WGN names ex-Cub Moreland radio analyst

MESA, Ariz. — Keith Moreland wanted to make clear that he is succeeding Ron Santo in the Cubs radio booth, not replacing him.

“That’s the only thing I can be, just be me,” Moreland said Wednesday. “Nobody can replace Ron Santo. He’s irreplaceable. All I can do is keep the seat warm and do the best I can to be me.

“I have a great advantage in that I have a Hall of Fame broadcaster, no question, in Pat Hughes. That makes things a lot easier. If you go to work at Wrigley, I’ve done it. I know that it is an unbelievable opportunity to go to work.”

WGN radio made it official Wednesday, naming the 56-year-old Moreland to be the color analyst alongside play-by-play man Hughes in the booth beginning this year.

Moreland, who will work the spring-training opener Feb. 27, gets a three-year contract. He beat out Dave Otto, a graduate of Elk Grove High School and also a former Cub.

Moreland apparently impressed the Cubs and WGN enough during stints on both radio and TV the last two years. He also was a broadcaster on University of Texas baseball games for 16 years and football games for nine.

He said he now is committed “100 percent” the Cubs and WGN.

“It was a tremendously difficult choice,” said Dave Eanet, WGN’s sports director. “It wasn’t just one guy, A versus B. We had a number of really good candidates.

“This is the kind of position that doesn’t come open every day. I think that everybody, the Cubs, WGN, really worked hard to make sure it was the right fit.

“Keith is a terrific broadcaster. He’s been doing the job at a very high level … I think he’s got a nice conversational sound.”

Moreland, a hard-nosed infielder-outfielder in his playing days, played for the Cubs from 1982-87. Santo, who died in December, won the love of Cubs fans for his emotional attachment to the Cubs, which came through loud and clear on the broadcasts.

Moreland says he will bring his own style.

“I don’t know that I have a style,” he said. “I’m just going to be me. I can probably butcher the English language with the best of them. I do understand the game. I feel very confident knowing the things you might be thinking of doing strategy wise.

“I think probably mine will be a little more analysis, but I’m also still a guy who likes to have fun, and Pat’s easy to have fun with.”

Hughes joined the Cubs booth in 1996, and with Santo he formed an iconic broadcast team. He described working with Moreland in the past as “a lot of fun.”

“He’s knowledgeable,” Hughes added. “He does his homework. He’s a good guy. He likes to laugh. And he was a good player when he was a Cub. I think that chemistry is something that needs to be nurtured and developed, and that’s going to be one of my big goals as I head to spring training. I’m going to work with Keith. I’m going to try to bring out the best in him.”

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