Coaching Staff Roundup: Rothschild Takes Option, Tram Expected to Move On, & More

Rothschild Exercises Option
Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild has picked up his option for the 2011 season. Bruce Levine reports that Larry informed team officials of his decision Monday, which was his last day to do so. This does not mean that Rothschild will definitely return to the club next season, because he could be fired if a new manager comes in and bring in "his guy". Paul Sullivan tweets that if Mike Quade becomes the skipper, Rothschild will return.

Jaramillo Expected to Stay
Rudy Jaramillo is the only Cubs coach in addition to Rothschild who is under contract for the 2011 season. Despite the Cubs offensive struggles in 2010 he is still well respected around baseball. This means that Rudy will most likely be back regardless of who the new manager is.

The Final Four
The Chicago Tribune reports that it appears that Mike Quade, Ryne Sandberg, Eric Wedge, and Bob Melvin are the final four for the Cubs managerial position. Carrie Muskat also lists these four as finalists. Tom Ricketts reportedly would like a guy with a Cubs background, which would indicate that Q and Ryno could have an edge, but Tom has met with Wedge. Levine expects the new skipper to be announced soon.

Bench Coach
Bruce Levine mentioned during his chat earlier in the week that the Cubs do not see Alan Trammell as a big league manager. He added that Alan will most likely be "moving on". If Ryne Sandberg is named the manager, Tram could be replaced by ex-Cub Larry Bowa.

Rest of the Staff
The Tribune points out that the rest of the Cubs coaching staff could easily stay intact if Mike Quade is named the manager. This would create less of a transition period. Bringing in a skipper that has already been around for three years and keeping the rest of the coaches could help the Cubs gel faster in 2011.

Random Quick Hits

• Cubs pitcher Angel Guzman started playing catch this week in Mesa according to a report from Carrie Muskat. Guzman missed the entire 2010 season.
• The Mesa Solar Sox posted an 8-3 win yesterday but no Cubs prospects saw action. They will have the home opener tonight with Jake Muyco, David Cales, Chris Carpenter, and Kyle Smit all scheduled to pitch. Josh Vitters, rehabbing his broken hand, may see the field tonight.
• Chris Archer fanned ten over six shutout inning yesterday in Team USA's 4-1 win over Cubs in the Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament.

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs as always!

The 2010 Cubs Report Cards

It's been a slow weekend as far as news on the Cubs managerial search so far. Let's take a day to review the 2010 season by grading each Cubs player! Feel free to voice your opinion in the comments. Also, a new poll is up on the right sidebar. Be sure to check it out!

Position Players
Welington Castillo: B-
Koyie Hill: C
Geovany Soto: B
Jeff Baker: D+
Darwin Barny: B+
Starlin Castro: A
Blake DeWitt: B
Micah Hoffpauir: D
Aramis Ramirez: F
Marlon Byrd: A
Tyler Colvin: A
Kosuke: C+
Xavier Nady: B-
Alfono Soriano: C

Pitchers
Justin Berg: C
Andrew Cashner: B
Casey Coleman: A-
Ryan Dempster: B
Thomas Diamond: C-
Tom Gorzelanny: B-
Scott Maine: C+
Carlos Marmol: A
Sean Marshall: A
Marcos Mateo: F
James Russell: B+
Jeff Samardzija: C-
Carlos Silva: B
Randy Wells: C
Carlos Zambrano First Half: F
Carlos Zambrano Second Half: A-

Departed Players
Ryan Theriot: C+
Mike Fontenot: C-
Ted Lilly: A
Derrek Lee: B-
Chad Tracy: C

Coaching Staff
Lou Piniella: C-
Mike Quade: A
Alan Trammell: B
Larry Rothschild: B-
Rudy Jaramillo: C
Ivan DeJesus: A-

We'll bring you all the rumors and news plus some new features as we roll into week number two of the offseason!

Midweek Roundup: Levine's Chat, Managerial Seach Update & More

Random News & Notes:

• The Chicago Tribune reports that Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez would be interested in the Cubs' managerial position if the team contacts him.
• Forbes rated the Cubs the least efficient team in baseball.
• Bob Melvin told MLB.com that the Brewers are not about to hire Bob Brenly as some reports indicated.
• Former Cubs outfielder Matt Murton has set the record for Japanese hits in a single season. On Tuesday, his 211th hit broke the mark set by Ichiro.
• Bruce Levine thinks that the Cubs managerial situation might be "close to entering phase two."
• Alan Trammel and Larry Rothschild's futures with the Cubs is not certain. Trammel might remain on the staff as the bench coach, but it is also a possibility that he will join Kirk Gibson's staff in Arizona. Rothschild has an option for 2011 worth $400,000.

Notes from Bruce Levine's chat:

• The Cubs will do what they can to try to move Kosuke.
• Adam Dunn is high on their hit list.
• If Mike Quade is the manager, Levine does not see Sandberg on the coaching staff. If Ryno is the skipper, Quade will most likely not stay on the staff.
• Bruce expects the decision to be made by the third week of October.
• He believes that Tyler Colvin will be a starting position player for the Cubs in 2011.
• It appears that Jim Hendry is down to three: Sandberg, Quade, and Wedge.
• Levine does not think Brett Jackson will be ready to break camp with the team next spring.
• "Quade has probably earned the job."

That's it for now, but I'll keep you posted!

Former Cub Updates: 10-5-10

Let's check out recently departed Cubs finished the season!

• Ryan Theriot: .242 AVG, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 54 games with the Dodgers
• Ted Lilly: 7-4, 3.52 ERA, 77 Ks, 12 starts with the Dodgers
• Derrek Lee: .287 AVG, 3 HR, 24 RBIs in 39 games with the Braves
• Mike Fontenot: .282 AVG, 28 games with the Giants
• Chad Tracy: .245 AVG, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 41 games with the Marlins
• Milton Bradley: .205 AVG, 73 games with the Mariners
• Kevin Gregg: 2-6, 3.51 ERA, 37 SV, 63 games with the Blue Jays
• Aaron Heilman: 5-8, 4.50 ERA, 70 games with the D'backs
• Aaron Miles: .281 AVG, 79 games with the Cardinals
• Reed Johnson: .262 AVG, 2 HR, 15 RBIs, 102 games with the Dodgers

Let's take a look at all of the ex-Cubbies to watch for in each postseason series!

Giants (2) VS Braves (1)

• Derrek Lee, Braves
• Mike Fontenot, Giants
• Andres Torres, Giants

Reds (2) VS Phillies(1)

• Jim Edmonds, Reds
• Dusty Baker & Staff, Reds
• Ross Gload, Phillies

Rays (0) VS Twins (0)

Yankees (3) VS Rangers (2)

• Kerry Wood, Yankees
• Sergio Mitre, Yankees
• Chad Gaudin, Yankees
• Rich Harden, Rangers
• Andres Blanco, Rangers

That's it for now, I'll keep you posted on the former Cubs playing in the playoffs!

Let the Winter Begin!

Later in the week we'll bring you the 2010 Cubbie Awards, Former Cub Updates and more, but let's start the offseason with a look at the calendar for the long winter months ahead.

October
6: Division Series Begins
12: Arizona Fall League begins; Mesa VS Phoenix
15: LCS begins
27: World Series begins


November
Five Days after WS: free agency starts
1-5: Cubs Organizational Meetings in Mesa
3: Cubs Convention Passes go on sale
6: AFL Rising Stars Game in Surprise, AZ
16-17: general managers meetings in Orlando
17-18: owners meetings in Orlando
20: AFL Championship
23: Last day for teams to offer salary arb. to free agents in order to ensure draft-pick compensation
30: Last day for free agents to accept salary arb. offers


December
2: Last day to tender contracts to 2011 players under reserve
6-9: Baseball's winter meetings, Lake Buena Vista, Fla

January
5-15: salary arbitration filing period
14-16: Cubs Convention at the Hilton Chicago
18: salary arbitration figures exchanged

February
1-21: salary arbitration hearings
13: pitchers and catcher report to Mesa, AZ
18: all players report to Mesa, AZ

April
1- Cubs VS Pirates at Wrigley; Opening Day 2011

I'll keep you posted on Everything Cubs all offseason long!

It's All Over

The last day of the Major League Baseball season is always a sad one. Especially when it ends in early October for the Cubs. Especially when you're capping off a year as bad as this one. Especially when the payroll is expected to drop this winter.

However, there is still a reason to keep an eye on the Chicago Cubs. There is still a reason to hope. The Cubs finished strong. Today's 4-0 loss to the Astros was sour, but they still went 5-2 on the final road trip of the season. They went 24-13 in the 37 games under Mike Quade.

The Astros win today put them in fourth place in the NL Central. The Cubs dropped to fifth with a final record of 75-87. There are a lot of questions to be answered this winter.

Here's the latest from the final weekend of the 2010 season:

• The biggest question going around, "Will Mike Quade return as the Cubs full-time skipper in 2010?" Tom Ricketts and Jim Hendry were asked today, "When do you plan to have a manager in place?"
• Quade told Carrie Muskat that he feel good about his chance to return.
• Cubs legend Ron Santo will be honored in Mesa, Arizona next Saturday. Ron will have another shot at the Hall of Fame in December.
• Bob Melvin was interviewed for the manager's job by Jim Hendry on Saturday in Houston according to the report from the Sun Times.
• Carlos Zambrano wants to Cubs to go after Adam Dunn.
• Speaking of Big Z, Jim Hendry has announced that the big right hander will stay with the Cubs next season.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks that if the Cubs wait for Joe Girardi to finish his season to name their manager, they will be taking a risk. Many other candidates may have moved on by that time.
• CSN Chicago reports that Rudy Jaramillo plans to honor his contract as the Cubs hitting coach no matter who the team's manager is.
• While there is no time table for the search for a new manager, Jim Hendry expects to narrow it down in the next couple weeks.
• Tom Ricketts said on the WGN Radio broadcast today that the new manager will be in place by mid-November.
• Paul Sullivan reports that Jim Hendry was pleased with Kosuke's season. Hendry said that Kosuke did a much better job. He does not believe the team over-evaluated the right fielder.
• Carlos Marmol, Geovany Soto, and Sean Marshall are all arbitration eligible. They will all be due big raises once again.
• Xavier Nady is the only Cub set to become a free agent. Aramis Ramirez will take his player option for 2011.

Opening Day is at Wrigley on April 1 against the Pirates! I'll keep you posted on all the rumors and news... the best time to blog on the Cubs is during the winter!

Go Cubs Go!

The Manager Search Roundup

Brenly Out of Mangerial Race

Cubs TV color man Bob Brenly has dropped out of the Cubs' managerial chase. He told Jim Hendry that he does not feel that the job is right for him at this time. The reports of Brenly's decision hit the media before today's game against the Cardinals. Bob plans to return to the booth next season.

Wakamatsu Interviewed

According to Bruce Levine, Don Wakamatsu has been added to the interview list for the open Cubs managerial position. He was fired by the Mariners on Aug. 9 in his second year in Seattle. He is MLB's first Japanese-American skipper.

Ryno Interviewed

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg was interviewed for the position this week in Arizona. Hendry said he had a good day and a half with Ryno. The process is continued the way Jim said it would.

Ozzie on the North Side?

The Chicago Tribune has reported that if the White Sox cut ties with manager Ozzie Guillen this winter, he would list to the Cubs. Most feel that Ozzie is just talking in order to make headlines. He is in no way considered a candidate to became the Cubs manager in 2011 at this time. Guillen is still under contract with the Sox through the end of next season.

The Cubs Under Q

The Chicago Cubs are now 19-11 under Mike Quade entering the final seven games of the season. If the team has a strong final week, Mike's record will be well over .500. He has done everything he can to earn the full time gig and many feel that his stock has gone up. Jim Hendry told Bruce Levine on Saturday that Quade has created a good atmosphere, but he will not be judged based on his win-loss record.

The Cubs are not going to hurry the decision... but they would like to have a skipper in place by the organizational meetings in November.

It should be an interesting next month and a half! I'll keep you posted!