In 2011, Ryno Is Not The Answer For The Cubs
As Lou Piniella heads into the final stretch run of the "Tampa Mai Tai Tour" next season, the question that begs to be answered is who replaces Sweet Lou? This decision could be the most important decision of the Tom Ricketts regime because you want to make a good first impression with the Cubs fan base. If you get off on the wrong foot, you may never come back into good graces.
I've noticed over the last five to six years, that Cubs fans have become the most demanding fans in major league baseball and for good reason. When your team doesn't win a World Series for over a century, you have the right to be a little upset with how things are on the north side of Chicago.
However this notion I've heard over the last week or so that Ryne Sandberg should be the next manager of the The Cubs is just asinine.
Seriously, why would you put a man with absolutely no major league managing experience at the helm of a club that has not won a world series since Theodore Roosevelt was President and the Panama Canal was constructed.
It makes no sense to me why Cubs fans of all people would be in favor of this. What previous manager can you say has had any success by stepping into MLB managerial ranks as a rookie?
The first example many Cub fans use is the captain of the Chicago White Sox, Ozzie Guillen. Failing to remember that Guillen was a 3rd base coach for both Bobby Cox (ATL) and won a World Series with Jack McKeon (FLA). Guillen matured as a coach under the wing of the best manager in modern baseball history on top of gaining the experience of coaching a team to baseball's pinnacle.
Terry Francona was a third base coach with the Tigers before his debut as a skipper. Mike Scioscia was a coach for the Dodgers for several years before taking the job as the Angels manager. Joe Girardi was a bench coach under Joe Torre before taking the Marlins job in 2006.
Although Sandberg is a Cub legend and a hall of famer, you cannot hand him the job after two seasons in single A ball and two seasons in double A. That is not nearly enough experience for the job at hand.
The Cubs should use the tactics the Yankees use when they go after free agents in the off season. Find the best available free agent manager with the most major league experience and pay him better than any other manager in baseball.
I am sick and tired of the "players manager" or "disciplinarian" that the Cubs have hired under the Hendry administration. Go out and get a "proven winning manager" and give the Cub fans what they've wanted for over a century.
I would rather look towards Bob Brenley, Bobby Valentine and Buck Showalter before I even consider interviewing Ryno. You might as well let Santo finish his years managing this team as opposed to entertaining the masses in the broadcast booth. That'd be just as good as handing Sandberg the reins to the Cubbies.
Be forewarned Cubs fans!! If you bring in Ryne Sandberg, you are setting your club up for even more disastrous years on the north side.
-RoCk
8 Comments
AndCounting said:
You'd like Bob Brenly? You mean, the guy who won the World Series in his first season as a baseball manager of any kind? The guy who had been doing nothing but broadcasting games prior to that season?
That's, what did you call it, asinine.
Rock Mamola said:
It's a better option than Sandberg. He's at least got a ring to his resume whether or not he's been managing over the last couple of years. Keep in mind, Lou was broadcasting too before leading the Cubs to two straight playoff appearances.
Sandberg shouldn't fit the mold for a new ownership....go out and get the best experienced guy and pay him to win.
All that matters now is win!
Thanks for checking out the blog.
-RoCk
AndCounting said:
I agree with the winning part. But I think Sandberg is as ready as he's gonna be. 1st year guys CAN be successful. Brenly's very first managing experience was with the Diamondbacks in 2001. He hadn't been a coach before. He hadn't been anything but a broadcaster before. He wasn't just on hiatus, he was a virgin coach all the way.
I think he'd be just fine. But I'm not in a hurry to kick Lou out the door. We'll see I guess.
Anyway, nice blog. I enjoy the writing. Take care!
Schoofs said:
I rather feel the need to comment on the derelict that wrote this article, and inform him on historical precedence. The Cubs, as I am sure the author well knows, last won the world series in 1908. At that time, Frank Chance was the Manager of the Chicago Cubs. He was a first time manager with virtually no managerial experience... and yet this rant was about how the Cubs need a manager with experience to win a world series. How about next time, before you decide to epitomize the essence of the word moron, you do your research and realize perhaps what you think the Cubs don't need is exactly what has worked in the past.
mchi59 said:
While you are essentially correct about Chance being a first time manager with no experience when he took over the Cubs in 1905, you also should remember that he inherited a team that had been put together nicely by the previous manager, Frank Selee, probaly the forgotten man of the Cubs turn of the century success. Indeed, when Selee arrived, Chance was a man who had been tried as a catcher, an outfielder and Im not sure exactly, but I think also as a 3rd baseman. Although I believe Chance does deserve the credit he receives and I still think is the only one of the Tinker to Evers to Chance infield that is a legitimate HOFer. I think Ryno could do a good job, though a year as an apprentice coach might not hurt him. BTW, if you want to talk about 1st time managers winning with the Cubs, Joe McCarthy, Charlie Grimm and Gabby Hartnett were all 1st time managers when they won pennants for the Cubs(indeed, McCarthy had never even PLAYED in the majors, let alone managed when William Veeck hired him!)
Rock Mamola said:
Schoofs,
I'm sorry I didn't bust out the baseball almanac and look up the great Cubs teams of the early 1900's.
I think we can agree that in the modern game we have today, you need someone that knows how to win it all. Lou was a bad choice because he hasn't been viable since his early days in the 1990's with the Reds.
Dusty never got the ring although with more recent success in 2002 w/the Giants.
You need to get the best available guy for 2011 and beyond. Ryno isn't it.
Thanks for checking out the blog, even though you think I'm a moron.
-RoCk
Rock Mamola said:
Mchi59,
Good points like Schoofs.
I agree that a year with the big club as a bench coach or something on the coaching staff would surely help. I think Lou's at the age where he doesn't mind teaching an apprentice (sp?) as opposed to not. I'm sure he won't take it personally if the club announces Sandberg is the heir-apparent and he's there to learn the ballclub.
A year with the current roster of players wouldn't hurt either. Build relationships with them now as opposed to possibly later.
Then I wouldn't have so much of a problem with a hiring of Ryno.
I think if you hire him straight out of Tenn. then you're setting yourself back a few years as opposed to going for it now.
Thanks for checking out the blog.
-RoCK
jaydog13 said:
Even though it wasn't his 1st year, Lou Piniella won it with the Reds in his 4th year... World series wise, what has he done since? He was the manager of the 2001 Mariners that won 116 games and still couldn't get it done. You just never know what will happen in this sport. There are many pros and cons to Sandberg becoming the manager and I would like to see him get a chance. The problem though is that after over 100 years of not winning the World Series there is urgency for them to do it NOW which is why its best to have someone with experience but again you just never know. He could be exactly what we need... I'm rooting for him
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