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Rozner: Chicago Cubs' McLeod scouting big prize

Jason McLeod stood in short-center field late Saturday night, about 30 feet behind a stage on which Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, Tom Ricketts and even some on the business side took part in a trophy ceremony celebrating the Chicago Cubs' first pennant in 71 years.

It was completely appropriate.

The Cubs' senior vice president and scouting director was just where he's been the last five years, in the background and out of the bright lights, preferring to do his work away from prying eyes.

Make no mistake, however, about his place in the Cubs' hierarchy, because McLeod deserves a huge portion of the credit for the North Siders' climb from the very bottom to the very top.

But standing in the shadows, McLeod surveyed the scene and deflected all praise.

"It's a huge team of people, and our scouts are incredible," McLeod said. "There's so many great people, and when we're home for the World Series next weekend, they'll all be here - all of our scouts - and we will celebrate those guys who are out there making it happen.

"It'll be special having all of them here for that."

Home for the World Series next weekend. Crazy words most thought they would never hear associated with the Cubs.

"Sometimes it feels like it's never gonna happen for you, but we were the best team in the league all year," McLeod said. "It doesn't always play out that way in the postseason, but it has so far for us this postseason.

"I just couldn't be more proud of everyone in this organization, especially the guys on the field and the staff. There's one more step to go, but it sure feels great."

A big part of the Cubs arriving on the big stage is the type of player they have targeted, which involves much more than metrics. Obviously, they have searched far and wide for great talent - numbers playing a large role - but as much as anything they dig down for character.

"I don't know if you can quantify it, but I don't think I've ever been around a group like this," McLeod said. "These players care about each other and want to win for each other and they are so unselfish.

"I can't believe it. It's what you hope for, what you plan for, when you're trying to put something like this together. But that's easy to say and not as easy to do.

"We talk to our scouts all the time about it. Internally, Tom and Theo and Jed, we talk about this, we want our scouts to get to know these guys when they're looking at a guy. We want to know background and makeup and what kind of teammate they are.

"Our scouts do a great job of making sure we have the right guys.

"These players put their egos aside and put the team first. It's always about the team. Certainly, we look for guys like that any time we're looking to acquire a player and I think … "

McLeod then smiled and pointed at players hugging one another.

"Look around. Look how much these guys like each other. That's why this is such a party, such a celebration," McLeod said. "It's special. Hopefully, we get 4 more wins. It will be even more special than when we did it in Boston."

As he stood in the middle of Wrigley Field on Saturday night, McLeod marveled at how far the Cubs have come, and how close they are now to something Cubs fans have only seen in their dreams.

"We talked about it when we got here, what we wanted to do," he said. "Now we need 4. That's what we need now, 4 more wins."

And if it happens, there's little doubt McLeod will be where he always is, somewhere in the background, observing with eyes wide open and taking it all in.

Like any true scout would.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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Jason McLeod, the Chicago Cubs' new head of scouting and player development, responds to a question during a news conference Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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