2011 managerial speculation

[Soul]

Quade or Sandberg? I think I see the Cubs taking Quade, making him the proverbial sacraficial lamb for the next 2 seasons or so, while we rebuild, then hand it off to Sandberg at the point we expect to be contenders again.

 

I think this is the best scenario for Sandberg if he wants to stay in the organization. If he's really determined to leave if he doesn't get the job right away, then I guess you say goodbye and move on.

[Sammy Sofa]

Quade or Sandberg? I think I see the Cubs taking Quade, making him the proverbial sacraficial lamb for the next 2 seasons or so, while we rebuild, then hand it off to Sandberg at the point we expect to be contenders again.

 

Why would the Cubs have to wait at least 2 seasons to rebuild?

[jersey cubs fan]

Quade or Sandberg? I think I see the Cubs taking Quade, making him the proverbial sacraficial lamb for the next 2 seasons or so, while we rebuild, then hand it off to Sandberg at the point we expect to be contenders again.

 

Why would the Cubs have to wait at least 2 seasons to rebuild?

 

it might take that long to replace Hendry.

[davell]

Quade or Sandberg? I think I see the Cubs taking Quade, making him the proverbial sacraficial lamb for the next 2 seasons or so, while we rebuild, then hand it off to Sandberg at the point we expect to be contenders again.

 

Why would the Cubs have to wait at least 2 seasons to rebuild?

 

 

In this scenario, I don't see the Cubs throwing money around right now. If they go out and get Dunn, maybe a stopgap starting pitcher, and a bullpen arm or even two, I'd still look at them as an 80ish win team or so. But, 2 years from now, they won't have Aramis on the payroll, same with Z and even Dempster, to go along with Fukudome being gone as well. In this scenario, you'll still have Soto and DeWitt, you'll have Castro cheap, same with Brett Jackson, Cashner, Archer and McNutt. Obviously, not all of these guys will pan out, but if a few of them do, it makes it a ton easier to sign some significant free agents to go with them.

 

I just figure that Quade could be a stopgap type for a few years in order for the Cubs to try to execute something like this. That said, it's very possible this could infuriate quite a few Cub fans in the process, depending on how Ricketts would go about it.

[SouthSideRyan]

So once most of our good players are off the payroll, we should be ready to contend.

[davell]

So once most of our good players are off the payroll, we should be ready to contend.

 

Yes, that's EXACTLY what I meant.......

 

Do you want Dempster and Fukudome on this team when they are 35? How about Aramis at 34? Z at 31? The way to rebuild this team is by saving money at THAT point and putting guys around the cheap productive players we have at that point. If you really want to keep a couple of these guys, they could be had for probably haf of their current contracts at that point. Which still would conceivably give the Cubs plenty of money to go out and sign some difference makers as well.

 

The bottom line for me is short of spending tons of money this offseason or next, I don't see us as a contender.(and I son't see Ricketts doing that) Of course, the Cubs won't go the total rebuild job either, so signing Dunn and a few others seems likely honestly. But, I'd love to see you show me how we become true contenders before then at the earliest.......

[Soul]

So once most of our good players are off the payroll, we should be ready to contend.

 

Yes, that's EXACTLY what I meant.......

 

Do you want Dempster and Fukudome on this team when they are 35? How about Aramis at 34? Z at 31? The way to rebuild this team is by saving money at THAT point and putting guys around the cheap productive players we have at that point. If you really want to keep a couple of these guys, they could be had for probably haf of their current contracts at that point. Which still would conceivably give the Cubs plenty of money to go out and sign some difference makers as well.

 

The bottom line for me is short of spending tons of money this offseason or next, I don't see us as a contender.(and I son't see Ricketts doing that) Of course, the Cubs won't go the total rebuild job either, so signing Dunn and a few others seems likely honestly. But, I'd love to see you show me how we become true contenders before then at the earliest.......

 

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm with you. I'm bracing for a couple years of mid-range baseball, in the low 80's in wins and missing the playoffs. Once we clear contracts -- that's when I see the bigger improvement happening.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm with you. I'm bracing for a couple years of mid-range baseball, in the low 80's in wins and missing the playoffs. Once we clear contracts -- that's when I see the bigger improvement happening.

 

It's going to take quite a bit of work to turn this team into a regular 90 game winner (which is what they should be), but it really shouldn't take all that much investment to make them a contender in 2011. It's still the NL Central, where an 84 win pace is good enough for 2nd this year and none of the competition is elite. 80-something win seasons win this division as often as 90+ win seasons.

[Outshined_One]

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm with you. I'm bracing for a couple years of mid-range baseball, in the low 80's in wins and missing the playoffs. Once we clear contracts -- that's when I see the bigger improvement happening.

 

It's going to take quite a bit of work to turn this team into a regular 90 game winner (which is what they should be), but it really shouldn't take all that much investment to make them a contender in 2011. It's still the NL Central, where an 84 win pace is good enough for 2nd this year and none of the competition is elite. 80-something win seasons win this division as often as 90+ win seasons.

 

That's pretty much the way I see this team. Turning the Cubs into consistent 90+ game winners would require young players under team control for a number of years, a top-level farm system that can fill holes on the major league roster through call ups and trades, and the available resources to sign big name free agents as they become available. Frankly, I think the Cubs would need at least two years to get to that point.

 

However, given the current roster, I don't think it would take much to get this team over .500 next season. A good quality bat at 1B or RF, a 6th/7th inning setup man, and a #4/#5 starter (along with jettisoning Silva) would get the Cubs close to that. With bounce-back years from A-Ram and Z, continuing development of young players, and some lucky breaks, 85-88 wins wouldn't be out of the question.

[jersey cubs fan]

However, given the current roster, I don't think it would take much to get this team over .500 next season. A good quality bat at 1B or RF

 

I don't think a quality RF bat is going to make any difference from this year's team. They are 4th in the NL in RF OPS, 36 points above the average. At 1B, they are 13th and 70 points below the average.

[Soul]

I think the main thing for me is that if the Cubs feel Quade would be a good choice, then make him the manager. Don't just go with Ryno because he's the former great player who "has paid his dues" or something like that.

 

Just choose the guy you think should do the job. If Sandberg doesn't like that and feels like he should exit the organization, then that's the way it goes. No hard feelings, best of luck to you.

[jersey cubs fan]

I really don't see how being bench coach could be considered any sort of slap in the face regardless of whether he did what was asked of him already. Not that I think it's necessary, but it shouldn't be hard to say the next step is coaching in the majors. I also don't see them doing it since Sandberg would more or less outshine his boss.

[Soul]

Is it really true that he would outshine Quade? We've got Cub former players right now as bench coaches, and there's Trammel too.

 

I don't know. I see this notion of Ryno as the "former great player" and people seem to latch on to that. Then we start sliding towards hiring him as manager based on these loyalties. It kind of bothers me. Yes, he's a former player and a great one. That's what gets him some cache to begin his managerial career. But after that, I think the Cubs need to make what they feel is the best move for the organization, separate from all the "HOF player" hype.

 

If the next step for Ryne Sandberg is coaching off the bench in the majors (in the opinion of the Cubs), then that's what it should be. There shouldn't be an artificial promotion of him to manager because he is a HOF player. He's not playing anymore.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is it really true that he would outshine Quade? We've got Cub former players right now as bench coaches, and there's Trammel too.

 

He's a hall of fame player and THE face of the resurgance of the Cubs that happened in the 80's. That's when the Cubs went from sparsely attended crappy team to occasionally good worthwhile attraction for most of Chicago. He is going to get all the spring training media attention. The camera is going to be on him a lot. Nobody gives a crap about Bob Dernier, let alone a guy that played for the Tigers. Nobody would even recognize Quade on the street.

[Soul]

Is it really true that he would outshine Quade? We've got Cub former players right now as bench coaches, and there's Trammel too.

 

He's a hall of fame player and THE face of the resurgance of the Cubs that happened in the 80's. That's when the Cubs went from sparsely attended crappy team to occasionally good worthwhile attraction for most of Chicago. He is going to get all the spring training media attention. The camera is going to be on him a lot. Nobody gives a crap about Bob Dernier, let alone a guy that played for the Tigers. Nobody would even recognize Quade on the street.

 

I know, but Quade would be the guy doing all the interviews, the post-game. You'd have Hendry talking about Quade. You have the organization pointing to Quade. You have Ryno pointing at Quade.

 

I understand what you're saying but I don't think it's something that should make the decision for the organization. It's something to deal with; not something to override hiring Quade if they feel he's the guy who should be the manager.

[jersey cubs fan]

Is it really true that he would outshine Quade? We've got Cub former players right now as bench coaches, and there's Trammel too.

 

He's a hall of fame player and THE face of the resurgance of the Cubs that happened in the 80's. That's when the Cubs went from sparsely attended crappy team to occasionally good worthwhile attraction for most of Chicago. He is going to get all the spring training media attention. The camera is going to be on him a lot. Nobody gives a crap about Bob Dernier, let alone a guy that played for the Tigers. Nobody would even recognize Quade on the street.

 

I know, but Quade would be the guy doing all the interviews, the post-game. You'd have Hendry talking about Quade. You have the organization pointing to Quade. You have Ryno pointing at Quade.

 

I understand what you're saying but I don't think it's something that should make the decision for the organization. It's something to deal with; not something to override hiring Quade if they feel he's the guy who should be the manager.

I'm saying it may be a reason for them not to hire Sandberg as bench coach, not preventing Quade to be manager.

[soapy]

It goes even beyond Ryno being a HOF player for the organization. People eat up the stuff he spews about "playing the right way" and all that. Hell, they probably love that he "shows fire" as a manager in the minor leagues by getting ejected so often.

 

People are suckers for that nonsense.

[circlecitycub]

Is it really true that he would outshine Quade? We've got Cub former players right now as bench coaches, and there's Trammel too.

 

He's a hall of fame player and THE face of the resurgance of the Cubs that happened in the 80's. That's when the Cubs went from sparsely attended crappy team to occasionally good worthwhile attraction for most of Chicago. He is going to get all the spring training media attention. The camera is going to be on him a lot. Nobody gives a crap about Bob Dernier, let alone a guy that played for the Tigers. Nobody would even recognize Quade on the street.

 

I know, but Quade would be the guy doing all the interviews, the post-game. You'd have Hendry talking about Quade. You have the organization pointing to Quade. You have Ryno pointing at Quade.

 

I understand what you're saying but I don't think it's something that should make the decision for the organization. It's something to deal with; not something to override hiring Quade if they feel he's the guy who should be the manager.

I'm saying it may be a reason for them not to hire Sandberg as bench coach, not preventing Quade to be manager.

 

I don't think McGwire's presence has been a distraction in St. Louis. I'm not saying he's worth a crap as a hitting coach but his mere presence in the dugout isn't doing the team any harm. I'd say that would be akin to having Sandberg in the Cubs dugout as a coach.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think McGwire's presence has been a distraction in St. Louis. I'm not saying he's worth a crap as a hitting coach but his mere presence in the dugout isn't doing the team any harm. I'd say that would be akin to having Sandberg in the Cubs dugout as a coach.

 

Because Tony LaRussa is a huge star manager. Nobody knows Mike Quade.

 

McGwire wasn't on the path to becoming manager either or campaigning for the job. Ryno very clearly wants the top job, and if he loses it to Mike Quade that is going to be a story. I'm not saying it would have a real negative effect on the team, I'm saying it's a PR issue the team might not want to deal with.

[Careless]

Espn1000 and kaplan are pushing Ozzie leaving the sox to manage the cubs. I just heard a paid sports show guy say that it was "meathead" fans that wouldn't want him. I think I might have slipped into an alternate reality

[Old Style]

Espn1000 and kaplan are pushing Ozzie leaving the sox to manage the cubs. I just heard a paid sports show guy say that it was "meathead" fans that wouldn't want him. I think I might have slipped into an alternate reality

Call me a meathead or whatever you want, but I don't want that crazy [expletive] anywhere near my team. I don't even like it when he manages the Sox in Wrigley and he comes there.

[Sammy Sofa]

So Gonzalez officially declined to be interviewed for the Cubs' job? That stinks.

[daske17]

Sandberg is said to be considered for the Toronto job now.

 

Of course, the Blue Jays said that they had a pool of like 500 they were considering, so it doesn't really mean anything.

[Pushfrog98]

MLBTradeRumors is reporting that Towers wants Maddux in Arizona with him as a bench or pitching coach.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/09/dbacks-notes-padres-maddux-towers.html

[jersey cubs fan]

Stan Kasten is resigning from the Nationals. I've heard some CTL types talking about him as the type of guy the Cubs could/should hire as president of baseball ops. I don't think he's done much other than hiring Schuerholz with the Braves. But he's probably got better credentials than Crane for running a baseball team.