According to multiple reports, Larry Rothschild has stepped down as the Cubs pitching coach. Rothschild accepted the same position with the New York Yankees and signed a three-year contract with New York.
The Cubs are aiming to fill the position shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Updated – 4:45pm CT – According to a tweet from Carrie Muskat, among the candidates for Cubs pitching coach: Mark Riggins and Iowa Cubs pitching coach Mike Mason. Greg Maddux is not in the mix Larry Rothschild picked up his own option earlier this fall.
Rothschild stated the decision was family related. Rothschild lives in Tampa.
Rothschild was re-signed after the 2010 season, but said in a statement he opted to take the three-year offer from the Yankees for “personal and family-based” reasons, and to spend time with his family. He lives in Tampa, where the Yankees train.
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry gave the Yankees permission to talk to Rothschild, and said he was “making the right decision by his family.” Rothschild spent nine years in the organization under five managers.
Hendry said the Cubs hope to have a replacement in place shortly after the Thanksgiving weekend.
From the Official Press Release:
Larry Rothschild
“I’d like to thank Jim Hendry, the Ricketts family, Crane Kenney and the entire Cubs organization for their outstanding support and allowing me to pursue this opportunity with the Yankees. My reasons for pursuing and accepting this opportunity are personal and family-based, as the Yankees hold spring training in, and travel several times a year to, my hometown of Tampa. The chance to spend increased time with my family was something I wanted to explore and I am grateful for the opportunity to have done so.
My nine years with the Cubs were tremendous and I’m proud of the pitching staff I leave behind. I wish Mike Quade, the Cubs and their great fans the best and look forward to returning to Wrigley Field in June.”
Jim Hendry
“The Cubs would like to thank Larry Rothschild for nine years of service to this organization. We understand his reasons for pursuing the opportunity with the Yankees and agree he is making the right decision by his family.
My baseball operations staff and Mike Quade have already begun identifying candidates to replace Larry and expect to have a major league pitching coach in place shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.”