Chicago Cubs GM Undergoes Angioplasty

Thursday, December 7th 2006, 10:00 am

By: News On 6

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) _ Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry underwent an angioplasty at an Orlando-area hospital and was recovering Thursday. He closed the deal for left-hander Ted Lilly from the hospital Wednesday night while undergoing a procedure.

``Ted had no idea where (Hendry) was, or anything,'' said Gary Hughes, a special assistant to Hendry. ``It was business as usual.''

Hendry is expected to be released from the hospital Friday, a day after baseball's winter meetings conclude near Disney World.

``He's in good spirits,'' Hughes said. ``Was he shook up about it? No. Should he have been? Yes. Will he learn a lesson? Hopefully. He's doing great. I spoke to him late last night. He's already working the phones.''

Hendry had been feeling ill since arriving at the meetings, which began Monday. Hughes and manager Lou Piniella urged him to see a doctor, but the GM was busy with baseball's annual trade and free agent bazaar.

``Piniella and myself, we were the first of many,'' Hughes said. ``It took him a while to get to the hospital because he thought it was more important to worry about the Rule 5 draft, Lilly, whatever. His priorities were skewed.''

Hendry spoke by phone with Cubs team physician Dr. Stephen Adams, who recommended that the 51-year-old GM go to a hospital to be examined. Piniella drove Hendry to the hospital, Hughes said.

Hughes said he had six conversations with Hendry during the winter meetings draft.

``Obviously we've stepped up and shown we're serious, and we're disgusted at the season we had,'' Hughes said of the team's busy offseason so far. ``We're going to move forward and get better any way we can. We're not through yet.''