San Diego steals another one

Another talented Chicagoan was signed by the San Diego Padres recently. Not only did Greg Maddux sign with San Diego, but now Andy Masur will provide play by play and color commentary on XX Sports Radio (1090 AM and 105.7 FM). This is a well deserved opportunity for the talented team player. An opportunity I wish he was receiving at WGN.

In my opinion this was a huge loss for the Cubs and WGN. On the Cubs broadcast side Masur always did a fantastic job filling in for Pat Hughes during Pat’s 7th or 8th inning breaks. I was always amazed at how this guy could do score and baseball news updates throughout the game and then sit in Pat’s chair for a half inning at the end of the game and sound like he had been calling the whole game. [THIS JUST IN – Pat Hughes, in his negotiation of his new contract, asked for and received an additional half inning break. So now he only calls eight innings. Imagine sitting down with your employer and stating that you would like to keep working for them (at a raise in pay no doubt) and do 11% less work?!! Don’t anyone tell me that the Sandberg deal, when they signed him for $7 million a year and the previous high in baseball was $5 million per, was a bad negotiation.]

Until the Cubs signed Hughes to a long-term deal I had secretly hoped (and expected) that Masur was being groomed to take over. Hughes has never really done it for me. “Welllll, what kind of beverage are you drinking there, Ron?” gets kind of old by May. Oh sure, he’s a talented play by play man and just won the 2006 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year Award, but when you’re up against Harrelson, Singleton and Joniak you BETTER win the award.

I had even heard that at one point in the 2005(?) season Hughes sat down with the then Program Director of WGN and said “I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I need a break. I’m exhausted. I need a vacation.” Exhausted from sitting at a ballpark and talking with a close friend? I know the travel isn’t as romantic as one might think, but “exhausted”? From sitting in a shaded booth with endless supplies of food and drink? The bellhops carry the bags and while Masur was around, Hughes didn’t even have to remind Ron to pack his toupees or other accessories.

Based on that conversation I assumed the Cubs might move in a different (Masurly) direction once Hughes’ contract came up. But that didn’t happen. Could be because the Program Director changed before Hughes’ contract expired. Could be that Hughes was rejuvenated over the last season or so by doing more Pilates in the off season to prepare him for the 162 game grind (although with Pat’s new clause of “one inning off per game” Hughes won’t broadcast 162 innings this year – the equivalent of 18 GAMES!!!!). Who knows? All I know is that Chicago lost another talent to the San Diego Padres.