Are the Faithful being impatient or is Jim Hendry’s patience the right course of action? Some may say that Jim Hendry is just being thorough….but is he taking too much time in deciding on who will lead the Cubs next season and beyond, largely due to the events unfolding around Major League Baseball? The Cubs have taken their time under Hendry’s leadership deciding on what moves they should make and while some have worked out, some have not and time might not be on his side with this decision.
The New York Yankees, love ’em or hate ’em, always get their man. If they target a player, a coach or in this case, a manager, the Boss does everything he can to land his prized target. There are two former Yankees that are rumored to be on the Cubs short list, and depending on which side of the fence you are on, either could be a good fit to manage on the Northside of Chicago. Several reports out of New York on Monday denied any contact being made between the Yankees and Lou Piniella. Apparently Steinbrenner did not meet with Joe Torre on Monday as rumored and reports on ESPN Monday night stated that the Boss had not scheduled anytime to meet with his former skipper. Piniella is in Oakland preparing to televise the ALCS for Fox and some have questioned when and if the meeting will take place anytime soon. According to ESPN Piniella does not want to talk until after his commitment with Fox is completed. Piniella did admit (in an interview) that he has had contact “with several teams” but did not disclose which ones and to what extent.
Other reports have placed Piniella and Girardi in Washington interviewing for the Nationals job. The Texas Rangers have reportedly turned their focus to Joe Torre if he is indeed fired by the Yankees….so with all of these various rumors where does that put Jim Hendry?
The confirmation of Joe Girardi being interviewed on Monday by Hendry was a start. Girardi has said all of the right things lately in relation to the Cubs and could possibly bring a highly respected pitching coach in Rick Kranitz, a coach with a 22-year history with the Cubs organization and specifically one Rich Hill, to the table. The addition of Mike Quade and Pat Listach to the list of candidates is very intriguing. Either could make a good Major League manager….but would either one be a better fit on Girardi’s coaching staff?
If the Cubs have already targeted either Piniella or Girardi they have to make a decision, stick with it and hire the one they feel best fits what the organization needs. If the Cubs are going to “load up” to win in 2007, Piniella would probably be a good fit but if they want to build a winning tradition on the Northside someone of Girardi’s age, character, fire and determination would be a better fit.
The Cubs are not disclosing when they are interviewing perspective candidates, not that they have to, and they even denied that Girardi was going to be interviewed on Monday….they instead stated that Girardi would be interviewed “early in the week”. It would be a shame to read a few months after the season starts that Jim Hendry really wanted to hire (fill in the blank) but lost out to the (fill in the blank) because they wanted to make sure they had hired the right guy.
The Yankees are going to have a big impact on the Cubs….hopefully they will not be the 2007 version of the Dodgers.