For GM, Cubs a better gig than White Sox

The most asked question around here forever has been, “Cubs or White Sox?”

Few Chicago baseball fans are given until the Age of Reason to answer. Far more have it decided for them at birth.

So, what if Sox assistant general manager Rick Hahn really did have to pick sides sometime during the next couple of months?

The issue seems moot because it’s doubtful that Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts has Hahn near the top of his wish list to be his next GM.

Just for the sake of discussion, however, let’s say Ricketts offers Hahn the job and Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf counters by offering to promote him into what currently is Kenny Williams’ job.

Which is the better opportunity for a general manager?

I don’t believe I’m saying this — considering Ricketts still has to grow into his critical role — but it just might be the Cubs.

Yikes!

Anyway, Hahn likely would be conflicted. He grew up on the North Shore as a Cubs fan but has worked for the Sox the past decade.

Forget all that. Consider only whether the South Side of town or North Side of town is a better place to be a GM going forward from here.

After sitting here in Comiskey Park on Sunday, I’m not so sure this would be the right choice even though the Sox beat the Rangers 10-0.

It should be, but the Sox’ franchise is starting to feel stodgy and stale right now. Especially since the announced crowd was 25,033, with a few thousand fewer fans than that in the stands.

The Sox are in a pennant race, as absurd as that sounds with their record at 63-63. The weather was beautiful. Texas is the defending American League champion.

Yet the place was half full.

On the other side of town the Cubs played the Cardinals all weekend to huge crowds.

Maybe local fans simply forgot the Sox were home, what with most of the local publicity recently going to the Cubs’ Carlos Zambrano flipping out and Jim Hendry being fired.

Not even winning the 2005 World Series changed much for the Sox. They still struggle for recognition.

Meanwhile, change of some sort is on the way at Wrigley Field. It might be progress. It might be regress. But at least it will be something.

That’s sort of exciting compared to Reinsdorf and his people perpetually banging their heads against the outfield wall trying to escape the tag of overachieving No. 2 baseball team in town.

At least Ricketts, younger and more energetic even if not as baseball experienced as Reinsdorf, is trying to do something about his underachieving No. 1.

If Ricketts ever gets it right, solves the Wrigley Field problem, increases revenues to where they should be for this team in this market, hires the right GM to allocate them …

Well, maybe the Cubs will become known for more than being the franchise that has stumbled along longer than a century without winning a World Series.

Many a prominent baseball man has considered that possibility to be tantalizing but all have been teased like dogs chasing tails.

But this is a new ownership with a new plan, which isn’t an endorsement that the Ricketts family can get it done.

It’s to say that the Cubs’ potential for growth is intriguingly fresh, while the Sox still seem stuck closer to neutral than drive.

So, White Sox or Cubs?

Believe it or not, at this point in time a candidate for general manager would be better off with the latter.

mimrem@dailyherald.com