MILWAUKEE -- The rivalry between the Cubs and Brewers isn't what it was a couple years ago, but it could get ugly now.
The Cubs aren't going to like hearing that a fake press release was inserted with the game day press notes in the Miller Park press box describing a fake book which was supposedly authored by Cubs general manager Jim Hendry.
Here's a photo from Paul Sullivan's Twitter page.
Brewers Vice-President of Communications Tyler Barnes said they are looking into the incident, and that it was "impossible to know where it came from."They have not apologized to the Cubs or Hendry yet, but have spoken to the Cubs about the hoax.
"You've got people credentialed from every city in the country around here," he said. "Without knowing who did it... It's an unfortunate incident. It's a lousy attempt at a practical joke and in that way we're certainly sorry. But without being able to know who did it..."
Under a headline that said "A new book certain to be a best seller" was the fake book title: "How to Finish Near Last Place with the Highest Payroll in the League."
The release said: "Read in Jim Hendry's own words how the Chicago Cubs managed to finish near the bottom of the National League Central; Division with the highest payroll in the National League."
It also said the chapters included:
"Why I signed Milton Bradley!"
"Why I released Casey McGehee only to see him hit 20 home runs and drive in nearly 100 runs for a division rival!"
"Why I hired former Pittsburgh general manager Dave Littlefield, the man who helped make the Pirates what they are today, as my special assistant!"
"How I botched the recall of Micah Hoffpauir from our minor league team in Iow by losing track of the number of days that he was in the minors!"
"Why I signed players to long-term contracts with limited trade options!"
The release ended with the sentence: "Reserve your copy today!"
Hendry is not in Milwaukee for the road trip. The Cubs had no comment on the alleged joke. About three dozen copies were inserted alongside the Cubs and Brewers press notes.
Barnes said the press box is staffed with guards ar three entrances "well before the gate open," but conceded it would be difficult to find who did it because so many people have access to the press box. He said the Brewers have great respect for the Cubs organization.
"It's a great rivalry between the teams," he said. "I think if you anybody in the offices, we have a lot of respect for each other. Something like this is unfortunate, a poor attempt at low-level humor."
Funny--just when the rivalry between the Cubs and Brewers died down and both teams seem (and in my opinion should be) more set on making sure the Cardinals don't make it to the playoffs this year than trying to make a big deal over mutually disappointing seasons. Really, I agree with the idea that no matter who put this in, it has a lot of truth to it. I also doubt that it came from the Brewers. Even if it did, one reporter making a joke is getting this kind of response? Who cares? The Cubs haven't played well this year, neither have the Brewers. Both GM's will face questions in the offseason.
Remember how we longed for football to get there so we could rid ourselves of these Cubsosing season and what do we get a pitiful Chicago Bears team, the Bulls while interesting potential are just laying in wait to jilt us again. The best thing to be these days is a Republican waiting til November.
Hendry? Write a book? I thought he only knew how to throw money away on crappy ballplayers. Who knew he was so multi-talented.
As for the Sox fans who are commenting about this story, don't you have your own meltdown to witness? Why are you even over here adding your two cents on a Cubs/Brewers issue?
I dont care who it came from. It's all true and it sickens me as a cub fan this clown has a job.
You know what's pathetic besides you and your points Matt is that the Brewers really given what they have accomplishied have no room to talk. That would be like me talking trash to a Royals or Pirates team. The difference is that I know the Cubs have been bad which is why I don't talk trash to other teams. I am not bragging about how much better the Cubs are better than Milwaukee. I'm just stating a fact. I am pointing why Milwaukee would trash a team that year by year has outperformed their own. It doesn't make sense and it makes it laughable for sure.
Philtration.. I don't remember bringing up attendance so don't know why you are going off the topic and bringing it up here. Maybe because I trumped your point and you have nothing more to add.
My original point which you fail to grasp is why a fan of a team that has been as bad as Milwaukee would even attempt to run any smack.
As far as you witnessing a WS congrats. You got me there! I am so glad you feel so accomplished in witnessing that. You are a success story! Is that your biggest accomplishment in life? You make it sound like you have had a hand in that.You are a sad Cubsessed individual.
The culprit has to be a Cubbie fan. What Brewer fan or Brewer employee would not want Hendry as GM of the Cubbies for life? On the other hand, only the Rickets family seem impressed with his results assembling their team.
Hendry reminds me of Barny Rubble, both physically and intellectually
"Tom Ricketts, How to Lose and Alienate Cubs Fans in One Year."
Kudos - THAT'S REALLY FUNNY!
I hear the publisher has a follow up book to this one titled: "Tom Ricketts, How to Lose and Alienate Cubs Fans in One Year." One chapter is about keeping the same people in charge that ran the franchise into the ground. Another chapter devoted to keeping a stupid grin on your face as the team falls 20 below .500. Yet another chapter on never talking about the team, just talk about what a great place Wrigley Field is to watch a game.
Hey look! The idiot who posts under the name "Philtration" is here posting on a Cubs article. Like he posts on pretty much every article that relates to his obsession.
Philtration proving, once again, that the creppy obsession of anything and everything Cubs related belong to those from the shitty side of town continues...
On the contrary, everything I said is very accurate. Look up and do some research before you make blind assumptions. The draft information I provided is 100% correct. Additionally, the Bucks have a much higher payroll than the Bulls. The Bucks team payroll stands at over 69M, the Bulls are at 54M. But hey, don't let the facts get in your way. Calling me jaded doesn't help you make your point. Give me some facts instead of childish name calling and I'll take you seriously.
MJ
"Your grammar is impeccable but your argument is weak, jaded, one sided and full of misinformation."
YOUR argument (if you can call it that) is weak. You failed to point out any "misinformation". "John" made a very good argument but failed to counter any of his points. So who's argument is "weak".
"One sided"? I didn't know these submissions had to conform to APA standards but you're certainly not in a position to grade anyone else.
Absolutely beautiful... As a lifelong Cub fan, i am extremely happy that this practical joke, or whatever it is, has brought attention on a nationwide level to the ineffieciencies of this Cub team. Jim Hendry has done a terrible job, and to have some of his mistakes, not nearly all of them mind you, brought out to the entire baseball world can only be a good thing.
Someone should be held responsible for this Cub team meltdown, and considering Hendry is far and above the most responsible, having him exposed is only right. Obviously his salary that he's still owed has kept his job safe, despite one blunder after another. Since money is more important to the Rickett's than finding someone who might be able to salvage this mess, at least Hendry has to move on now, knowing what his reputation is thought of by more than just Cub fans.
John on September 11, 2010 9:46 AM
Matt..They draft "good"? Is that what they teach in the Milwaukee school system? In case you haven't noticed, the Bucks only have 2 starters who were drafted: Jennings and Bogut. The Bulls have three: Rose, Noah, and Deng. And the Bulls don't have any max contracts out, getting Boozer and Brewer at a relative bargain, while the Bucks are overpaying for both Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette. They probably overpaid for Salmons too. But hey, when you're Milwaukee, you have to overpay because who in their right mind would play there otherwise?
---
Your grammar is impeccable but your argument is weak, jaded, one sided and full of misinformation.
Matt..They draft "good"? Is that what they teach in the Milwaukee school system? In case you haven't noticed, the Bucks only have 2 starters who were drafted: Jennings and Bogut. The Bulls have three: Rose, Noah, and Deng. And the Bulls don't have any max contracts out, getting Boozer and Brewer at a relative bargain, while the Bucks are overpaying for both Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette. They probably overpaid for Salmons too. But hey, when you're Milwaukee, you have to overpay because who in their right mind would play there otherwise?
Failure or not, the Cubs have been better than Milwaukee through most of Hendry's tenure. And if they're jealous about the ability to have a large payroll, then that's just too bad.
Where can I reserve my copy? Sounds like a great read.
Hilarious!!! Everyone but Ricketts knows that Hendry is a failure! How did these people ever become so successful? More embarrassing times ahead with no relief in sight...
Last year I stopped going to games, this year I stopped watching...the only thing I can do now is completely ignore this ridiculous organization.
Pathetic is the fact you guys sit here and try to brag about how much better the Cubs are than the Brewers when the Cubs year in and year out have one of the highest payrolls in the game and the Brewers are your typical small market team (who have done pretty darn good the last few years.....as good as the Cubs). There is a very good reason why. The Brewers draft good players who come up in their system and don't overpay. The Cubs go out and buy whoever they can and 99% of the time make the wrong decisions in picking those players.
It's a stupid argument and it just makes the Cubs look worse.
Then again....I'd be upset, too, if the highlight of your year after baseball season is rooting for the soft-arse Bears (who will be likely to win 5 games this year....neither against the Packers)......and to root for the Bulls....who won't even be as good as the Bucks this year (and yeah....the Bucks don't need to pay max contracts to anyone....they draft good.....unlike the Bulls).
Oh wait....you have Illini and NW football and basketball.....oops, UW has had better teams in both sports for who knows how many years now.
Well....at least you can root for Notre Dame....oh wait...LOL.
OK....AT LEAST YOU CAN KEEP YOURSELF WARM WITH DVD HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 90'S BULLS AND SOME FOOTBALL TEAM FROM 25 YEARS AGO. LOL.
Hey, that's an Autobiography from Hendry...nothing but the TRUTH!
bhawks61 says:
I meant to write recently. Top 3 finish? Who cares? Hey Philtration what do you get for 2nd or 3rd place? Cubs have been bad but it's not like the Brewers have a rich tradition of winning. Only a fool would taunt a another team where the one they follow is actually worse. What has Milwaukee done to earn the right to talk smack. I can see it from a St. Louis and a White Sox fan. They have seen success.
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I am a Sox fan and I have seen my team win a World Series game in person.
How about you?
By the way... you don't get anything for finishing in the top 3 of your division but it does mean that you are at least competitive.
What do you get for the stupid "attendance" championship that Cub fans gush about?
You get just what got this year. Fleeced.
Trammell did it....
Payback's a bitch.
From NoVa says:
Philtration: Try refuting that the Cubs have topped the Brewers 4 of the past 5 years -- and when the Brewers last even made it to the playoffs. 1970s and 1980s stats are awesome, but, honestly, take down your Gorman Thomas, Cecil Cooper, and Pete Vukovich posters and look at what your franchise has done lately. The Cubs are awful this year, but actually go to the playoffs on occasion. Really? 1946 to 1984? At least cite something from the past quarter century.
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Are you under the impression that I am a Brewers fan?
I don't give a damn about the Brewers and it was a whiney Cubbie fan that brought them up in compression to your sorry franchise.
I do know that the Cub’s history is filled with crappy baseball and all the weeping statues of Cub players from the "2nd place" 69 team will not change that.
You are crying about a fake press release while soaking up this fake history that the team is trying to sell you with one tearful dedication after another.
A celebration of 100+ years of not doing anything special.
You want something from the last quarter century?
Ok...
In the last 25 years the Cubs are 1922-2033. Big deal!
They have finished in last or next to last place in their division 6 of the last 14 seasons. That is not even being competitive.
They are 0-9 in their last 9 playoff games. At least the Brewers actually won a playoff game in 2008. Hell… the Pirates have won twice as many playoff games than the Cubs have in the last 25 years.
Maybe Cub fans are right. You should stick to comparing your team to the dregs of the league because they will never be confused with a successful one.
If it came from the Brewers, then sure, it might be a bit of a dick move. But I dare anyone to disagree with what it said about Jim Hendry. Sounds like it hit the bullseye to me.
After all, Jim Hendry is an idiot.
It's funny if it was a Cubs fan who did it. It's AWESOME if the Brewers did it. Under normal circumstances, the truth in the smack talk would have any halfway intelligent person reassessing the situation they've created.
Unfortunately, this is Hendry and the Ricketts. IF they are even allowed to know of it's existence, they'll ignore it just like every other thing wrong with the team.
sturdevant who is your team?
It's funny if some guys are passing it out in the parking lot as a joke, like how the Heckler is funny. But if The Heckler was put out by the Cubs and it regularly ripped on other teams. Just kind of seems like there's an unwritten rule about that in sports. It just seems unprofessional. I'm not saying that the Brewers owner or GM made this happen, I'm positive they're not behind it. But someone in the organization is and that's not cool.
I meant to write recently. Top 3 finish? Who cares? Hey Philtration what do you get for 2nd or 3rd place? Cubs have been bad but it's not like the Brewers have a rich tradition of winning. Only a fool would taunt a another team where the one they follow is actually worse. What has Milwaukee done to earn the right to talk smack. I can see it from a St. Louis and a White Sox fan. They have seen success.
At least I saw my team win a playoff series have you?
So you want to pull stats from a certain time frame to suit your argument? lol. If you want to compare records lets look at the 2000s.
The Cubs have 3 div titles Mil has 0.
The Cubs have won a playoff series Mil has not.
The Cubs have won 6 playoff games Mil has won 1.
The Cubs have played in 18 playoff games Mil has played 3.
The Cubs have won the season series against Mil the last 4 years.
At the end of the day Milwaukee fans should shut the hell up until they have a team worth a damn.
Bhawks61, what is your problem? It's a joke and it's funny. If you can't laugh at yourself then you're far more "pathetic" than the Brewers will ever be. When did our society become so hung up on themselves. Even Lincoln couldn't deal in this garbage PC society. He would just shake his head and say, "Maybe I was wrong about this nation being the last, best hope on earth." What weak-minded garbage from someone whose name (BHawks61) would lead you to expect better.
As A Cub Fan, I say Bravo. Nothing like a little truth with your breakfast.
Hilarious. Way too clever for Mil.
Clearly from a Cubs fan.
Philtration: Try refuting that the Cubs have topped the Brewers 4 of the past 5 years -- and when the Brewers last even made it to the playoffs. 1970s and 1980s stats are awesome, but, honestly, take down your Gorman Thomas, Cecil Cooper, and Pete Vukovich posters and look at what your franchise has done lately. The Cubs are awful this year, but actually go to the playoffs on occasion. Really? 1946 to 1984? At least cite something from the past quarter century.
Being a Cubs fan, I think that is awesome!!!! What a great joke and i agree the Brewers should just say screw you we think its funny too....hey Hendry none of it is a lie!!!!!
Fantastic. Honestly, who else is responsible for this mess? 4 more years at 18 million per for Fonzie? Hendry should be fired for that alone.
how about "pretending not to own a luxury tax dog while ruining mlb"
Jim couldn't even author a coloring book.
bhawks61 says:
A classless act from a franchise that's a bigger joke than the Cubs. The Brewers have never won a world series and even the Cubs haven't gone 26 straight years with making the playoffs. Cubs of late have finished above Milwaukee the last 4 to 5 years. I find it funny that they post the smack considering how pathetic their franchise is.
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Better look up your Cubbie history on that 26 years without going to the post season comment.
The Cubs went 36 years in a row without a post season appearance between 1945 and 1984.
Since the Brewers actually became the Brewers in 1970 they have finished in the top three of their division 15 times.
The Cubs have done it 14 times and 3 of those were between 1970 and 1972. A long time ago.
The Brewers are 6-10 (.375) in the post season in that time frame.
The Cubs are 6-20 (.230)
Since 1978 the Brewers have won 90 games are more 5 times.
The Cubs have done it 4 times.
The Brewers went to the World Series in 1982 and lost in 7 games.
The Cubs have not not even been to the Series in 65 years and they have not won it in over a century.
By the way. The Brewers are going to finish ahead of the Cubs this season.
When it comes to being the laughing stock of baseball the Cubs are in a league of their own.
I'm a die hard Cubs fan, but this is good stuff.
We've become too much of a politically correct society. It's pretty obvious this is coming from a Cubs fan, but even so, I wish the Brewers would step up and say "so what!"
I'm tired of all the fanny patting and "we have nothing but respect for ...."
I long for the days of George Halas going over to the Green Bay locker room just prior to kick-off to deliver an important message - "We're gonna kick your asses today!"
Bring back the rivalries. The Cubs need something to light a fire under their butts.
To those offended by such an offensive practical joke - man up!
The funny part is how it's all true!!! The Cubs and their fans like myself never like to hear the truth about misgivings associated with the franchise... This organization has been mismanaged for years from top to bottom... I have learned being a Cub fan is nothing more than a novelty...
Funny stuff if a fan stuck it in there, but wholly inappropriate if the Brewers were behind the prank. BTW, the Cubs did go 39 years between playoff appearances
releasing that with the press notes is pretty low, juvenile and unprofessional. then again i've been seeing that kind of behavior coming from behind the cheddar curtain for all of my 32 years.
I hope the Ricketts read that.
LMAO. Why do you think this was the work of the Brewers. Sounds like an honest Cubs fan or maybe one of the players. And the best part is that there's a whole lot of truth in all that!
Ouch...that is funny though. Maybe that will help the Ricketts thinking and get a new GM.
A classless act from a franchise that's a bigger joke than the Cubs. The Brewers have never won a world series and even the Cubs haven't gone 26 straight years with making the playoffs. Cubs of late have finished above Milwaukee the last 4 to 5 years. I find it funny that they post the smack considering how pathetic their franchise is.