News
Cubs helm Sandberg's dream job
Hall of Famer working his way up as Minor League skipper
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
10/03/09 4:42 PM EST
CHICAGO -- Ryne Sandberg led Double-A Tennessee to the Southern League championship this season. On Saturday, he sang the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field, cradling his second grandchild, 6-week-old Owen. And someday, the Hall of Famer hopes to be in the home dugout, managing the Chicago Cubs."This would be the ultimate," Sandberg said of being at the helm of the Major League team.
As of now, Sandberg isn't sure where he'll be in 2010 or what he'll be doing. This season was his third managing in the Cubs' Minor League system. He spent two years at Class A Peoria and this past year at Tennessee, which finished 71-69 overall, and 39-31 in the second half.
The Cubs normally name their Minor League staff sometime in early December, and Sandberg, who played second base for the team from 1982-94 and again from 1996-97, winning MVP honors in 1984, did talk to general manager Jim Hendry this weekend about his status.
"Things have headed in the right direction, and I'm pleased with the way that everything is going," Sandberg said. "I'm anxious to see where that is, and where the Cubs want me to be."
Cubs manager Lou Piniella is signed through 2010, and Hendry has yet to announce anything regarding the big league coaching staff.
"With Lou coming back for at least another year, I'll wait to see where I'll be headed next year and continue to contribute to the organization and gain experience and enjoy it along the way," Sandberg said.
Sandberg, who turned 50 on Sept. 18, is aware of the groundswell of support for him in Chicago.
"That's good to know," he said. "What I can concentrate on is what I'm doing and make the most of what I'm doing and have fun with it, and that's how it's been. I've taken to this and been pleasantly surprised at how much I like doing this. The ultimate thing would be to do it at the Major League level. That's why I'm trying to gain as much experience as I can, and hopefully be a candidate one day, with what I've done in the past."
There aren't many Hall of Famers who are willing to ride the buses in the Minor Leagues. Frank Robinson was the last Hall of Famer to manage, leading the Washington Nationals in 2006. To Sandberg, spending time in the Minors is the proper way to go.
"I believe that, just because you're a Hall of Fame player, doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a good manager or ready to manage," Sandberg said. "I think it's two different things, playing and managing. I found that out firsthand these last three years with what goes into managing.
"This year, I was much more comfortable with everything, and it just kind of came second nature. The game moved much slower. All that being said, I really enjoyed the summer."
Sandberg had a talented trio of pitchers at the end of the season in Casey Coleman, Chris Carpenter and Andrew Cashner. Coleman was named the organization's Minor League pitcher of the year after posting a 14-6 record and 3.68 ERA. Sandberg does know the Cubs' Minor League players.
Being a manager never crossed his mind when he played.
"I didn't think it was something I'd be interested in," Sandberg said.
Now, he's not only the manager, but he pitches batting practice, hits fungoes, runs drills, rakes the infield, deals with the media twice a day and sweeps the dugout.
Is he patient enough to wait for the Cubs job?
"I just remember being back in the Minor Leagues as a player, and any time you move up a level and feel like you're getting closer, I think that's a positive," Sandberg said, "so I think that's how this kind of feels. I feel comfortable with the way things are going and how things are progressing. I feel like I'm progressing with what I'm doing.
"It seems like we're headed in the right direction," Sandberg said. "I'm totally patient under those circumstances."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
