Guest Blogger: Jeff Hirsch

Yesterday, my pal Ken Levine shared a very funny story about meeting Cubs pitching prospect Jeff Hirsch. It was clever enough for me to reach out and contact Jeff -- who was nice enough to contribute a very special photo to this blog -- his own baseball card.

Here's the backstory: "I never wore sleeves. I was the last pitcher cut [by the Cubs] in 1988. Then arm woes ensued; three surgeries later I quit." As for the picture, "It was taken in Iowa where my roommate was Mark Grace. (I answered the phone to tell him he was going to the big leagues.) A 1:30 am call from our manager Pete Mackanin."

Though he's an L.A. product (like Ken, a UCLA grad), Jeff told me he follows the Yankees today -- since their manager Joe Girardi was his teammate coming up through the Cubs' farm system. He also counts among his friends former Cubs GM Dallas Green, whom he considers "a great man... like a second dad to me... but still intimidating" and his son John, who's not only one of his best friends but was in his wedding. Jeff recalled how Dallas Green battled with the Cubs' then-owners, who wanted him to manage the club, while Green wanted to hire longtime ally John Vukovich.

Thanks to Ken for leading me in Jeff's direction. And thanks, Jeff for sharing some great stories.