Theo Epstein Shows Off His Bunting Skills

When Dale Sveum took the reigns of the Chicago Cubs prior to last season, he unveiled a fun little bunting contest to loosen up Spring Training.

And since Sveum is back for season two...so is the bunting contest!

On Saturday, for some reason, the front office staff took part in the contest in an effort to round out the field of 64 contestants.  64 you ask?  Yes, according to ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers the breakdown consists of 62 players (including last season's champion David DeJesus), a bullpen coach and the yet-to-be named 64th participant.

Alright, you know darn well this thing wouldn't get any mention whatsoever if it was full of random office employees.  Yeah, you guessed it...team president Theo Epstein took part in the contest, beating general manager Jed Hoyer in the first round.


But, alas, Epstein's success was short lived.  He lost to his 25-year-old wunderkind director of baseball operations Scott Harris who, in turn, lost to assistant video coordinator Nate Halm.


"Nate might get an invite to camp on a minor league contract," Epstein joked with the Chicago Tribune.  "That was impressive."

Feel free to click the picture below to see Epstein flaunt his bunting prowess.

Naturally, Theo's Stalker is a Red Sox Fan

Last week, news broke that Chicago Cubs president (and former Boston Red Sox GM) Theo Epstein has a stalker.

And because it's been that kind of year for the Sox, when Kathleen Kearney appeared in court Monday, she was wearing, up...a Red Sox shirt.

In case you're curious, there are some new developments in the story. 

According to the Chicago Tribune, this most recent incident with Epstein and his family wasn't the first.  The 44-year-old Harvard-educated former librarian had been warned to stay away from Epstein while he was still in Boston.

Oh, and in case you're still more curious(er), Kearney was released on bond with the understanding she checks herself in to a mental hospital.

***Thanks Deadspin.***

Theo Epstein Has a Stalker Now

When the Chicago Cubs brought in Theo Epstein, the feeling around the Windy City was that a rockstar was coming to town and bringing change with him.

And while the Cubs current record might not indicate a departure from the norm...Epstein can indeed be called a "rockstar".

According to the Chicago Tribune...dude has a stalker.

A Massachusetts woman warned to stay away from Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein was arrested near his Lakeview home this week after telling police she was "inviting Mr. Epstein to go to church."

Kathleen Kearney, 44, was arrested about 6 p.m. Monday in the 1400 block of West Addison Street, about two blocks from Epstein's five-bedroom home.

Kearney told officers she had been watching the home that Epstein shares with his wife Marie and young son, Jack, and was going there to extend the invitation, police said.

I'm not going to make jokes about stalkers, but I will say this, if Kearney's mugshot below is any indication, I'm not sure why the Cubs boss won't take her up on her offer.

Theo Epstein Drop $3.25 Million on a House

I guess when your new employer throws $20 million your way in hopes to end their century-old curse...you can afford to buy whatever house you want.

Even if you end up paying more than the asking price. 

According to the Chicago Tribune, Theo Epstein, the Chicago Cubs new president of baseball operations dropped $3.25 million on his new digs. 

The rub...the house was listed at $2,999,999.

The reason (or reasons) for the price hike...an alledged bidding war with Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp.  You see, Sharp signed a contract to buy the 7800-square-foot house on September 15, but canceled the contract on October 21...a mere five days before Epstein closed on it.

Of course, we'll never know if it was really a bidding war or, simply, coincidence.

That said...I have a feeling that Epstein really, really wanted to live "just block away from Wrigley Field" and opened his wallet to do so.

Is Ryne Sandberg Next in Line in Chicago?

Here we go again.

First...it was Theo Epstein being spotted at a Starbucks.  And we all saw how that played out.

Now...it's Hall of Famer and Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg walking the streets of the Windy City.

"We were coming back from lunch, walking east on Walton toward Michigan Avenue," lifelong Cubs fan Frank Mark told the Chicago Tribune. "All of a sudden, I see three people, two ladies and a guy. I eyeballed the guy and said, 'Holy smoke, that's Sandberg.' I'm 99 percent sure it was him. He had the same build, the same slick-backed hair."

To make matter worse...Sandberg also reportedly dined Tuesday night at Japonais.

And we all know how the former second baseman loves his "signature Japanese cuisine that seamlessly fuses innovative presentations, flavors and ingredient pairings."

So...what are the odds of the Hall of Famer becoming Epstein's main man?

"I think there'd be a better chance of Ryno becoming a base coach or something like that. They have to get the Mike Quade question answered first," CSNChicago.com's Cubs Insider Patrick Mooney weighed in after the Epstein press conference Tuesday.

The new Cubs president  interviewed Sandberg for Boston's Triple-A managing job in Pawtucket last year after Quade beat out Sandberg for the Cubs' top job. Sandberg turned it down since he had already had committed to a similar job within the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Wake me up when Ron Cey comes waddling out of the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Theo Epstein was in Chicago...or was he?

Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!

Ask yourself this...if you saw Theo Epstein out in public would you know who he was?

I mean, I was in Fenway Park a while back, saw a guy who looked like the Boston Red Sox GM and STILL asked myself..."is that dude flanked by security guards Theo Epstein".

It was.

And if you ask Chicagoan Noah Pinzur, he saw the 37-year-old baseball wunderkind Saturday in the Windy City. 

At a Starbucks.

Pinzur told the Chicago Tribune that he said he was sitting near the window of the Starbucks on Racine and Wrightwood avenues, when a Honda SUV pulled up and parked out front.  Epstein, or his doppelganger, walked in and stood in line.

The lifelong Cubs fan says he went up to the man and asked him point-blank if he was Epstein...which earned a denial.

"I get that a lot," the man told Pinzur. "Who is Theo Epstein?"

"Once he had to ask me who 'Theo Epstein' was, I knew it was him," Pinzur added. "It was clearly him being driven in the direction of Wrigley Field."

So, yeah, this is great and all...but what did Epstein order?  C'mon Pinzur...we need details!