Kuzul

The 2010 MLB season has really been great. With 17 out of 30 teams at or above .500, I have to admit that a form of parity does exist as I am seeing that form on the field.

And the surprises have been what have made this a great season.

The San Diego Padres, with a payroll ripped apart by the divorce of their owners, have been at the top of the National League all season. The Padres were even buyers at the trade deadline as they brought in the bat of Ryan Ludwick to help their lone superstar hitter in Adrian Gonzalez.

The pitching of the Padres has been amazing all year long and the main reason they have avoided any long losing streaks as they have put San Francisco and Colorado in their rear-view mirror.

LA Dodger fans should expect their team to be competitive through the looming divorce of their owners.

The National League is full of great story lines in the other two divisions as well.

In Bobby Cox’s last season, the Atlanta Braves have been out in front of the Philadelphia Phillies for most of the summer. The injury to Chipper Jones was a real shame as it might be a career ender.

It is simply amazing that Cox has managed Jones for his whole career. That would have to be the exception that proves the rule that coaches and managers are hired to be fired.

The Cincinnati Reds have been a real nice story as well. The Reds have been a dark horse pick for a few years now and they have kept it together as the season has reached the dog days. They survived the sweep by the St. Louis Cardinals and showed a ton of grit in what was a real brawl in a baseball game between the two rivals.

Most baseball fights are like a party where no chicks show up.

The American League has the Texas Rangers for their nice storyline. In a year when the LA Angels looked to be ripe for the taking, the Rangers have gone out and taken the AL West.

The Tamp Bay Rays look to be the Wild Card team and they are truly a loaded team. From manager Joe Madden, to their ace pitcher David Price, to their potent line-up, the Rays have everything in place for another deep run in the post season.

The Boston Red Sox have been a nice story as they have dealt with an incredible amount of injuries and found a way to stay competitive.

The American League East is a monster division. The Baltimore Orioles have a new skipper in Buck Showalter, but they seem to be years from competing for anything more than fourth place.

Thank goodness Cleveland landed in the AL Central when the league realigned. The Indians are in the process of rebuilding and might be a good team in a few more years.

That is my complaint about the lack of parity in that the same teams always seem to be on top of their divisions, and the little guys like Cleveland have these tiny windows where they can rise up and utterly rip out the hearts of their fans.

I still am upset with Jose Mesa, thirteen years later. Tony Fernandez could have made that play too.

It could be worse, the Pirates are setting records with their prolonged run of futility. And then there are the Chicago Cubs. Not even a great baseball man like Lou Piniella could guide them to the promised land and now he is moving on to the next part of his life.

Sweet Lou will be missed.

I should have been a Yankee fan, those guys always win and they should beat the National League team in the fifth game of the 2010 World Series.

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Last month, Lou Piniella told the Cubs he would be retiring at season’s end. Well apparently he got sick of watching the Cubs get beaten to a bloody pulp. Sunday’s 16-5 loss was his last game as a manger. He leaves as one of the greatest managers of all time. Unfortunately he went out on a bad note. The Cubs have been a major disappointment, and not even the legendary Piniella could save them. Sweet Lou should be in the Hall of Fame in five years.He cited the need to be with his ailing grandmother as the main reason for his early departure.

The other big news was about a former player. Roger Clemens might be going to jail! Did you just grin reading that statement? People from around the country (especially in Boston) have despised the egomaniac for years and this might be karma. He had plenty of opportunities for a plea bargain, but the stubborn Clemens thought he could beat it. Stay tuned, this story is just beginning to heat-up.

On the field the Reds are red hot, the Dodgers are dead, the Braves continue to fend of the pesky Phillies and the Twins take a firm grip on the A.L. Central. The dog days of summer are providing plenty of excitement and storylines.

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Lou Piniella began his career in professional baseball in 1962 as an 18-year-old outfielder for the Cleveland Indians‘ Class D affiliate Selma Cloverleafs of the Alabama-Florida league.

After 23 seasons playing professional baseball (including 18 big league seasons), another 23 seasons managing in the big leagues, and a few seasons as a general manager or broadcaster, “Sweet Lou” likely put on a big league uniform for the final time Sunday.

It was just over a month ago that Piniella made public his intention to retire, so we all knew this day was coming before too long. What we didn’t expect was that it would be coming this soon, mainly because he originally intended to retire at season’s end.

More than that, I’m sure that Lou didn’t expect his farewell to come on such substandard terms. As Koyie Hill said, “I don’t know if you could’ve scripted it any worse.”

His Cubs career ends with no playoff wins. His final season’s record sits at 51 wins and 74 losses, 21.5 games out of the division lead. His final game was an ugly 16-5 loss.

And the whole reason he’s stepping down with 37 games left to play is because his mother is sick.

No matter what you thought of Lou Piniella the manager, you have to respect Lou Piniella the man. He deserved better than this.

In the meantime, long-time minor league manager and major league third base coach Mike Quade will replace him on at least an interim basis.

Alan Trammell, who filled in for Lou when other family matters took him away from the team earlier this year, will not be taking over this time because, as Jim Hendry explained, Trammell will not be considered for the position going forward and Quade is “a strong candidate for the future.”

In a second half that has seen (and is seeing) many players getting chances to show what they can do for the chance at a bigger role in 2011, it’s sort of fitting that a member of the coaching staff will be getting looked at for his own promotion next year.

And, should that promotion come to fruition, it shouldn’t take much acclimation from Cubs fans.

Yes, it helps that we’ll have more than a month’s worth of games to ease us into the change. But now, instead of fans howling for “Lou” whenever the manager comes out to argue, all they have to say is “Q.”

It’s a small first step, but it’s a start.

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Some take the hard-hand, run-suicides-until-you-puke approach. Some give the motivational “Go get ‘em” speech. Some throw you in the fire and force you to fight. 

The way sports coaches choose to manage and motivate players differs considerably and has varying degrees of success. How do you get the most out of your players? How do you instill a culture of dedication and hard work? How do you establish the kind of reputation that makes even the most hard-headed, arrogant and temperamental professional sports player trust and respect you enough to follow your lead?

Today, Lou Piniella managed his last game as a Major League Baseball manager. At the end of the year, one of his contemporaries, Bobby Cox, will do the same. This is consequential not only for the direct, near-term effects on the Cubs and the Braves, who will now have to seek replacements for two likely future Hall of Fame managers; the examples they have set will resonate for years to come.

Earlier this year, the sports world lost one of its most legendary and respected figures when John Wooden, who led UCLA to ten NCAA championships, died at the age of 99. Among the thousands of people he touched and inspired is Manny Acta, the current manager for the Cleveland Indians. 

“I read just about everything from him… I won two championships… Everything was just following his approach. He preached patience, hard work, and controlling your emotions. I’m a big believer in that.”

Yet Acta struggled in managing the Washington Nationals, perhaps precisely because of this approach, and he was criticized for what was perceived as an overly easygoing managing style. To some degree, this is less reflective of Acta’s managerial flaws and more a result of the particular status of the Nationals’ ball club at the time; apparently what was necessary for the Nats, who were 25-61 halfway through the season, was the invigorating hard hand of Jim Riggleman rather than the sympathetic ear of Acta.

Or maybe the flaw was the failure on Acta’s part to understand the Nats’ needs and adjust. Acta himself admits “Wooden’s approach doesn’t work 100 percent at the big league level. You have to make a lot of adjustments.” Still, Acta believes in the slow-and-steady method. “He did it and it worked for him. I’ve done it. So far it has worked for me and I’m sticking to it.” And despite an encouraging 17-14 start to the season, the Nationals find themselves yet again in last place, 20 games back under Riggleman.

Neither Piniella nor Cox exactly take from Wooden’s book—Cox is the all-time leader in ejections, and Piniella has been described as “irascible,” facetiously called “Sweet Lou” and once ripped first base out and threw it down the right field foul line after being ejected. But both are immensely respected by their players and among the league as passionate, loyal, and fiercely competitive managers. And, oh by the way, they have managed to do pretty well for themselves—Cox is 4th overall in all-time wins and Piniella is 14th.

So what works best? The John Wooden/Manny Acta patient, controlled demeanor? Piniella and Cox’s loyalty-induced temper tantrums? Different teams, different players, different situations call for different styles. But, if all else fails, there’s always Ozzie Guillen’s hot-headed and sometimes culturally insensitive M.O. that, if nothing else, gets media attention and PR.

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“A good ball club” – Yogi Berra, when asked about what makes a good manager.

Recent history has shown what a good baseball team can do to the perception of a manager.

Dusty Baker suddenly has his “magic” back now that the Reds have stocked up with great young talent, and veterans that still have the skills like Scott Rolen.

Joe Torre is suddenly just another guy now that the Dodgers consist of a mediocre roster.

Joe Girardi went from a failure in 2008 to a great manager again in 2009.

Terry Francona went from a failed Phillies manager to a great Red Sox manager.

Even the legendary Casey Stengel, winner of 7 World Series with the Yankees, was 756-1146 (yes, a sub 40% win percentage) without those legendary teams. 

Going back to 2010, fans have laid witness to the ultimate destruction of Lou Piniella‘s mystique. 

Piniella’s reputation was ultimately built on two seasons, his 1990 World Series winning Reds season, and the 2001 Mariners in their excellent 116 win season. Ultimately, though, it is the players who made those seasons happen, not the manager. If team success is the definition of the manager, then what happened in his time with the Yankees, Rays, and Cubs?

Let’s look closer at the last two teams on that list, the two that ultimately defined Piniella’s abilities once he was stripped of rosters brimming with All Stars.

The Rays obviously saw no success under Piniella, and it was in fact the only stop he ever made where he ended up without a winning record. While those Tampa Bay teams were horrible and blaming Piniella would be totally unfair, it does clearly show my initial point: Managers are not miracle workers, which is something that seems to prevail in some groups about Lou.

The self-destruction has really occurred, however, during his time with the Cubs. After success was found in his first two seasons (mostly due to the fact that he is not Dusty Baker), things began to go downhill in a hurry in 2009. 

His most apparent failure in 2009 was in the case of Alfonso Soriano. Soriano, a massive investment for the Cubs, was struggling and was most likely injured. Rather than managing his players and identifying the injury, he continued to play Soriano until early September, when he reported that he was to undergo knee surgery. All the while, Sam Fuld and his .409 OBP could have helped the Cubs bridge some of that gap to the Cardinals in 2009, instead of Soriano and his -0.9 WAR (according to baseball-reference.com). He also elected to use Kevin Gregg instead of Carlos Marmol in the closer/relief ace role for most of the season. While Marmol had obvious control problems, his ability to get strikeouts and not give up home runs made him a better option for the role anyway. Gregg, meanwhile, ended up blowing almost a quarter of his save chances.

2010, however, has seen Piniella absolutely implode as manager.

This season, Geovany Soto, with a 138 OPS+, has proven to be Chicago’s only elite offensive option at any position (though Starlin Castro has been a good hitting SS in his rookie season). One would think a team’s best player would be assured to see the field as often as possible.

However, Soto has only played in 88 of the Cubs 124 games to date. While Soto has missed most of August on the disabled list, Piniella was giving away valuable plate appearances from Soto to Koyie Hill before the fact. Hill rewarded Piniella’s faith with a 31 OPS+ (.504 OPS). 

More bizarrely, and the issue I criticized the most, was moving Tom Gorzelanny to the pen in favor of, more than likely, Carlos Silva and Carlos Zambrano. Gorzelanny had, at the time, been more than likely the best pitcher in the Cubs’ rotation, with a 3.66 ERA, 2.65 K/BB ratio, and 1.355 WHIP. Thanks to horrendous run support, however, he was 2-5 overall, and the Cubs were 2-7 in his starts. Silva, on the other hand, had been the recipient of amazing run support, and had a perfect 7-0 record. While he was doing a fantastic job of avoiding walks, one could not help but notice his .269 BABIP through May, and remember his struggles in Seattle, and not assume regression. Needless to say, Silva’s ERA from May-on has been almost 5.00. Zambrano, in turn, did nothing in 2010 to justify more innings than Gorzelanny, outside of possessing a huge contract. In the number one job of a manager, putting the right guys on the field to help your team win as much as possibly, Piniella completely failed in 2010.

Am I going for the role of devil’s advocate and saying Piniella is a terrible manager? No, it would be completely unfair to discredit the man over a few bad seasons at the tail end of his career. However, I do not believe by any stretch of the imagination that Piniella is a strong manager. 

Ultimately evaluating a manager is difficult. Some decide to simply look at the success of his teams and leave it at that. But how much impact does a manager have over the quality of players at his disposal? Simply put, not a ton.

Evaluating by team record also undersells those managers who were not fortunate enough to inherit terrific rosters. Gil Hodges, the manager of the Miracle Mets of 1969, whom I consider an excellent past manager, had a losing career record, for example. 

So what is my ultimate view of Piniella? The same with almost all managers: just another former ballplayer who ended up as a manager. He was not worse than normal, nor was he better. He just was.

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I love the game of baseball. In fact, I’d call myself a baseball enthusiast.

That being said, there’s a topic that seems to stick in my craw more often than not. While I have my own opinion on players’ salaries and how most aren’t worth half of what they’re getting, that’s not one of the biggest issues in the game today.

What is? Controversial managers.

Guys like Ozzie Guillen, Billy Martin, Lou Piniella, and more that I won’t start to list here. My problem is how they affect the game and the players around them. Not only that,  but how it’s almost gotten to a point where a few of these guys almost act entitled.

Take Ozzie Guillen, for example. Maybe he gets a bad rap. Maybe his players love and respect him and maybe most of the guys that have played for him have nothing but good things to say about him. At least on the record.

Guillen is one guy that a lot of baseball guys focus on as to what’s wrong or what’s gone wrong with the game of baseball today. The fact of the matter is that some managers just want to hear themselves talk and believe they’re entitled to say what they want.

It’s the same problem I have with a guy like Mark Cuban, but that’s a different story for a different day.

As much as a White Sox fan wants to sit here and tell me Guillen is entitled to say what he wants because he’s won a World Series, I’ll put Joe Torre up there as an example. I don’t ever remember Joe Torre running his mouth just to hear himself talk or spark the kind of controversy Guillen has.

This isn’t out of disrespect for a guy like Ozzie because, to be honest, he makes me laugh. While I can’t understand a lot of what he says especially when he really gets to talking fast, he does have some pretty insightful or comedic things to say.

The other problem I have with these managers is the kind of fight that they put up if they don’t agree with a call. I’ll use Lou Piniella as a perfect example.

While there have been some legendary meltdowns, Lou Piniella is one of the all-time greats at melting down in front of the umpires, players, and fans.

Most of us remember the big time meltdown he had last season where the hat hit the ground, a quick ejection, and an in-your-face argument took place at Wrigley Field against the Braves. What you’ll also notice in the above video is Cubs fans throwing stuff onto the field. Classy.

Is there a reason that managers have to have this kind of meltdown to prove their point or is it all an act to give fans more entertainment for their money? Don’t get me wrong, but I enjoy a good meltdown just as much as the next fan, especially the classics like this one, but I just wonder if they’re necessary.

The umpire isn’t going to change the call, and the egotistical ones won’t even admit they were wrong after the fact. So again, what’s the point?

There have been some other classic meltdowns from guys like Bobby Cox, Charlie Manuel, and others. But what makes these managers controversial? Is it their style on the field, their style in the clubhouse, the way they handle the media, or is it everything combined?

To me, and to a lot of fans, we can only speak to what we see on the field and through the media. Maybe it’s a skewed view of what these guys are really like. Maybe it is all just for the entertainment value. Maybe the arguments are nothing more than a way to show the fans that they are fighting for their players.

While I respect that from a lot of managers, it can be handled a lot better than it is these days. Call me a sap if you want, and I know a lot of fans love a good meltdown, but there’s a better way to handle a blown call from an umpire than getting in his face for more than three minutes.

I understand that a tirade against an umpire, and a subsequent ejection, can fire up the players and send a signal to them that they need to wake up. But there are some tirades that don’t make an impact at all.

The best managers have the best timing, but the managers you see skipping from team to team, never able to hang on to a managerial job for more than a few seasons at a time, don’t seem to have good timing at all or a good handle on their players.

To answer the question that started this article, is it good or bad for baseball, it’s not a bad thing at all. Managers will say what they want to say and a lot of us fans will get nothing but a good laugh from the best of them. We enjoy some good dirt kicking, hat throwing, and rosin bag tossing. 

The only way that this becomes bad for baseball is if it starts to effect the game itself. Until then, the game remains unchanged. If you notice, even the most controversial managers seem to to hang on to their jobs long term.

Even the most controversial and outspoken managers are loved by not only their players, but the fans of those respective teams.

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Not long after Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced his plans to retire at the end of the season, former Cub, and current Hall of Famer, Ryne Sandberg decided to throw his name in the list of potential candidates to replace Piniella next season.

But does Sandberg really know what he’s getting himself into?

The pressure of the Cubs winning a World Series has built up like a nasty rumor at the workplace, and Sandberg hopes he can be the man to clean it all up.

Sandberg’s decision to be considered for the job is no surprise, and if he were to get the job, he would be following a couple of respectable managers who failed to accomplish the ultimate MLB goal.

Dusty Baker had the Cubs only five outs away from reaching the World Series. But Cubs’ fans know how that season ended.

It’s no wonder that Lou Piniella has aged like Robin Williams in the movie “Jack” over his four seasons with the Cubs.

Don’t get me wrong, I like “Sweet Lou.” He’s led the Cubs to three winning seasons with a possible, but unlikely, chance to finish over .500 this season. He has also taken the Cubs to the postseason twice in that span, only to see the entire team go cold like a frozen margarita in both appearances.

When Piniella is done at the end of the season, his relationship with Cubs’ fans will be similar to that of Baker’s. You know, that relationship that didn’t work out but you promise each other you’ll still remain “good friends,” when in reality you grimace at the thought of showing up at the same pizza parlor as that person. Oh well, we’ll always have the memories.

Not that Sandberg has much to worry about, but if you screw up with the Cubs, you’re likely to get shun from the city altogether. Just ask Milton Bradley. Heck, you don’t even have to be a member of the organization to get exiled from Chicago. Sorry Steve Bartman.

But Sandberg may be just what the Cubs need. He’s played in Chicago and he knows what kind of pressure comes along with winning in the organization.

In the 80’s and 90’s, Sandberg was “the man” for the Northsiders. This was back in the good ole’ days when the Cubs had Andre “The Hawk” Dawson, a young Mark Grace, and, who were all of those good pitchers the Cubs had back then?

Sandberg worked as a coach under managers Don Baylor and Dusty Baker for several years before managing the Cubs’ minor league affiliates for the past four years.

He is currently managing the triple-A Iowa Cubs to a first place season, where he has taught and developed several young, up-and-coming players looking to make a splash at the big league level.

In a time when the Cubs need to get back to the fundamentals, what better candidate than Sandberg, who had a career .989 fielding percentage, the major league record at second base.

So I say give Sandberg a shot. If he fails, he’ll be just another statistic on a long list of Cubs managers who couldn’t get the job done.

Sure there might be some failure along the way, but after 100 plus years of no championship and a disappointing season this year, what are a couple more down seasons to Cubs’ fans? The volcano has already erupted and Sandberg wants to sweep up the ashes.

Can you imagine? One of their own, a Cubbie favorite, rises like a phoenix from those ashes with the team grasped firmly to accomplish what seems almost impossible these days. If he succeeds, he’ll be a legend in Chicago forever. That’s probably an understatement.

After all, fairytale endings only come with some struggles along the way. Unfortunately for the Chicago Cubs, it’s a long book they’ve been writing.

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And we’re back. Hopefully the short week didn’t treat you too badly. Good to see the NL finally win an All-Star game, couldn’t believe it has been 14 years since their last win.

But now we get move to one of the most fun parts of the baseball season: the trade deadline.

The waiver wire suddenly gets a big boost in activity as people jump on players who suddenly have value due to the transactions of playoff hopefuls and surrender monkeys.

The position of most impact is relief pitching, as two or three closers always get traded to a contender looking for bullpen help, paving the way for a young up-and-comer to take over ninth-inning duties.

This is a huge opportunity for you save chasers (myself included) to load your bullpens with saves.

We’ll start with four guys who could end up closers before the trade deadline ends then hit some other numbers.

1.50 – ERA for Indians’ set up man Chris Perez since June. We’re starting with him because you need to stop reading and go grab him now if he’s for some reason still available. I’ll explain when you get back.

Ready? Okay, current closer Kerry Wood (he of the 6.30 ERA) recently went to the DL with a blister on his right thumb, making Perez the closer.

Wood has already been on the trading block for quite some time now, and while this injury doesn’t exactly make him more attractive to potential buyers, he will be back from the DL before the deadline and will most likely be moved.

Thus, it can be speculated that Perez’s reign as closer will continue unabated the rest of the season. I dropped Chad Qualls for him without blinking, but that might not be saying much.

6 – Number of earned runs allowed for Evan Meek over 43 appearances this season.

I know I drooled all over him last week, but since we’re talking about set-up men with impending save opportunities, I’m reminding you again to grab him. He’s been fantastic all season and is probably the best guy in this foursome.

Unfortunately, he also plays for Pirates, so keep in mind save opportunities won’t come as frequently.

3.64 – ERA for Brandon League , the man next in line to receive saves in Sea-Town.

The Mariners are sellers once again, and David Aardsma’s name has been thrown around in more than a few scenarios.

There’s no one else in the Seattle pen worthy of taking over the closer’s role, and while the ERA may not look spectacular, but minus a few bad days (four worst outings: 2.2 innings, 13 runs allowed.

Rest of season: 44.1 innings, six runs allowed) League really has been great this season. Pounce as soon as Aardsma gets moved.

21 – Strikeouts for Drew Storen over his first 25 appearances.

This is the biggest long shot of the group, as current closer Matt Capps is still under contract until 2011 and with Tyler Clippard struggling lately the Nats may not want to throw their rookie phenom into fire right away.

But Washington is a seller and Storen’s peripherals along with his future role as dynasty closer means there is at least a slight chance we could see him take over his throne sooner rather than later.

Click and you shall receive more numbers.

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With Lou Piniella retiring at the end of the season, many Cubs fans might be saying good riddance due to Chicago’s disappointment recently. 

The next question is obviously, “Who’s next?”

Well, Ryne Sandberg has already thrown his hat into the ring. Sandberg, a Hall of Fame inductee and Cubs legend, would certainly bring big-name quality to the dugout and his experience might go over well with the players.

Sandberg is currently managing the Cubs’ Triple-A Iowa club and explicitly said he wanted the job, “I am ready…I’m not interested in on-the-job learning or on-the-job training. At this point, I’m interested in winning ballgames at the Major League level.”

That is the kind of fire and mentality you want leading your club, especially one that needs a little fire lit to its collective tails to get going.

But Sandberg might be a little bit of work in progress. With only four years of managerial experience under his belt, there might be some on-the-job training going on if he were to take over the Cubs. There would be some lumps and a little bit of a learning curve, so the question is whether it would pay off in the long run.

From a fan’s perspective, it might be nice to get some new blood into the managerial position. The Cubs have already tried putting the old guard into that role with Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella recently, so at least this would be trying something new and going in a different direction.

Sandberg said afterward that he doesn’t actually expect to land the gig, but the Cubs might be wise to give him a long hard look, something GM Jim Hendry said he intends to do.

If Sandberg is in fact hired, he would be only the second Hall of Famer to be hired as a big league manager after his induction, and the first since Ted Williams. It’s a rare pedigree that will help him relate with the players and help him earn their respect.

He is already dealing with Carlos Zambrano, who is working his way through Triple-A right now. Although nobody can handle the loose cannonball that is Zambrano, if Sandberg could forge a relationship with the talented hurler, that could certainly help his case.

That is only one part of the battle, but Sandberg could prove a little something by winning over Zambrano. 

He has already won over Cubs fans with his play on the field during his career, so that is another piece to the puzzle. Managing is always a different story, but you never know unless you are given that shot.

Sandberg might have an uphill battle to land the job, and there might be a few rough patches in his first season if he were to get it; the Cubs might be wise to do something different to try to get the club back on track.

Why not try Sandberg?

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With the news that Chicago Cubs manager is going to retire at the end of the season, it’s time to line up the candidates who potentially could replace Piniella in the Windy City. I personally think the Cubs manager job is a very attractive job for the sole reason that there are very little expectations.

If you lose, big deal. The Cubs have had 33 managers since 1908 and they all have had one thing in common—they all lost. If things don’t pan out in Chicago, then you are just like everyone else.

However, if you win, you will be remembered forever. The reward is much greater than the risk. That is a job I will take anytime and twice on Sunday.

I also think another plus about the Cubs job is Tom Ricketts. Think about how many teams not only in baseball, but in all of sports that have their ownership situation is in flux. The Cubs’ ownership situation is settled and should be settled for quite some time.

That being said (cue Larry David), here are the potential candidates to replace Piniella in 2010:

1. Ryne Sandberg. The manager of the Cubs Triple-A Iowa team and the most logical choice. Sandberg is loved in Chicago and it would be only fitting for him to come back and manage the team he played for.

2. Joe Girardi. Girardi played for the Cubs for a total of seven seasons, he is a Northwestern guy, and his contract expires at the end of the year. The Yankees believe the organization is more important than the manager (they are right about that) and might not want to meet Girardi’s contract demands.

3. Bobby Valentine. From all indications, the Cubs are looking for a big name and Valentine would fit the bill. One the reasons negotiations between Valentine and the Florida Marlins fell apart was because the Marlins wouldn’t guarantee they would put more money into the team. He won’t have that issue in Chicago.

4. Joe Torre. Torre’s contract expires at the end of the year and I think he has had it in Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ ownership situation is a clown show and if you look at Torre during his press conferences, he looks like a beaten man. A change of scenery could do him good.

5. Eric Wedge. Probably a long shot, but he is a Midwest guy (born in Indiana) and was fairly successful in Cleveland. I have always liked Wedge as a manager and think he would be a good fit in Chicago.

6. Alan Trammell. Another long shot, but Trammell is currently the bench coach in Chicago and does have managerial experience in Detroit. Usually when the manager goes, the bench coaches aren’t too far behind. I would be very surprised if Trammell got the job.

So those are my candidates to replace Piniella. Who’s your choice?

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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