Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010
Updated 7:39 PM
By Patrick Mooney
CSNChicago.com
In your mind, it will be impossible to divorce Ryne Sandberg and the Cubs. His retired No. 23 flies at Wrigley Field. Fans still wear his jersey. A generation of prospects loved playing for him.
But after four years managing in the minors, preparing for a job he ultimately didnt get, Sandberg has left the organization and is free to explore opportunities elsewhere. Cubs general manager Jim Hendry confirmed Wednesday that the Hall of Famer decided not to return to Triple-A Iowa next season.
I dont think that was ever in his plans to be in the minor leagues after this year, Hendry said on a teleconference. Hell always be welcome here. He knows that for the future. If he chooses he wants to come to spring training, it would be great.
A coaching job on a major-league staff would be the logical next step in Sandbergs career, but Hendry thought it would be unfair for Mike Quade to have to deal with the shadows of a franchise icon in his own dugout.
Hell always be a beloved Cub and hopefully well hook up in the capacity that he feels appropriate in the near future, Hendry said. Well treat him with the respect that he deserves. If another club wanted to pursue him, we certainly would do nothing to ever stand in his way.
MLB
As Day 2 of their organizational meetings unfolded in Mesa, Ariz., the Cubs finalized their staff, making official the hire of Pat Listach as bench coach and promoting Dave Keller from minor-league hitting instructor to major-league assistant.
These are some of the first dominos falling as the Cubs prepare for next season:
Hendry has not sat down yet with chairman Tom Ricketts to discuss the final payroll number for 2011. But the Cubs have already budgeted 14.6 million for Aramis Ramirez. The third baseman, as well as his agent, Paul Kinzer, gave several indications that the player option will be exercised. The front office is just waiting on the paperwork.
It was just kind of a general understanding, Hendry said. We never even gave it a thought. There was never a discussion from his camp that he was considering not coming back.
Without knowing how much the Cubs will have to spend this offseason, or what the free-agent market will look like, its difficult to set priorities or project what sort of other offers might be out there for Kerry Wood. But its obvious that the Cubs could use a veteran reliever, and Wood still maintains strong connections to Chicago.
Everyone knows I have a wonderful relationship with Kerry and that will be a life-lasting one, Hendry said, but to get into specifics now before weve ever (looked) into what direction were going to would be quite foolish.
All these decisions are related, especially if the Cubs have the flexibility to sign only one high-impact player. Tyler Colvin is 25, left-handed and athletic. He needs to be in the lineup every day. Exactly where depends on if the Cubs are accounting for Adam Dunns 40 homers next season, or invest in a cheaper option with more defensive range.
Everybody was kind of anxious (at the end of last year with Colvin): Are we going to give him a shot to play first base? Quade said. But hes an excellent outfielder, making progress with the bat and hes going to play somewhere. (The front office) will put the roster together and well see.
Outfielder Brett Jacksonanother first-round pick by scouting director Tim Wilkenwithdrew from the Arizona Fall League with an infection in his leg, which is said to be different from the heel injury that limited his playing time during last months Pan-Am Games qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.
The Cubs are optimistic that Jacksonalong with Team USA teammate Chris Archercould be contributors on the major-league level sometime in 2011.
Ricketts has stressed player development, which should empower scouts and minor-league staffers. The baseball operations department welcomed the news that the Cubs will likely remain based in Arizona at a gleaming new complex with initial starting costs around 100 million.
As Hendry said after Proposition 420 passed by a huge margin late Tuesday night, Nobody from our end (ever) wanted to leave.
In a statement released Wednesday, Ricketts thanked voters for a show of tremendous support in a particularly difficult economy and indicated that the Cubs will work with the city of Mesa to finalize an agreement and begin the design and construction of the new facilities and the Wrigleyville West retail center.
The Cubs would have been isolated training in Naples, Fla., wasting time on long bus rides and alienating a core group of fans.
We dont know if Ricketts would have really moved the team and ended an almost continuous presence in Arizona since 1952. But as Sandberg discovered, there is only so much room for sentiment right now within this organization.
Patrick Mooney is CSNChicago.com's Cubs beat writer. Follow Patrick on Twitter @CSNMooney for up-to-the-minute Cubs news and views.