It’s that time of year (well, it’s lots of “that” times of year, but this is one of them): front offices around the game turnover a bit, as folks are hired, fired, move on, retrench, retire, etc.
For the Cubs, although they continue to operate one of the larger and more sophisticated front offices and will no doubt add to it in the coming weeks, they also continue to lose talented members:
Rangers are expected to announce the hiring of Shiraz Rehman as an assistant general manager. He is currently with the Cubs… should help with their analytics systems
— TR Sullivan (@Sullivan_Ranger) October 16, 2018
Rehman has been with the front office since they took over seven years ago, helping to modernize a hopelessly antiquated analytical system in the organization. He was already an Assistant GM with the Cubs, so on paper, this is a lateral move. There’s more to it than that, I’m sure, but I guess nobody stays in the same place in the same role forever. The move was first reported by Cubs Insider.
With the Cubs and Rangers getting together on SO MANY deals in the last few years, it’s clear that they have a similar bent when it comes to player evaluation and thinking about trades. In that regard, it’s unsurprising to see front office overlap like this.
In recent years, the Cubs have lost a number of notable front office members, from Jared Porter to Jason Parks to Derek Johnson and now to Shiraz Rehman. That’s kinda the way it goes for organizations that keep a robust crew in-house and work to develop talent.
Will they lose another key member this year? The Giants may look to make it happen:
According to sources out west,the Giants have shown real interest in the Cubs VP of minors and scouting Jason McLeod for their open GM post.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) October 15, 2018
Sources: Giants have interviewed #Cubs executive Jason McLeod for their vacant general manager positionhttps://t.co/u39l6xCtD6 via @MLBBruceLevine pic.twitter.com/1ugumSbrh0
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) October 16, 2018
McLeod, who has been in charge of the Cubs’ scouting and player development machine since this front office took over, has routinely been at the top of other front office’s wish lists when these searches take place. He’s been connected in the past to the Padres, Twins, and Mets, though he has ultimately remained with the Cubs on a deal that currently runs through 2021 at nearly $1 million annually, according to Levine. That would make McLeod one of the best paid non-GM-level front office members in baseball.