Dear Greg:

To: Greg Maddux, 1060 West Addison, Locker #31
From: Chuck
Cc: Jim Hendry
Subject: Trades and Cub Fans

Greg. In the next few days, your boss, Jim Hendry, is going to approach you to consider accepting a trade. Please, whatever Jim asks you to accept, do so.

I really don't want to run you out of town, that's really not the issue here. The issue is what's best for the Cubs and their fans. What's best is not seeing you get 11 more starts and then fade into the sunset. What's best is for this team to divest of the old days and look to 2007 and beyond. That means players under 25 years old.

That's not you anymore.

You may actually be the greatest pitcher in Cub history. That says a lot given this team's history AND that you spent so many years in Atlanta. Most of the fans, including this one, appreciate every time you have gone out on the mound and demonstrated that pitching is an art, not a show of brute force. We would now appreciate one final mission from you: Help this team get to a World Series by leaving.

There are stories out there that your ex-teammate Mark Grace refused several attempts to trade him in the late 90's in trades that would have infused the team with younger talent. This writer, being one that loathes Grace and sees him as a suck up and a media whore, believes the stories are true. This writer believes that Grace put his own future earning potential as a WGN broadcaster above his duty to the fans to help the Cubs win in whatever way he was asked.

Don't let me, and others who share the same views, have our final thoughts of you in a Cub uniform be along those lines.

Thanks for so many wonderful years. If/when Hendry comes to you, accept what he tells you. Please. You deserve to finish elsewhere. And we deserve to see your value to other teams benefit the Cubs down the road.