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November 3, 2011, 5:30 pm
By David Kaplan
CSNChicago.com
With Mike Quade out as Cubs manager, the new front office regime of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer will begin interviews for a new field boss on Thursday when Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin sits down for his chance to impress the Trio of Theo.
Other names on the Cubs' list include Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, Milwaukee Brewers coach Dale Sveum and former Red Sox manager Terry Francona could be at the top of the list. Francona will continue conversations with Epstein to determine if he is a fit in Chicago.
However, an excellent baseball source told me today that while Francona is on the list of potential managers he and Epstein are not as joined at the hip as some reports would have people believe and for him to be offered the Cubs job would be a surprise.
With all of the questions surrounding the Red Sox' historic collapse in September, the shocking revelations of a lack of accountability in the Boston clubhouse and how it contributed to a 7-20 record in the season?s final month, I don?t see any way the Cubs can hire Francona. The Cubs are undergoing a full blown culture change with a complete overhaul of the front office led by Epstein and Hoyer who are no nonsense guys that have all of Cubs Nation wildly excited at the organization?s new direction.
So what does it say if the Cubs were to hire a manager who presided over the myriad of problems that derailed the Red Sox season and had him leading the culture change that is so necessary in the Cubs' clubhouse?
Imagine a press conference at the United Club at Wrigley Field and the introduction of Francona as the new manager. Theo Epstein makes the announcement and then a barrage of questions from the Chicago media about what went wrong in Boston, the alleged use of pain killers, the drinking by Red Sox players in the clubhouse and more. Not exactly the image I see Epstein and Hoyer wanting to project as they start their transformation of the Cubs.
I believe that Epstein knew who his next manager would be several weeks ago and when it became apparent that he was heading to Chicago he shifted his thoughts from hiring the best candidate for the Red Sox and imagined him working for the Cubs. Whether that is Mike Maddux, Pete Mackanin, Dale Sveum, Sandy Alomar Jr., Dave Martinez or someone else remains to be seen. I just don?t see it being Terry Francona.
This is not to say that Francona isn?t a good baseball man and a good guy. Everyone I have heard from who knows him talks about what a good person he is.
However, life is all about timing and for Terry Francona, the timing isn?t right for a move to Chicago. Theo and Jed have a lot of work to do and a long way to go to get the Cubs to where they want them to be. Francona needs a situation that is ready to win such as replacing Tony La Russa in St. Louis. The Cubs need a builder who will demand a high level of accountability, something that Francona can?t say he stands for after what happened in Boston. Theo already knows who he wants and I suspect we will all know as well fairly soon.
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