general partner, which is the control person for a [MLB] franchise. ... They are involved, but they’re not making the decision at the final point. I’ve got to make that decision. I’m responsible” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 12/23).

BEANE BALL: ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian, on smaller-market MLB teams having to trade players before they become free agents because of an inability to resign them in the open market: “Baseball cares, but baseball hasn’t done enough to address the issue. ... They tried in the last basic agreement, and they’re going to have to try a lot harder in the next basic agreement to make sure teams like the A’s don’t have to trade ... two of their best players [Ps Mike Mulder and Tim Hudson]” (ESPNews, 12/22).

CUBS: Former Cubs Assistant Trainer Sandy Krum has filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court claiming he was “wrongfully terminated in retaliation for whistle-blowing on a fellow employee.” Krum, who is seeking over $100,000 from the team, said that he was fired at the end of this past season because he informed Cubs VP & GM Jim Hendry in mid-August that former Cubs Head Trainer Dave Groeschner “was operating without an Illinois license.” Groeschner was fired at the end of the season for unspecified reasons. Hendry in a statement said, “We have not seen any claim from Mr. Krum and so cannot comment further” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/23).