Ron Santo, Ryne Sandberg, Greg Maddux, and others

[chicubs310]

Why arent all of these hall of fame caliber players *and hall of fame for ryno* talking with the cubs about all of these mistakes. After the game when 3 pitchers failed to cover 1st base, you saw Maddux talk with Dusty about what to do *meaning maddux knows more then dusty*, and while listening to the radio, santo has all sorts of suggetions on what to do to help the team. Now if Dusty were wanting to keep his job, he would request the assitance of these players to try and turn around the team.

 

My question to all of you is...Would any of the former cubbies *including girardi* be an inspiration to this team to win one for the organization, because dusty just doesnt do it.

 

Possible managers would include the 3 mentioned above, Billy williams, Girardi, Gaieti, and what about Lee Smith?

 

Thats just a few ideas of guys who from my "expert" opinion could inspire these guys to win.

 

Also, could maddux technically be the pitching coach and a player at the same time?

[B]

Why arent all of these hall of fame caliber players *and hall of fame for ryno* talking with the cubs about all of these mistakes. After the game when 3 pitchers failed to cover 1st base, you saw Maddux talk with Dusty about what to do *meaning maddux knows more then dusty*, and while listening to the radio, santo has all sorts of suggetions on what to do to help the team. Now if Dusty were wanting to keep his job, he would request the assitance of these players to try and turn around the team.

 

My question to all of you is...Would any of the former cubbies *including girardi* be an inspiration to this team to win one for the organization, because dusty just doesnt do it.

 

Possible managers would include the 3 mentioned above, Billy williams, Girardi, Gaieti, and what about Lee Smith?

 

Thats just a few ideas of guys who from my "expert" opinion could inspire these guys to win.

 

Also, could maddux technically be the pitching coach and a player at the same time?

 

How about manager/player.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Why arent all of these hall of fame caliber players *and hall of fame for ryno* talking with the cubs about all of these mistakes. After the game when 3 pitchers failed to cover 1st base, you saw Maddux talk with Dusty about what to do *meaning maddux knows more then dusty*, and while listening to the radio, santo has all sorts of suggetions on what to do to help the team. Now if Dusty were wanting to keep his job, he would request the assitance of these players to try and turn around the team.

 

My question to all of you is...Would any of the former cubbies *including girardi* be an inspiration to this team to win one for the organization, because dusty just doesnt do it.

 

Possible managers would include the 3 mentioned above, Billy williams, Girardi, Gaieti, and what about Lee Smith?

 

Thats just a few ideas of guys who from my "expert" opinion could inspire these guys to win.

 

Also, could maddux technically be the pitching coach and a player at the same time?

 

I don't think it's important to get a manager with experience within the organization.

 

Billy Williams is a special assistant to MacPhail. I'm not sure if he has any interest in managing. He's been a hitting and bench coach with the Cubs on Riggleman's staff, but I don't think he has any experience managing at any level and he's a little old to give his first shot to in my opinion.

 

There's already a thread discussing Girardi. While not a poor option, there are other guys I'd look at first.

 

Gaetti is the hitting coach for the Astros. What about him makes you think he'd be a good manager?

 

Lee Smith? Somehow I wonder if he has the pedigree. He's never coached or managed at any level that I know of. I'm not sure being the closer for most of his career has really prepared him for the role. If I'm not mistaken, stories were that he slept in the clubhouse until around the 5th or 6th inning before going to the pen. I don't think that he was that observant. Finally, rather than become involved in baseball, Smith returned to Louisiana where he runs a trucking company.

 

I'm all for finding a new manager, but I think pulling the names of ex-Cubs out of a hat is the worst way to go about it.

[Electron Blue]

Why arent all of these hall of fame caliber players *and hall of fame for ryno* talking with the cubs about all of these mistakes. After the game when 3 pitchers failed to cover 1st base, you saw Maddux talk with Dusty about what to do *meaning maddux knows more then dusty*, and while listening to the radio, santo has all sorts of suggetions on what to do to help the team. Now if Dusty were wanting to keep his job, he would request the assitance of these players to try and turn around the team.

 

My question to all of you is...Would any of the former cubbies *including girardi* be an inspiration to this team to win one for the organization, because dusty just doesnt do it.

 

Possible managers would include the 3 mentioned above, Billy williams, Girardi, Gaieti, and what about Lee Smith?

 

Thats just a few ideas of guys who from my "expert" opinion could inspire these guys to win.

 

Also, could maddux technically be the pitching coach and a player at the same time?

 

I know very little about Lee Smith, but I've never heard him mentioned as a coaching possibility for anyone; also you don't see many former pitchers manage. As for the rest of the list: Billy is too old and has begun to wind down his baseball life, I would like to hear more about Gaetti, and for some reason I really like the Girardi possiblity.

 

Also, I think whatever Maddux does right is basically what you mentioned. Weren't just not paying him extra for it :).

 

The interestign thing about Ryno is, didn't he approach the Cubs after Baylor was fired, and ask for an interview? If I recall correctly the front office flat-out turned him away. Seemed strange - anyone know why Ryno's never been considered a future coach? I suppose he was too provate and standoffish.

[chicubs310]

the reason i said gaieti was because he always played very smart baseball *aka none of these stupid errors that have become a cubs habit* and also was apart of many winning teams.

 

As for Lee Smith, i figured that because he WAS a closer that he'd know how to manage a bullpen *again unlike baker* as well as how to go against the other bullpens.

 

And i have no idea why Ryno shouldnt be considered to manage.

 

 

And my dad was joking...is yogi berra still available to coach :wink:

[SaorsaDaonnan]

As I recall, the organization expressed interest in Ryno as a coach or even manager, but not as an immediate MLB manager. In other words, their public stance was that Ryno just didn't have the experience to manage at the major league level. Whether they truly had/have interest is a more difficult question, but publicly at least they did not dismiss him out of hand so much as say that he wasn't ready.

 

The fact that the Cubs have employed him as a spring training instructor, as well as a minor league roving instructor, suggests that they do think that he has knowledge to impart and the ability to communicate effectively.

 

The organization basically expressed the conventional wisdom line about a guy managing in the minors, then being a major league coach, and only then becoming a major league manager. For better or worse, that thinking seems consistant with the overall attitude of upper management.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

When Sandberg approached the Cubs, they told him that to be considered he needed some experience. Since then, he's been working with the team in spring training and spends a good bit of time around the team during the season. I don't know if they are ready to consider him or not. I could see him being named part of a new coaching staff rather than the manager.

 

A closer would probably be the worst possible manager. I'm not knocking Lee Smith, or any closer, but they have the one job that likely takes them out of the game. Maybe a closer for pitching coach, but not much else unless they have had some experience working their way through the system.

 

As I've lined out in other threads, there are a number of good choices for the Cubs to look to if they replace Baker that have the right pedigree. At the top of that list is Fredi Gonzalez. While he is an unknown to Cubs fans, he has all the ingredients that would make for a great manager on his resume'. See my comments in the other threads as to what those are.

 

I know this may be hard to swallow for some, but I prefer for the Cubs to look to someone who is outside the organization. We haven't been known for winning and success, so I'd prefer to get a manager who comes from a background that could be condusive to winning.

[Illini Iceman]

the reason i said gaieti was because he always played very smart baseball *aka none of these stupid errors that have become a cubs habit* and also was apart of many winning teams.

 

As for Lee Smith, i figured that because he WAS a closer that he'd know how to manage a bullpen *again unlike baker* as well as how to go against the other bullpens.

 

And i have no idea why Ryno shouldnt be considered to manage.

 

 

And my dad was joking...is yogi berra still available to coach :wink:

 

I like Gaetti because of that great HR in the one game playoff in '98 but also because of his nickname "The Rat". I heard he got it because you can get "cheese" past "The Rat". Classic. :lol:

[SaorsaDaonnan]

Vance, are you sure Sandberg only started working ST after Baylor was fired? I thought it was had been longer than that. Then again, my mind is a terrible place to store information you need!

 

Completely agree on Gonzalez.

[bhogg]

ryno has been a spring instructor for quite a while now.

 

 

I just can't seey Ryno as a manager. I get the impression that he doesn't want to do it right now -- too much family stuff going on.