Mike Quade managed the Cubs to a 24-13 record down the stretch last season after replacing Lou Piniella and that earned him a two-year contract worth around $2 million, but a year later the honeymoon is definitely over.
Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com notes that today marks the one-year anniversary of Quade becoming the interim manager and during that time his record is 80-85, including 56-72 this season.
To suggest the team’s struggles are entirely Quade’s fault is misguided, of course, but then again giving him full credit for last season’s late turnaround followed similarly flawed logic.
He still has 34 games to get things back on track this season, but ultimately it may be a moot point as the general manager hired to replace Jim Hendry will likely want to bring in his own manager and presumably owner Tom Ricketts is willing to eat Quade’s guaranteed salary for 2012.
Quade has clashed with several players, including most recently and consistently Starlin Castro, but veterans like Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano stuck up for the manager when talking to Mooney yesterday.
