Bobby Valentine says that he is interested in succeeding Lou Piniella as Cubs manager, writes Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Valentine discussed the soon-to-be vacant position prior to the Cubs' home contest against the Cardinals:
"As far as the job coming open at the end of the season, anyone that considers himself a manager would think about how attractive this opportunity is, and every once in a while I consider myself a manager," Valentine said.
Valentine, who never spoken with the Ricketts family, appeared to be on the verge of signing on with the Marlins in June before negotiations fell apart. He was also a candidate for the Orioles job before removing his name from consideration.
Sullivan writes that Cubs GM Jim Hendry is known to be high on Valentine and is likely to grant him an interview at some point.
I’d venture a guess that the feelings are less than mutual.
I would guess you are wrong. Valentine is a coveted manager. That is for sure.
It is between the Cubs and the Braves and I personally think Valentine will manage the Braves next year.
I think Fredi Gonzalez is a shoe-in to succeed Cox – since Cox seems to have a man crush on Fredi… I think after the season the Marlins will revisit with the Valentine… Especially since Loria & Bobby V have been good friends for 25 years…
Bobby Cox can have a man crush on Gonzalez all he wants, its what Frank Wren wants and I bet he will seriously consider Valentine for manager
Isn’t Sandberg a shoe-in for the MGR position?
I hope not.
Doesn’t matter who they hire. They are still the Cubs.
Frankly, it all depends on when the Cubs front office sees themselves competitive again. You don’t pick up a manager like Bobby Valentine if you’re throwing in the towel for the next year or two.Of the names bandied about so far (Ryno, Brenley, Trammel, Girardi, Listach, Valentine) I think Girardi is the best overall choice. He’s proven he can get things done with an expensive, veteran roster in New York as well as a young, cheap, inexperienced roster in Florida. Whether you’re expecting to be immediately competitive or going slow, he can get it done, and he’s tough but not an overwhelming personality.If they’re going full rebuild, Ryno is attractive. There’s a lot of reasons in its favor, and rebuilding mode would allow him to get comfortable managing at the major-league level without the immediate, crushing pressure of the Cubs job. Plus if you’re asking fans to swallow a bitter pill of giving up on the next season or two, it wouldn’t hurt to distract with the great story of Ryno coming full circle back with the Cubs.Bob Brenley is a good manager and I really do like what he has to say about the club as a broadcaster, and I would be hopeful that he’d carry that same honestly into the faces of his players if he doesn’t think they’re playing the game the right way. It might be a little weird for all involved if he moves from the broadcasting booth to the manager’s office, though. Trammel, while another good choice, is a bit mild-mannered for my taste, and he’s also a distinct connection to a previous regime that the Cubs may want to break. Not because Lou was a bad manager, but because of the way things turned out at the end. Listach I think may get an interview just as a courtesy to his previous service with the organization, but I don’t think he’s serious as a candidate. And Valentine, of course, makes sense if the Cubs want to go in the same direction they did last time: Wanting to be immediately competitive and bring in a manager with a huge personality and big resume.It doesn’t sound like Sandberg wants to be a coach, but if you can convince him to take the bench coach job I think it makes so much sense it’s crazy and it makes everything that much easier. I still like Girardi best overall. I think he could be a long-term solution, which I don’t see for anybody else but Sandberg, and frankly I think the Cubs could do without this drama every few years. I’d love to get an organizational philosophy like the Angles have going on: This is who leads the major-league club, this is what he expects, and the minor leagues are going to churn out players who fit that mold.
Here’s my breakdown…
Bob Brenley has been in the booth watching this Cubs team for the past few years. He already knows all the players, and the pros/cons of each. He’s won a World Series, is respected by the players, and has wanted his shot at managing this team. [Grade: B+]
Sandberg is the golden boy, but it would be nice if he had a little bench time at the Big Show before giving him a team. He wouldn’t take half-ass play, and understands the quirkiness of being a Cub (day games, party environment, history, etc). [Grade: B]
Torre: no way. The Cubs need a guy to take control. Torre looks like his tank is on “E”. We don’t need another tired manager. We need some energy. [Grade: C]
Girardi: I’d love this pick. He has a history with the Cubs, has been in the spotlight in NYC so knows pressure, and has proven himself. And he has wanted this job for a long time. He won’t take crap from players like Zambrano, won’t tolerate guys who don’t hussle, and has the personality to keep the Chicago media well-fed. [Grade: A]
Valentine: Eventually, the pressure in Chicago would crack him. He would be demanding of his players, but this isn’t Japan, and the players don’t approach the game with the same respect, work ethic, etc. Tension tension tension. And I see the environment eventually getting dark and ugly when things take their inevitable turn for the worse at Wrigley. [Grade: C+]
Well, this is more boring than I was looking forward to.
I am losing my marbles wondering why Valentine’s name is even getting mentioned for the Cubs job, there is absolutely no way, no how, Rickets would ever pass over Ryno, Girardi, Brenly, Trammel, Quade (who was interviewed before lou signed), and Torre, to go with Valentine, who has never won a world series, never played for the Cubs, only had 2 post-season appearances and has never coached a 1st-place team. He is an absolute joke and should be banished from all references to the Cubs managerial opening. He is not the kind of manager that Rickets would look to invest in for the long haul. So what if he is interested in the Cubs job, he just got back from a stint in Japan and is working as a ESPN commentator, of course he’d like to manage the Cubs, hell, I’d love to manage the Cubs, but that doesn’t mean my name should be mentioned as a candidate for the opening.
Mind if I play devils advocate for a moment? Valentine has “only” had two post season appearances? How many has Ryno had? Trammel? Quade? How many World Series have those guys won? How many 1st-place teams have they coached?
There may be better candidates but “passing over” the ones you mentioned for Valentine wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
That’s true, you’re right, but that only goes for Ryno and Quade, Trammell was on several post-season teams with the Tigers and won a world series as a player. I just think Valentine is everything the Cubs don’t want in a manager. He seems slimy to me and reminds me of a thinner and more articulate Jerry Krause