If Cubs Pass on Sandberg, D'Backs should hire him

An interesting situation is playing out in Chicago right now. The Chicago Cubs, after playing dead for much of the year, are playing some pretty good baseball under interim manager Mike Quade. This is further complicating an already challenging managerial situation for 2011.

For the past few years Cub legend Ryne Sandberg has worked his way from the ground up, starting by managing the Cubs' A ball team in Peoria. He is now managing the Iowa Cubs and by many accounts, Sandberg's teams have overachieved. He would seem to be THE candidate to manage the Cubs in 2011, and yet for some reason the Cubs seem a bit slow on the trigger. Maybe it's because GM Jim Hendry feels he HAS to win in 2011, or the fear that the situation seems so perfect, that it's got to be the wrong move. Whatever the case, Ryne Sandberg does not seem the surefire pick to manage the Cubs in 2011, which brings me to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Diamondbacks have been an enigmatic young team for years now, with quite a managerial merry go round occurring. Obviously, they have to settle on a GM before finding a manager, but with the jury out on interim manager Kirk Gibson, it's clear that they will need to do some searching. And yet, if the Cubs pass on Sandberg, the decision for the Diamondbacks should be an easy one - hire Ryne Sandberg.

First of all, the man has credentials. He's worked his way through the minor leagues and should have a good feel of what an organization needs to do at all levels to create success at the big league level. The Diamondbacks have not seemed to have someone with that know how since their first manager, Buck Showalter. The Diamondbacks need to create "the Diamondbacks way" of doing things, and Sandberg is just the guy. He's a Hall of Famer, someone who commands respect. He knows how to work well with young players, another key that fits the Diamondbacks.

On other levels, he works as well. He's lived in the Phoenix area much of his life, so obviously it's an area he's comfortable with and which he likes. The Diamondbacks have also had trouble converting lifelong Cub fans like myself. Sandberg would help immensely. Would I pay more attention to the Diamondbacks and be more likely to go to a game with Sandberg managing? Absolutely. He's the perfect guy to help turn the tide once and for all. Maybe he brings along another Cub or two - say Greg Maddux, to help. (Maddux incidentally has worked throughout the Cubs system this year in a freelance role and the Diamondbacks would be extremely lucky to have him if they could.)

Give Sandberg a five year contract, let him overhaul the organization's mindset with the plans being to be a much better team in years 3 through 5, which will also give more time for the lingering remnants of contracts from the Colangelo era to go away. In the meantime, Ryno should be able to capture fans' imagination and bring a fresh feel to the team and hopefully help youngsters like Stephen Drew and Justin Upton better develop. I'm guessing this team overachieves under Sandberg early on, and develops into a long term contender, which is exactly what this franchise needs to do right now.

Of course, this could all end up being a moot point. Sandberg could end up being hired by the Cubs, at which point the Diamondbacks might be well served to look at another Cub, interim manager Mike Quade. Quade is a baseball lifer who is worth consideration.