Many people have expressed some disappointment in the fact the Mike Quade was named manager.
Honestly, what did you expect?
This was, in the end, the only choice.
I'm not exactly thrilled with this choice, but I honestly believe the manager doesn't make that big of a difference.
But let's get a few things straight here....
First, Joe Girardi, as much as any of us really wanted him to come here, isn't leaving the Yankees. Sorry. The press can say all they want. You can hope and pray all you want. You can list all the reasons and logic you want...but in the end, the Yankees will want him back, and it's probably the best managerial job in baseball. He wasn't coming.
Second, Sandberg was the least experienced candidate being considered. You can say all you want about "paying his dues" and all that crap, be in the end, he still isn't ready. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, he needs to coach in the big leagues before he gets a job. Quade did that after a long stint as a minor league manager. Another candidate, Pat Listach, is probably more prepared for the big chair now since he did some coaching in Washington. Sorry folks, Sandberg isn't ready yet.
Third, Joe Torre is old.
Fourth, while 37 games isn't enough to justify getting the job, it is enough to disqualify someone from the job. I actually wanted Sandberg to get the interim job just to see if he would mess it up. That was all you wanted from those last 37 games...to see if the guy doesn't mess it up. Bruce Kimm had his chance, and he sucked. We all saw it. He didn't have the knack for the job.
Fifth, can anyone honestly say that the other candidates brought anything more to the table? Eric Wedge had a Manager of the Year trophy but was pretty much run out of town in Cleveland and appears to have some baggage. Bob Melvin beat the Cubs in the NLDS in 2007...big deal. Pat Listach was Mike Quade lite.
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We heard all these different rumors coming from other blogs and from the press, but in the end, when you take sentiment out if the equation, and you look at it all logically, Quade was the only choice.
You can say whatever you want about Sandberg's time in the minor league...I'm sorry, but he's not ready yet. And it's the Cubs fault for leading him on like that. Don't worry about Ryno, though. He's worked hard his whole life, and if he wants to be a manager, he's going to continue to do what he needs to do to get that job...and right now, he needs to be a 3rd base/bench coach. I'd love for him to do that with the Cubs...but I don't think he's up for that now.
