The 52nd manager of the Chicago Cubs will be introduced at a 9:00am CT press conference on Friday at Wrigley Field. Dale Sveum has agreed to a three-year contract with a fourth year option to skipper the Cubs through a rebuilding process led by Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer.
In a matter of weeks, the entire image of the Chicago Cubs has changed. The Cubs have gone from what appeared to be a good ole boys network that tried every possible band-aid they could think of in order to hopefully hoist that illusive trophy, to a young, driven organization that will combine traditional scouting and sabermetrics in order to build a winner from the ground up. The front office has a plan and will soon implement the way they want they game played. The Cubs have gone from hoping to win, to building for sustained success with one goal in mind … to ensure the big league team is playing ball on an annual basis in October. And once that happens the Chicago Cubs will eventually win the final game of a baseball season.
There is a lot to be done and it is time for the Cubs to get to work.
Here’s the update … Dale Sveum and the Coaching Staff
The Cubs new manager will be front and center Friday morning at Wrigley. Sveum, who turns 48 next Wednesday (November 23), will be grilled about his coaching staff soon after his opening statement … and a round or two of questions.
Sveum and Pat Listach go back to their days in the Brewers’ organization, which could lead to Listach staying on the big league coaching staff. Listach still has a year left on the contract he signed last off-season to serve as Mike Quade’s bench coach.
Rudy Jaramillo is also under contract (final year of three-year deal signed in the Winter of 2009) and so is Lester Strode. Both men were told the manager would decide his coaching staff. Jaramillo is expected to return, but nothing is official at this point
Mark Riggins, Ivan DeJesus, Bobby Dernier and Dave Keller are no longer under contract and were told after Mike Quade was dismissed that they could seek employment elsewhere.
Will the Cubs’ new front office add another coaching position? Assistant Hitting Coach
Sveum should announce his coaching staff in the coming weeks leading up to the Winter Meetings (December 5 – December 8) … and there is speculation that Robin Yount could be part of his coaching staff.
Cubs-Red Sox Compensation Talks
The Cubs and Red Sox discussed the compensation package for Theo Epstein during the recently completed GM and Owners Meetings. Theo Epstein met with Ben Cherington and the two sides decided to put off the talks to after the Rule 5 Draft (December 8), the same timeframe given by the Cubs and Padres to settle the compensation for Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod.
Epstein heard all of the jokes from GMs throughout the game during the meetings.
The Boston media is still calling for the Cubs to send a significant compensation package to the Red Sox for Epstein. A report from the Boston Globe mentioned players such as Sean Marshall, Marlon Byrd, Trey McNutt, Chris Carpenter, Carlos Marmol, Tyler Colvin and Jeff Samardzija as players on the Cubs’ roster that might satisfy the “significant” aspects of the negotiations.
Theo Epstein is trying to build an organization and is not planning on sending any significant players to the Sox … he does not think he’s worth that much.
News, Notes and Rumors
According to a report from Comcast SportsNet, the Cubs’ new front office is not quite as attached to players on the current roster as the previous administration was … and the groundwork the Cubs did during the GM Meetings will “really come into focus around the Winter Meetings in Dallas.”
According to Bruce Levine, one of the Cubs’ Major League scouts has left the organization. Bill Hartford has taken a scouting job with the Twins.
Kerry Wood tweeted his congratulations to Dale Sveum on Thursday night … and said good things are coming Cubs fans.
According to a tweet from Ken Rosenthal, Major League Baseball will announce the new CBA on Monday.
And last but not least … a little fun with Photoshop courtesy of David Kaplan
Well, there is the update … and it’s time to listen to Dale Sveum.
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