Dear Theo

Dear Mr. Epstein –

First of all I would like to congratulate you on becoming the President in Charge of All Things Baseball for the Chicago National League Ballclub. Also, welcome to the Second City which we are all convinced you will turn in to the First City to Win a World Series in 104 Years.

I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with your press conference and the multiple radio interviews you did in your first two days on the job. Dealing with the media isn’t easy and, as in most cities, there are radio personalities that like to show how clever they are by making sophomoric statements and trying to put their interviewee in an embarrassing position. Since you’re new to Chicago you don’t know who those mental midgets are yet and I have to say you handled each interview I heard with an engaging approach without lowering yourself to their pathetic standards.

If the reports are to be believed, the way you handle your staff and build rapport is amazing as well. Taking everyone to lunch and asking them to sing their alma mater’s fight song was genius. Follow that up with a little “Two Truths and a Lie” and I would imagine by the time the check came around, everyone must have felt like they were part of a cohesive World Series making machine.

This leads me to the point of my letter. Currently I have a career, a wife and four wonderful children, so I’m not looking to make a career change or tie up more of the hours in my day. However after hearing you talk about your focus, your plan for the future, your systematic approach to change the culture and build a brighter future at Clark and Addison, I can’t help myself. I’m in. Not “All In” mind you because then I would be looking for work in 2011 on the South Side. But I’m “everything in”.

While I will admit my shortcomings – never having played baseball at an advanced level, never being part of a major or minor league organization in an administrative level, I would like to point out that I have successfully run a fantasy baseball team for 28 years. And by successfully I mean I’ve won two titles in 28 years which is more than your predecessors can say. I have to believe that you could use a devout, hard-working, loyal Cub fan to take some of the responsibilities off the rest of your staff. Surely there are pencils to be sharpened, or logos that need to be colored in on the letterhead.

I’ll even start from the bottom and valet park the VIP cars. Anything just to be part of your team. Ooh! Here's an idea. Pat Hughes. Following your Bill Walsh model, Hughes has been running on fumes for the last four or five years. You want to put your stamp in the manager's chair, how about the broadcast booth as well? Stamp me there! Signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours.

All I ask is that there not be any staff events that include the family. My wife thinks you’re hot. Not Tony Romo hot, but hot none the less. I don’t need the additional stress.

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Rich Bentel