Mike Quade is out as Cubs manager after meeting last week with new team president Theo Epstein to essentially interview for his own job.
Epstein called it “a productive conversation” and Quade is under contract for $980,000 in 2012, but not surprisingly the new regime wants to bring in their own guy.
Ryne Sandberg’s name will no doubt be linked to the job, but in making the Quade announcement Epstein said that the Cubs’ next manager “must have managerial or coaching experience at the major league level.” That seemingly rules out Sandberg, who’s struggled to land a prominent spot on a big-league coaching staff, let alone a managerial gig.
Quade took over as interim manager in late 2010 after Lou Piniella stepped down and worked his way into the full-time job thanks to the Cubs going 24-13 down the stretch. None of that same magic was present this season, as the Cubs finished 71-91.
UPDATE: Sandberg might have to settle for the Cardinals job, which would be … interesting.
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Under Frank McCourt, the Dodgers spent the least amount of money of all 30 teams on international signings last year. Indeed, over McCourt’s entire tenure, international signings were all put kicked to the curb in terms of priority. That was something the new Dodgers owners said they’d change. And, according to the Los Angeles Times,…
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Reuters
Josh Hamilton got off to amazing home run pace, going deep 18 times in his first 31 games. However, since homering nine times in a six-game stretch from May 7 to May 12–including his four-homer game on May 8–he’s yet to leave the ballpark. Hamilton is homerless since May 12, which is a span of…
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AP
Ryan Howard and Chase Utley continue to inch their way back to playing shape. Yesterday Utley took batting practice and then some grounders. According to the report by Bob Brookover, however, the infield practice was limited and, given that playing second is what gives his knee the most trouble, there’s a lot of reason for…
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Reuters
Because the Rays don’t have a pressing need for a designated hitter Hideki Matsui likely needs to put up some impressive numbers at Triple-A to turn his minor-league contract into a return to the majors. So far at least it isn’t happening, as the 38-year-old Matsui has hit just .121 with zero homers in nine…
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Look, if the New York Daily News can report a Yankees sale that everyone else is calling “complete fiction,” why can’t the people who are interested in buying the Yankees be completely fictional? That’s the question Larry Granillo asks at Wezen-Ball today, and he profiles the potential suitors. While I’d love to see Bruce Wayne buy…
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Haren and Pujols come up big: are the Angels finally turning the corner?
May 25, 2012, 9:17 AM EDT
At some point you have to hit rock bottom. It’s just that, if you can’t hit anything, even rock bottom looks hard. But maybe last night the Angels finally turned things around, putting together a game that went the way they hoped things would go often this year. The Pujols signing aside, the team’s strength…
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Don’t look Ethel! We mentioned the streaker from last night’s Phillies-Cardinals fan in the recaps this morning, but Jeff Passan has his story. His name is Collin J. Grundstrom. And you will be shocked to learn that alcohol was involved. Also, will someone please think of the children? One row in front of Grundstrom sat…
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The Orioles are on the verge of signing Adam Jones to a long term deal
May 25, 2012, 8:14 AM EDT
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Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi report that the Orioles and Adam Jones are on the verge of signing a long term contract extension. The terms are not known but Rosenthal says that the numbers are “well north” of M. Tejada’s six-year, $72 million deal and Nick Markakis‘ six-year, $66.1 million extension. Jones is currently…
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Giants 14, Marlins 7: There have been times over the past couple of years when the Giants wouldn’t score 14 in a week. And when he played in New York and Atlanta, there were weeks when Melky Cabrera wouldn’t drive in four, but here we are. Angel Pagan did the same. The Marlins bullpen gave…
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Carlos Quentin embarked on a minor league rehab assignment earlier this month, but he was shut down after experiencing soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee. Now he’s ready to give it another shot. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, Padres manager Bud Black said that Quentin will join High-A Lake Elsinore tomorrow. He got the…
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Mark Ellis released from hospital following emergency leg surgery
May 24, 2012, 8:07 PM EDT
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More good news for Mark Ellis. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that Ellis was released from the hospital today, six days after he underwent an emergency fasciotomy which may have saved his left leg. Ellis injured the leg when he was taken out on a slide at second base by Cardinals’ infielder…
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Austin Jackson headed to disabled list with abdominal strain
May 24, 2012, 7:30 PM EDT
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The Tigers have been without their starting center fielder for a little over a week and now his absence will stretch into June. According to James Schmel of MLive.com, Austin Jackson is headed to the disabled list with an abdominal strain. He hasn’t played since leaving a game last Wednesday, but the Tigers held off…
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Chad Curtis arrested, charged with five counts of sexual misconduct
May 24, 2012, 7:09 PM EDT
AP
Three weeks ago, we wrote about Chad Curtis being under investigation in Michigan for allegedly inappropriately touching students. That investigation has concluded with the former big-league outfielder being charged with five separate criminal sexual conduct charges. According to 24 Hour News 8 in Grand Rapids, Curtis is facing two counts in the second-degree, one in…
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AP
White Sox southpaw John Danks is coming off his best start of the year, an outing in which he blanked the Cubs for 6 1/3 innings, but now he’s going on the disabled list due to shoulder soreness. The move is coming even though Danks thought he would have been fine to pitch Friday. Jose…
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The Rays are traveling in style today. And that style is vintage 1980′s nerd. Paying tribute to FOX’s Ken Rosenthal and his bow ties for charities, the Rays have put their Sunday worst for their trip up to Boston in advance of their series against the Red Sox. Along with getting dressed up, they’ll be…
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Reuters
Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios, which released its first game to generally positive reviews earlier this year, closed its doors Thursday, laying off its entire staff. Despite having received a $75 million loan guarantee from Rhode Island, the company failed to stay afloat while trying to develop a large-scale MMO called Copernicus. This despite the fact…
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Reuters
Miguel Olivo is back from the disabled list after missing the past four weeks with a groin injury and the Mariners created a spot on the roster for his return by optioning outfielder Casper Wells to Triple-A. That means, despite some speculation to the contrary and plenty of fans calling for his job, Chone Figgins…
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Chipper Jones been day-to-day with a sore calf for several days. And it’s not getting better: #Braves Chipper worse today than before, stiffness moved up into calf after they “milked” the contusion yesterday. — David O’Brien (@ajcbraves) May 24, 2012 In other news, someone’s job is to “milk” Chipper Jones’ contusions. Eww. The Braves…
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So much for those initial reports that an MRI exam ruled out structural damage in Emilio Bonifacio‘s injured thumb, as Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports that he’ll undergo surgery tomorrow and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. When the Marlins placed Bonifacio on the disabled list Sunday they indicated that the plan was…
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Patrick Elster used to be the V.P. of ticket sales for the Toronto Blue Jays. Then he wasn’t, though it wasn’t clear if he was fired or quit. After he was gone, however, two things happened: The Jays allegedly didn’t make severance payments he was supposed to get; and Elster allegedly spilled the Jays’ confidential…
