Update On The Cubs Radio Booth

The Chicago Cubs and WGN Radio do not appear close to be making a decision as to who is going to join Pat Hughes in the radio booth next season. However, their list of candidates has gotten considerably shorter. As former Cubs Rick Sutcliffe, Dan Plesac, and Mark Grace took themselves out of consideration for the opening,

According to ESPN Chicago’s Bruce Levine, While Sutcliffe did express interest in the position, he is on the verge of signing a contract extension with ESPN. In his new contract, Sutcliffe is scheduled to do 40 games as a color commentator for ESPN games. This would preclude Sutcliffe from committing to all 162 Cubs games.

Also in the report, Levine states that Dan Plesac will not be an option to join Pat Hughes in the radio booth. Since becoming an analyst for the MLB Network, Plesac has blossomed into one of the most insightful commentators in all of baseball. I would have liked to seen Plesac in the booth, as from his days as the Cubs post game analyst, he showed that he has an excellent baseball mind.

The Chicago Tribune’s Fred Mitchell reports that Mark Grace looks doubtful to leave the Arizona Diamondbacks as well as the Fox Network to come back to the Chicago Cubs and be a radio broadcaster. Can’t really say that I’m surprised by that, considering that from the start I never thought he had a legitimate chance at joining Pat Hughes in the radio booth.

The remaining candidates appear to be Keith Moreland, Dave Otto, and Garry Matthews. To be honest, I do not have a preference as to which one of three I would want to listen to as a broadcaster. Of the three though, Moreland may be the best broadcaster. Moreland has filled in for the Cubs on television and radio broadcasts in the past, and he has done a commendable job.

The Cubs had hoped that they would have a new broadcaster in place before the Cubs Convention takes place next week, it remains to be seen if they will or not.