MacPhail resigns as Cubs’ president/CEO
CHICAGO (AP) – An emotional Andy MacPhail resigned Sunday as president and CEO of the Chicago Cubs after the team without a World Series title since 1908 finished a season with the worst record in the National League. “I was brought to Chicago to accomplish one goal and that was to win the World Series,” MacPhail said. “I was unable to get the job done.”
MacPhail joined the Cubs in 1994 after spending nine years with the Minnesota Twins and guiding them to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991. MacPhail also served as general manager of the Cubs from July 19, 2000-July 4,2002.
He will be replaced by John McDonough, who is currently the team’s vice president of marketing and broadcasting.
MacPhail’s resignation came right after the Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 in the season finale to finish 66-96. The future of manager Dusty Baker, whose contract has run out after four years, will be announced Monday.
MacPhail has also been on major league baseball’s negotiating committee and most recently helped see through a bleacher expansion project at Wrigley Field.
His grandfather, Larry MacPhail, won a NL championship as owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941 and the World Series as owner of the New York Yankees in 1947.
Andy MacPhail is the son of longtime baseball executive Lee MacPhail, a former president of the AL. Both his grandfather and father were elected to the Hall of Fame.
Since MacPhail joined the Cubs, they have made two playoff appearances, winning the NL wild card in 1998 and the NL Central in 2003. They were five outs from the World Series three years ago before an eighth-inning collapse against Florida in Game 6 of the NLCS cost them a trip.