Cubs Introduce Dale Sveum as New Manager in Charge of Hot Chicago Mess

Dale Sveum was introduced as the Chicago Cubs’ new manager Friday morning.

Although he was apparently not good enough to manage the Milwaukee Brewers or Boston Red Sox, Sveum has being given the biggest challenge in all of baseball: attempt to end a 103-year World Series drought.

The Brewers hitting coach for the past three seasons, he rejoins old pal Theo Epstein, who he worked with in Boston as the third base coach in 2004-05. Sveum was given a three-year deal with a club option for 2015.

Mike Quade, who was barely given a chance, was canned two weeks ago so it was only a matter of time before the new front office (compiled of new President of Baseball Operations Epstein along with former Red Sox executives Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod) found someone they were familiar with. These guys are more than confident they can get the Cubbies get out of this funk, as is Sveum himself:

Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer: Reunited and it Feels So Good

Not only did the Chicago Cubs smuggle Padres general manager Jed Hoyer out of San Diego, but they took his assistant with them as well.

Hoyer and his assistant Jason McLeod, who will become the new senior vice president of scouting and player development for the Cubs, have been planning on making their escape from the Padres ever since Hoyer's old pal Theo Epstein left the Boston Red Sox to become the president of baseball operations on the north side of the windy city. Apparently they love a challenge.

Theo Epstein Officially Joins Cubs, Ben Cherington Likely Replacement in Boston

A guest post from our girl Muffin Top to support her new blogging endeavors.

An incredible run that included two World Series Championships (and three extra playoff berths via Wild Card) for the youngest ever general manager in baseball at the time ended on a sour note with fried chicken, beer bellies, and mayhem last month before Theo Epstein decided to abandon ship and head for Chicago.

Not sure it will be any smoother sailing in the windy city, but Theo Epstein is always up for a challenge... except that one time he quit his general manager job for five days upon sneaking out of Fenway Park disguised as a gorilla. We all do things we're not proud of.

Epstein, now 37, officially resigned from his position as Red Sox general manager Friday night and became the president of baseball operations for the Cubs. Of course, fans on the North Side are especially giddy, considering they haven't won a World Series since back in 1908. The one man who seems equipped for the job of bringing that end of the city their first Championship in over a century made it possible for Boston after an 86-year drought before they captured another ring three years later in 2007.

Leave it to a $161 Million Payroll to Try and Steal the Postseason Thunder

In case you missed it, the Boston Red Sox epic collapse is still in motion. Leave it to a $161 million payroll to try and steal the thunder of the playoffs. I mean, would you look at that? They didn't even make the playoffs, yet here we are talking about them.

From Bob Hohler of the Boston Globe:

"How a team that was on pace in late August to win 100 games and contend for its third World Series title in seven years self-destructed is a story of disunity, disloyalty, and dysfunction like few others in franchise history."

Good point, I suppose. It all started with them losing a crap-ton of games during the final month of the season. In fact, they failed to put together any sort of winning streak, never winning more than one game in a row in the whole month of September. Total failure.

Terry Francona, living in a hotel all season while in the middle of a separation from his wife, was "let go" as Boston refused to pick up his 2012 contract option. However, he kept his head up and did color commentary, surviving the voice of Joe Buck during the first two games of the ALCS. We're proud of him.

General Manager Theo Epstein was the next to go, taking the vacant position of Chicago Cubs GM for $15 million over the next five seasons. Obviously, he's planning on ending their 102-year Championship drought.

Theo Epstein Leaves Boston to Heal the Chicago Cubs

Someone slipped a juicy rumor to the Associated Press Tuesday night: Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is definitely headed to the Windy City to take over the Chicago Cubs organization.

Turns out it's more than just a rumor, as WEEI Sports Radio reported Wednesday morning that Theo has signed a five-year deal worth roughly $15 million, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the week. Maybe he'll invite Terry Francona to join him, cause Mike Quade is not exactly getting the job done.

The Cubs fired general manager Jim Hendry back in August and managed to avoid a 100-loss season with a 71-91 record. While the Red Sox missed the postseason following the most embarrassing collapse in big league history in which they failed to win back-to-back games at any point in the month of September, the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908. Both sucky scenarios.