Well, another managerial search and another rejection for Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. After managing in the Cubs minor league system for several years, Sandberg was in the mix of names that were in the running for the job of managing the Chicago Cubs. Yet Lou Piniella came out on top in 2008 which left Sandberg down in Triple A for what appeared to be a few more years.Sweet Lou retired before the end of the season in 2010 which, for the moment, left third base coach Mike Quade in charge to finish the year out. The season ended and the hunt began again. Some thought bench coach Alan Trammel would step in, others thought Quade was qualified to lead, but most if not all of us thought that it was Sandberg’s job at last.
But denial hit Sandberg again. Quade was kept and Sandberg was said to lack the experience. “Ryno” was left in the minors for at least one more season. That one season was a tough one to experience for anybody who bleeds Cubbie blue. A 71-91 record was nothing fun to watch as the team showed no signs of life once the month of June was over. The season ended brutally and everyone knew Quade would most likely be gone.
October came along and the Fall Classic couldn’t have been better. The rival Cardinals shocked the world with an improbable and unbelievable playoff run. But in the midst of all the excitement, Chicago made the biggest offseason move yet (at least until Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder are dealt). Theo Epstein packed his bags from Boston and headed to Chicago to join the Cubs organization. One of the first things Epstein did, however, was let Quade know that he would not be returning as manager for the Cubs.
It’s finally Sandberg’s turn, right? He’s been patient, he’s contributed to the Triple A affiliate of the Cubs, and he’s paid his dues. But now, he won’t even be in consideration for the job. Epstein recently told Ryno that he had a list of possible managers, but that Sandberg wasn’t on it. With that being said, the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals are talking to Sandberg after soon-to-be Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa retired. Wait a second, the Cardinals? This is Ryne Sandberg we’re talking about. The Ryno who was so loved and respected every day he spent in Chicago, the man whose number 23 flies high above the Friendly Confines on a flag resembling those beloved blue pinstripes. But now he’s got the possibility to manage for the enemy. It’s hard to picture him in anything but Cubbie blue.
It’s a hard pill to swallow, more so for Ryno than it is for us loyal Cub fans I’m sure. I realize that Sandberg may not be the best choice for the job with Terry Francona just a phone call away, but it’s almost like Sandberg deserves this job. I mean, he’s done his part not only as a manager but also as a player.
The Cubs organization might be making a mistake, who knows? Wherever Sandberg ends up the city can consider itself lucky. I have a feeling he’ll be missed by the Cub fans but you know what they say: Baseball is a Business.
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