@Cubs 2020 – Hiring A Manager to Follow a “Hall of Fame” Manager

Last week, at the Joe Maddon goodbye fest, Theo Epstein said, as he was firing Joe,¹ that Joe was a Hall of Fame manager.   But apparently a Hall of Fame manager wasn’t what Theo thought the Cubs needed in 2020, so it was “Goodbye Joe.  Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”  Which brings us to the question of “Who’s next?”

According to press reports, David Ross is being interviewed, as are one or more “internal” candidates; i.e., guys who were with the Cubs in 2019.  It seems to me, given the problems/concerns that Theo Epstein identified in his post-season press conference,² that Theo is saying the Cubs need a kick in the rear.  Can an internal candidate do that?  Can David Ross (who sounds more like a “lets-get-the-2016-gang-back-together-again” guy) do that?  Or do we need somebody from the outside to shake things up?

Interestingly, the last three big name managers the Cubs hired (Dusty, Lou, and Joe) all took the Cubs to the postseason their first year (with varying degrees of success).  Theo’s first two managerial hires (Dale Sveum and Ricky Renteria) may have done the best they could under the circumstances, but it wasn’t that good.  Joe Maddon, on the other hand, was a gangbusters success (and he got “not rehired”).  We will now see how Theo does with his fourth managerial pick – and whether, if it doesn’t work out, the Hall of Fame executive might follow the Hall of Fame manager out swinging door.
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¹ Or, as Theo claims, he was merely not rehiring Joe; though, with Joe having said, earlier in the summer, that he expected to be back in 2020, it sounds a lot like the functional equivalent of a firing to me.
² Too many baserunning mistakes, inability to make contact (see my thoughts on the “Lack of Clutch Singles” here), not making adjustments at the plate, etc.  (See Bruce Miles’ article on Theo’s press conference here.)

Comments

[Bob]

Ozzie Guillen - WS winner available

[Pat Allen]

I'm not sure he would be a good fit in blue and white - but at least with the new clubhouse, the other problem should be gone.

[Bob]

Dusty wants back in - he’s reloaded his toothpick s

[Pat Allen]

I wish Dusty well in Philly. I think he could do well there. As for the Cubs, however, he is no Charlie Grimm.