Cubs Hire Moreland to Replace Santo

By Chuck Sudo in News on Feb 16, 2011 4:45PM

The Cubs named Keith Moreland to replace the late Ron Santo as color analyst for their radio broadcast team today. Moreland's first game with play-by-play man Pat Hughes will be the team's first spring training game Feb. 27 in Mesa, AZ.

"Zonk" was one of the more beloved members of the 1984 Cubs. He wasn't gifted with obscene amounts of natural athletic ability, but made the most out of what he had. Moreland had a lifetime batting average of .279 over a 12-year major league career and hit a career-high 27 home runs in 1987. But he'll probably best be known for dropping a routine fly in Steve Goodman's "A Dying Cubs Last Request."

Moreland had filled in for Santo before, splitting the difference between the "Oh, NO!" unabashed fandom of Santo with actual analysis.