Friday morning, multiple reports have emerged claiming that Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry has been fired. David Kaplan first tweeted the news, followed shortly thereafter by ESPN Chicago, with MLB.com finally confirming the reports:

"My family and I appreciate Jim's dedication during our time with the Cubs and thank him for his overall 17 years of service to the Cubs organization," Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said. "It is time for a fresh approach in our baseball leadership and our search begins immediately for our next general manager."

Of all active general managers in Major League Baseball, Hendry is among the longest-tenured. He has worked with the Cubs since 1995, and was appointed general manager of the team in the middle of the 2002 season.

Under Hendry's reign, which has spanned eight seasons and portions of two more, the Cubs experienced some success. In 2003, they were famously a mere five outs away from reaching their first World Series since 1945, and they captured back-to-back N.L. Central titles in 2007 and 2008.

However, the Cubs have regressed in recent years, and their 54-70 mark has them far removed from contention in 2011. Throughout his tenure, Hendry has been criticized for some questionable moves, such as offering a mammoth deal to then-31-year-old Alfonso Soriano.

Stay tuned to Baseball Nation for further news. And to see how fans are reacting to Hendry's possible ouster, stay tuned to our Cubs blog, Bleed Cubbie Blue.