Who Will Bring the Scorecard to Homeplate?

This off-season the Cubs (and by that I mean Jim Hendry and Tom Ricketts) have a big decision to make on whom to put in the thirdbase dugout at Wrigley next year so that Ron Santo can introduce him as "the fine manager of the Chicago Cubs" during the prelude to the Pat & Ron Show. There are plenty of candidates to replace the retired Lou Pinella.

Among the interviewees we have heard are: Eric Wedge, Tony LaRussa, Freddie Gonzalez, Joe Girardi, Bob Melvin, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Quade, Bob Brenly.

Before the interview process really even got out of the blocks, Freddie Gonzalez declined an opportunity to be interviewed, deciding instead to focus his attention on replacing Bobby Cox.

Eric Wedge has already been met with and follow ups with him are expected. When I first heard that Wedge was on the list, I thought “Oh god, why him?” Well, here’s why. In 2005 won 93 games and finished second. In 2007 won 96 games, finished first in the division and won AL Manager of the Year. He brings some cred with him, if the Cubs go in that direction. Not my top choice, but a strong candidate to be considered.

Bob Brenly – Don’t know if I like this option. Won a World Series in his first year with Arizona. Certainly a wonderful accomplishment (something no one on the North Side has been able to do since Frank Chance led the Cubs to a title in 1908, but he had Schilling, Johnson and Luis Gonzalez (all suspects in the great Steroid Era). I have to say that I think Brenly is amazing in the broadcast booth, but in the dugout I’m not so sure. I don’t hear anyone saying that Steve Stone should go down to manage a team because he’s an awesome analyst. Yeah, Brenly had two first place finishes in his first two years with the Diamondbacks, but he’s pretty low on my list.

Ryne Sandberg – The fan favorite and the favorite when using your heart not your head. Here’s my dilemma. I would love Sandberg to manage the Cubs. He’s moved from A to AAA in the minors having success at each level. He’s ready. Is he ready for the Cubs? Don’t know. But with as many as 17 openings, someone’s going to grab him. It would bug me as a Cubs fan to have him manage some other team (I don’t like Mike Singletary coaching the 49ers). But what I really don’t want is for Sandberg to be named, have him struggle for a year or two and then get canned. If he’s here I want it to be a long time, whether we win the division every year or not. Whether we win the World Series or not. I want consistent long-term success from him and for him. But I also don’t want special consideration to be made for him because he’s a Cub Legend and Hall of Famer. He’s near the top of the list.

Tony LaRussa – Great manager. Tons of success, but I don’t think he should be here. He’s 66 at the end of the year. While that’s certainly not old for baseball managers (see Torre, Pinella, Leyland) he’s got fewer managerial years ahead of him than behind him.

Joe Girardi – Here’s an interesting situation. Manager of the Year in 2006 with Florida. World Series title and two Division Titles with the Yankees. Plenty of years ahead of him. Chicago born and bred, played for the Cubs. Good baseball mind. But why would he leave the Yankees? Well, in the past few days there have been reports he’s thinking about it, possibly due to all the stress managing the Yankees brings. The Cubs aren’t a cakewalk in stress free management, but I’ve got to believe it’s not the same pressure cooker New York is. Wouldn’t mind seeing him in Cub pinstripes.

And here’s my darkhorse favorite.

Mike Quade – Sixteen years minor league managing experience. He’s had success in the minors. He’s worked with a lot of the Cubs young players currently in the majors (Soto, Cashner, Colvin). Even with sixteen years in the minors under his belt, he’s still young. He started managing when he was 26. He’s got an energy about him that hopefully would translate to the team. Here’s the problem. The team is currently 17-7 under him. That’s incredible considering what Lou did with the team this year. BUT, the Cubs are mathematically out of any playoff appearance. It really doesn’t matter if they pass the Brewers and Astros. Finishing 3rd or 5th, 25 games out of first is basically the same. So it’s not hard for the team to place loose and for the atmosphere to be positive. What happens in April 2011? What happens if the Cubs are half a game out of first in July facing the Cardinals in an important weekend series and Zambrano and Ramirez are thinking about themselves and not the team? Will Quade’s positive vibe and energy work then?

None of us know. In fact none of us know which manager on the list would be the best fit because it’s a guarantee that each would have some success and each will ultimately have failure. There are no Connie Mack or John McGraw tenures any longer now that Bobby Cox is retiring. Certainly no tenures like that in big city markets like Chicago. We can only hope Hendry/Ricketts select someone that will be given the time to find success.