CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Cubs have just signed Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum as their manager. Sveum accepted the Cubs offer on Thursday afternoon. The details of his contract have not been worked out yet.
The Cubs new skipper will be introduced to the Chicago media on Friday morning from Wrigley Field. The former Brewers hitting coach will be succeeding Mike Quade as manager. Quade was still a leftover from the Piniella era, so the Cubs have been looking for a couple years now. Sveum seems like the right fit for the time being.
Cubs General Manager Theo Epstein was seen entering and exiting Sveum’s hotel room on Thursday afternoon. Epstein was said to be in the room for a little over an hour, before leaving the establishment with Dale Sveum.
It is odd to see a rival team of the Cubs, helping them fill a coaching vacancy. However, Chicago will gladly accept one of the better hitting coach’s in the game of baseball. Sveum had the opportunity to work with Ryan Bruan and Prince Fielder. Now, he will have the oportunity to work with young prospects who have immense upside like Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney.
Regardless, it should be an interesting off-season for Chicago Cub fans. The big job of finding a leader is over. Now, it’s time for Epstein, Sveum and company to start working on filling out a 25-man roster. As Cubs fans will always tell you, spring is just around the corner.
