MLB Franchise Notes: WSJ's Futterman Profiles Rangers Minority Owner Nolan Ryan

The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman writes there "may be no other executive in major North American professional team sports who gives more time and thought to his players -- or who has more useful information to give them in the place" -- than Rangers President & CEO Nolan Ryan. Sports currently is "lousy with wildly rich, meddling owners flailing in their attempts to repeat their business success." Other than Penguins co-Owner Mario Lemieux and Bobcats Owner Michael Jordan, there are "very few elite athletes who have been in positions of high authority beyond merely coaching." But "confidence in Ryan, who has a five-year contract to serve as the Rangers' CEO, helped convince Rangers co-chairman Bob Simpson to increase the Rangers' payroll nearly 70% to nearly $100 million" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/6).

TWO FOR ONE? In Chicago, Phil Rogers reports while the Cubs are "taking steps aimed toward hiring Theo Epstein away from the Red Sox, it's possible they won't stop there." Sources said that Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts "could attempt to hire two people on his list from the lengthy round of due diligence he has done on replacing" former GM Jim Hendry. Rogers notes the "most likely hire to work alongside Epstein -- as opposed to be sitting in the main chair -- would seem to be Padres assistant GM Josh Byrnes, who was with Epstein from the start in Boston" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/6).

CHASING SALES: MLB.com's Gilbert & Schlegel note the Phillies-D'Backs NLDS Game Four at Chase Field "was not a sellout like Game 3, but the D-backs were still pleased with the way ticket sales went in the 24 hours prior to the game." The announced attendance "was 38,830 on Wednesday, a little more than 10,000 fewer than Game 3." The D'Backs said that they "sold 10,000 tickets after winning Game 3" (MLB.com, 10/6).