No security in Chicago for GMs

As Tom Ricketts inched closer on Tuesday to owning the Cubs, it's assumed that Jim Hendry's job is safe.

This might seem to be one of the biggest upsets in Chicago sports history. But is it, considering the status of general managers in this town has made as much sense as signing Milton Bradley?

Let me go on record again as saying that there are a couple reasons Hendry shouldn't be fired.

First, Hendry's numbingly poor performance last offseason is balanced by the consecutive NL Central championships that preceded it.

Second, Ricketts needs time before starting to think he's baseball-savvy enough to build a front office or even hire a club president to build one.

Many of you want Hendry to pay immediately for overpaying a bunch of underperforming players. We could argue that all day but he'll still be expected survive, even though more successful general managers have been dispatched around here.

The best Chicago GMs were like facial tissues - use them and throw them away. Performance doesn't seem to matter. Some good ones were forced out and some klunkers were retained.

So, Kenny Williams, don't be too smug over that 2005 World Series title. White Sox/Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has been as erratic as anybody with his general managers.

Take the Bears, though. Jim Finks built them into a power but friction with George Halas compelled him to leave before they won Super Bowl XX.

After Halas died, Mike McCaskey started running the Bears and dismissed Finks successor Jerry Vainisi while the team was still winning.

Dallas Green and the Tribune Company divorced over money matters after he built a Cubs farm system that promised to win their first world championship since 1908.

Larry Himes drafted and traded for the core of a terrific Sox run in the early 1990s. Then Reinsdorf couldn't stand his style any longer.

Heck, before that Reinsdorf dumped solid career GM Roland Hemond for Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson, of all people.

Just this year the Blackhawks finally began winning but replaced Dale Tallon, while the Bulls made the playoffs but John Paxson became weary of being called the GM.

Jerry Krause won six NBA titles with the Bulls but eventually wore out his usefulness. Ron Schueler made the 2000 playoffs with the Sox before feeling he had to move on.

Owners mutter myriad reasons for replacing general managers - philosophical differences, personality conflicts, financial considerations. GMs express or imply burnout on the way out (Schueler) or up (Paxson).

Of the current local general managers, let's assume that 2005 will keep Williams around for a while. Jay Cutler's arrival makes Jerry Angelo safe with the Bears. Stan Bowman has a 15-minute grace period with the Hawks. Gar Forman is OK until we figure out how he and Paxson divide duties.

So that leaves Hendry as the GM most vulnerable to his boss' whims.

But who knows, considering sometimes around here good is gone and bad is better?

Wait, we failed to mention that Mike Keenan clashed with club vice president Bob Pulford and left as GM soon after shaping the Hawks' last Stanley Cup finalist.

mimrem@dailyherald.com