The Cubbies are looking for a new television analyst after Bob Brenly exited last week to take the same job with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Brenly and play-by-play man Len Kasper had built great chemistry over an eight-year run together in the Cub TV booth. They were much admired as a pair by the Cub fans I know. Appearing on WGN Radio a few hours after Brenly announced his departure, Kasper said he was sad to see his pal leave. Kasper will now wait for a new partner. “I would imagine many of the greats in the business will at least throw their hat in the ring,” said Kasper. “I think it’s the best job in sports to be able to call Cubs games…There’s gonna be huge interest in this job. Hopefully, we’ll find somebody who can fill (Brenly’s) big shoes.” Among those being mentioned to replace Brenly are Steve Stone, Rick Sutcliffe and Kerry Wood. In a column printed Friday in the Daily Herald, Mike North said he’d be “stunned” if Wood doesn’t get the job. “Cub fans love him. He’s a good guy and he won’t bite the hand that has fed him,“ said North.

Despite his love for both the Cubs and the city of Chicago, Wood is on record saying he’s not interested in the television opportunity alongside Kasper.

It’ll never happen, but I’d recommend longtime overnight sports radio talk show host Les Grobstein for the job. Grobstein is opinionated and has an intimate relationship with Cub baseball covering all or part of six decades. The Grobber’s gadfly, untucked-shirt dimension probably wouldn’t wash with current Cub management. But Kasper’s cool demeanor and sense of humor would nicely complement Grobstein’s unpredictable irreverence and encyclopedic ability to recite specific moments of suffering as a longtime Cub fan. It would be tremendous television while it lasted.

Ironic in all of this is the role played by Mark Grace. The popular former Cub first baseman has long been prominently discussed as a likely front-runner to get the color analyst job in the Cub TV booth when it came open. It’s suddenly open. But it was Grace’s fall from it in Arizona that enabled Brenly to leave for the desert, finally creating the Cub vacancy. With two drunk driving stops on the books in less than a year and a half, Grace is facing the possibility of a short stint in the clink. In Arizona, as in most states, one DUI is a wake-up call. Repeats (especially those in short succession) are serious trouble. Legal issues aside, Gracie likely needs a season away to sort things out before finding a way back into the game.