Alan Trammell and Lou Piniella line up for the national anthem on Wednesday. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
The search for Lou Piniella's successor is still in its infancy and won't really shift into overdrive until the fates of some current major league managers are decided after the end of the 2010 season.
The field is certain to multiply from one (Ryne Sandberg) to a half-dozen or so by the middle of October, and until then, only a handful of top-level Cubs executives will know who's being seriously considered.
As with any managerial search, there will be plenty of rumors of potential candidates' interest, not to mention non-stop speculation over whether Sandberg is considered the favorite because of his status as a Cubs icon.
So it could be a long and bumpy ride for general manager Jim Hendry, Chairman Tom Ricketts and president Crane Kenney, the triumvirate involved in the decision-making process.
As the search for his successor begins, here are a few observations from the first day of the rest of the Piniella's life:
Operation Shutdown?
Piniella said Wednesday he doesn't want to answer more questions about his imminent retirement, preferring to focus on the team. But the moment the news Piniella was retiring was leaked by his agent, accidentally or not, it virtually assured the rest of the season's focus would be on Piniella and his replacement, not the team. To think otherwise is to ignore his last four years of dealing with the Chicago media.
Cone of Silence
Piniella said Tuesday the "more important" reason for announcing his retirement now was to "give Jim Hendry ample opportunity to find a new manager for this organization, and he can do it where he doesn't have to be secret about it or anything else." By Tuesday, Hendry dropped the Cone of Silence, telling reporters he doesn't plan to waste his time addressing news of potential candidates whose names may pop up from now until October. He then questioned why he was even being questioned about it. Meanwhile, one candidate's name was being leaked by the organization to a favored Chicago media outlet.
Bad Heir Day
The Cubs don't want Sandberg to be viewed as the heir apparent, insisting the playing field is even. There's no reason to doubt that, since Sandberg has no major league experience and will be competing with veteran managers who've won in the majors. But remember, this is the same organization that hired and groomed Sandberg in the minors the last four years, knowing it was his stated goal from the outset to someday manage the Cubs.
Voice from on high
Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly told the media Tuesday night he didn't want to discuss the job opening. "When it becomes available, I'll talk about it," he said, pointing to the end of the season, after Piniella is officially gone. Brenly then did an end-around the next morning, confirming his interest in the job during an interview on WSCR-AM 670. Brenly's analysis of the Cubs' players and Piniella's moves will be scrutinized even more than usual now. Recall that in April he told the same station that Alfonso Soriano exhibited a "selfish attitude" in watching a fly ball he thought was a home run. "This is about winning," Brenly said. "It's not about how I can pile up my numbers or how cool I look when I hit a ball hard. ... (Soriano) doesn't totally grasp that theory." Brenly also said Piniella's decision to leave Soriano in the game "sets a bad precedent... and (sends) a bad message to the younger players."
Wait-and-see
Bench coach Alan Trammell said it's too early for him to be thinking about the opening, and was taught by former Detroit manager Sparky Anderson to do things the right way. That means not politicking for a position he would seemingly be a top candidate for, based on Hendry's obvious respect for Trammell. But assuming Trammell does want the job, he'll eventually have to explain how, as a manager, he'll be able to change a fundamentally-challenged team that doesn't bunt well, run the bases well or play solid defense. As a coach, it's part of Trammell's responsibilities to fix some of those problems.
My wife and I were overjoyed when ownership of our beloved Cubs might change from the corporate-style of the Tribune upon sale to the Ricketts family. Like Tom Ricketts, I used to date my future wife and take her to Cubs games back in the 70s
in San Francisco. I had recruited her into 30 years of misery. Now, it is sickeningly clear that Ricketts is, as one reader put it, of the same old country room/board room mentality, hardly a George Steinbrenner - what with his support of Jim Hendry. By the way, this letter was rejected by the Sun-Times because it included the word "wife." I think "significant other" would have been acceptable. The old American spirit! The Sun-Times is run by their lawyers!
my wife and i
HEADLINE: Search for Piniella's successor already bumpy
Really. Give us a break. Don't you get tired of trying to drum up controversy? I get tired reading it.
I have it from a VERY reliable source that Ryne Snadberg will be the next Cub mgr. It's a done deal!!
If Kenney and Hendry don't go first, and take the "country club/board room political correctness" atmosphere of the Tribune with them, then nothing will change.
Kenney and Hendry are the major players in the "lunch room" club house mentality on this team that they're just punching a clock, and baseballs just another job!! That's the Tribune way.
They are also the primary source of the interference and tight strings held on good managers preventing them from doing their jobs since the 1980's!!
Mr. Ricketts needs to clean house upstairs before he can have any dream of winning on the field!! Unless, of course, he plans to be just another board room owner where the club is just a hobby or tax write-off!
rdog1
Where do I apply. I could do a good job. I've managed people.
People dont want ryno as the manager...the reasons he does not have big league experience...neither did girardi in 06 when the marlins hired him and he won manager of the year...then was canned cause he was to harsh and then went to the yankees..PS Sandberg has led the minors in ejections every year he has been down there
despite the interviews he gave Hendry only wanted Louie period. don't watch the Toyota sign, watch the game or women. Brenly would get respect cause he'd sit Soriano for trying to impersonate a baseball player. having said that he won't get the job, neither will Ryne. Hendry is not a fan of either one as Cubs manager.......Kenney, Ricketts, and Hendry, the new 3 stooges. these guys are a big part of the problem.....good-bye louie you quitter.
Crane Kenney shouldn't be allowed to run the concession stand in Section 220, much less have any say in who the next manager will be.
Brenly has no business managing, Schilling and Johnson won him his ring, notice no other team in baseball has given him any serious consideration since Zona fired him, including his old team the Giants when they have had openings.
Sandberg should have applied to be the head coach of the Bulls. No prior experience is required.
Dawg:
Common you want another "Gabby" ,players manager.. Im sick of the one we have now .. NO life ,no aggression, no nothing.. Sandberg will be a BORING manager..Give me a communicator with FIRE. Give me someone like BRENLY that will sit the bum Soriano.. Soriano only thinks of himself never taking pitches with the 2-0 count when we need a runner . Brenly knows the team, has a world serfies ring , and dont take crap from anybody.. Give me him or Girardi, or Valentine, or Larussa.. NOT BORING SANDBERG.. NO big league experience. I dont want anlther players manager.. I want a stud like Billy Martin.
Well put John.
Paul has been grinding his axe at the Cubs for far too long. I wish he'd be given a different assignment, let him cover the Chicago Sky.
IF the Cubs want to avoid Sandberg falling flat on his face (assuming he does) then the move would be to fire Lou now and install the hall of famer. Then they can say they tried, or if the team gels and we make a run at at least the wild card they can extend his contract.
Brenly sounds more attractive, actually, since he has history on his side (Coleman went from the booth to winning in one season) plus he know the players and can command respect.
So watch, we'll hire Trammel and sink the ship completely. It's all things Cubbery, so we watch and enjoy it while Wrigley becomes advertising heaven - yuck!
Brenly has no chance. Remember when he criticized Soriano and Soriano said, "Who's that? The guy in the booth?" This team would not respect Brenly (which is a shame, but it's true). They would respect Sandberg - he's put in the time, he's a Hall of Famer, and he motivates people. If you don't believe me, lobby Comcast SportsNet to show the 30 minute special where they followed Ryno around as a minor league manager. Pretty insightful.
Wouldn't be surprised to see Brenly manage somewhere else next year, though.
Man that Toyota sign is ugly
So the Cubs leaked Fredi Gonzalez name to ESPN and not you? Brenly told a radio station something other than what he told you? Paul...stop complaining!! We're not interested in the axe you have to grind with the Cubs. None of this makes the search "bumpy" for the Cubs. It makes it "bumpy" for the beat reporter who's had a contentious relationship with many in the organization for a long time. These petty and repeated editorial-type articles are the reason you're not getting any decent information!
Readers are not interested in your personal agenda!
Oh, please. The Yankees stacked roster won the World Series, not Girardi. If anything, they won in spite of him. His handling of Joba Chamberlain, and the bullpen in general, is bordering on disasterous.
Take him, please.
I can't believe we are going to have to read/hear about this for the next 4 months. Thanks alot Lou.
I agree with Greg. All Girardi did was win a World Series in his second year with NY. The Cubs had their chance and blew it. This time, it'll probably be different juke box, same tune.
The Cubs should have hired Girardi when they had the chance.
Most of the Cubs fundamental(s) problems could be solved by putting Ryan Theriot in a suitcase.