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CHICAGO (AP) #8212;Jed Hoyer made it clear he #8217;s no yes man for Theo Epstein,despite their very successful working relationship from years past.Hoyer took over as the Chicago Cubs #8217; general manager Tuesday, reuniting withEpstein to try and end a championship drought that has reached 103 years. #8220;We do a good job of arguing and presenting our points. #8230; We #8217;re going todisag football scores ree for sure and we #8217;re going to have great debates, #8221; Hoyer said at hisintroductory news conference. #8220;We #8217;ll eventually reach a consensus, #8221; he added.Hoyer left the San Diego Padres after two years as their GM. Also coming tothe Cubs from the Padres was assistant GM Jason McLeod, who also worked withHoyer and Epstein in Boston where they helped the Red Sox win champ football scores ionships in2004 and 2007.Epstein, now the Cubs president of baseball operations, worked eight yearswith Hoyer and 13 years with McLeod. McLeod will be in charge of scouting andplayer development for the Cubs.Hoyer is the 15th GM in Cubs history and he will report to Epstein. He willeventually run the day-to-day operations of the major league club, clearing theway for Epstein to get involved in oth football scores er areas. #8220;I probably gave up a little bit of autonomy but knowing our relationship,it #8217;s not something I #8217;m concerned about, #8221; Hoyer said.The Padres went 90-72 in 2010, leading the NL West for much of the seasonbefore stumbling in September and missing the playoffs. After Hoyer tradedthree-time All-Star slugger Adrian Gonzalez(notes) to the Red Sox and Epstein for threeprospec football scores ts and outfielder Eric Patterson(notes) in December, the Padres struggled badlyand finished last in the division at 71-91.A former college baseball player at Wesleyan College where he pitched andplayed various positions, Hoyer later returned to the school as an assistantcoach.During his eight seasons with the Red Sox, part of which he served as anassistant under Epstein, he helped Boston win two W football scores orld Series titles. Hoyerhad a brief 44-day stint as a co-general manager when Epstein briefly left theorganization.Hoyer said winning the championship in 2004 to end an 86-year drought wassomething that he would never forget. #8220;Some of my greatest moments were in 2004 and watching that, the way it didtransform an entire region. I don #8217;t act like this is a small task, #8221; Hoyer said. football scores #8220;I know this is an incredibly big challenge but that #8217;s part of the fun. If itwasn #8217;t that I certain wouldn #8217;t be here. #8221;Josh Byrnes was promoted to GM in San Diego to replace Hoyer. #8220;As I told Tom Ricketts when he first called, if we didn #8217;t have Josh Byrnesin town, you wouldn #8217;t even be having a discussion with Jed Hoyer, #8221; Padres CEOJeff Moorad said, football scores referring to the Cubs owner. #8220;But because of therelationships that exist among all involved, Jason, Jed, Theo, Josh, this is inmy view a feel-good result that allows people to continue achieving their dreamin the great game that we are part of, baseball in America. #8221;Epstein said he and Hoyer met with manager Mike Quade last week for six orseven hours and that a decision whether to reta football scores in him for the final year of hiscontract could come within the week. The Cubs were 71-91 in Quade #8217;s first seasona year ago. #8220;Mike is clearly a good baseball guy. We have a lot to process. We aregoing to speak again shortly, #8221; Epstein said. #8220;We understand it #8217;s important forall involved to make a determination and move forward. #8221;Another issue still unresolved is the football scores compensation the Cubs owe the Red Soxfor plucking Epstein away with a year left on his contract in Boston.Commissioner Bud Selig said he would mediate if the two sides hadn #8217;t agreedby Tuesday. Epstein said there was also the possibility the negotiations couldbe extended.He also said that it #8217;s likely third baseman Aramis Ramirez(notes) will end up withanother team. The Cubs exercised th football scores eir portion of a $16 million mutual optionbut Ramirez declined it and became a free agent. He is looking for a multi-yeardeal after hitting .306 with 26 homers and 93 RBIs last seasonEpstein said he #8217;d also spoken with the agent of temperamental right-handerCarlos Zambrano(notes) and called it enlightening. He said he would like to eventuallyspeak with Zambrano, who is scheduled to pitch in h football scores is native Venzeuela thiswinter. Zambrano was suspended for 30 days in August after clearing out hislocker and saying he was retiring after giving up five homers during a game inAtlanta. After his suspension ended, he didn #8217;t pitch the rest of the season buthas a year left on a five-year, $91.5 million contract he signed in 2007.McLeod, who started his front office career as an intern in the P football scores adresbaseball operations department in 1994, worked with San Diego in variouspositions before joining the Red Sox in 2003. He was appointed director ofamateur scouting after the 2004 season and his first draft produced star secondbaseman Dustin Pedroia(notes).Hoyer said the Cubs are keeping Randy Bush as an assistant general manager,the same position he held under Jim Hendry. When Hendry was fired football scores this summer,Bush acted as interim general manager.Cubs owner Tom Ricketts had already decided to retain player personneldirector Oneri Fleita and scouting head Tim Wilken, who will now work in the newregime.Hoyer emphasized that the Cubs would need more analysis before deciding ifthey would pursue big-name free agents this offseason. He reiterated whatEpstein has said: they want to rebuild the fa football scores rm system and use playerdevelopment to make sure the Cubs are consistent winners for years. To do thatthey will use both statistical analysis and more old-school avenues likescouting.The arrival of Epstein has been met with a form of #8220;Theo Mania #8221; inChicago.As he was walking to lunch with Epstein, Hoyer joked he was going to go in alocal souvenir shop and buy a #8220;Theology #8221; t- football scores shirt. #8220;He wouldn #8217;t let me, #8221; Hoyer said with a laugh. Follow Yahoo! Sports' MLB coverage on Twitter. Updated 10 hours, 51 minutes ago football scores
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