The Cubs have reached an agreement "on a five-year contract extension" with President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein that is "valued in the neighborhood" of the five-year, $50M package Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman received before last season, according to sources cited by Gordon Wittenmyer of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. The guaranteed base is "said to be below" the $50M figure, but "includes incentive and bonus clauses." Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts said that he and Epstein "met four times over the summer" before finalizing the deal Saturday. Wittenmyer notes the Cubs "originally intended to announce it Sunday, before the death" of Marlins P Jose Fernandez. Ricketts said there was "never any real drama throughout the summer" over getting the deal done. Meanwhile, the Cubs by the end of the week also "plan to announce five-year extensions" as well for GM Jed Hoyer and Senior VP/Scouting & Player Development Jason McLeod. Ricketts: "The goal is to keep a really strong executive team together and keep building on the success we’ve started to achieve." Epstein was in the "final year" of a five-year, $18.5M deal (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/29). In Chicago, Mark Gonzales notes Ricketts "declined to reveal terms but acknowledged that Epstein's contract reflects his success and tenure." Epstein: "It's everything I could have ever asked for. There’s no place I’d rather be. There's never been any conflict here. I feel completely supportive in a lot of different ways" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/29).
STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM: In Chicago, Paul Sullivan notes Epstein "engineered an overhaul" that turned over 100% of the roster from his arrival in October '11, and now his rebuilt Cubs "have a realistic chance at winning their first World Series since 1908." The "status remains quo, which means the Cubs are in strong position to maintain the level of success they promised five years ago." Epstein early on "laid out a game plan and stuck to it" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/29). In N.Y., Bill Pennington notes the Cubs this year are a "team deep in talent and seemingly without weakness, a roster that is a mix of youthful prodigies and wily veterans." Epstein "patiently and strategically built the mosaic that is the Cubs’ lineup with one prescient acquisition after another" (NYTIMES.com, 9/29). In Chicago, Bruce Miles writes the "Epstein-Hoyer-McLeod mantra from the beginning was 'building for sustained success,' and it appears the Cubs are on their way to achieving that" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 9/29). ESPN CHICAGO's Jesse Rogers noted Epstein's greatest move was "taking advantage of the patience afforded to him by Ricketts." The Cubs "want to win the World Series next month," and while yesterday's announcement "didn't put them any closer to that goal ... it solidified the kind of continuity every successful team strives for" (ESPNCHICAGO.com, 9/28).
