Come to Think of It: The Astonishing Transformation of Ryne Dee Sandberg

I’d like to introduce you to someone. His name is Ryne Sandberg. Yes, that Ryne Sandberg. Yet, no, not that Ryne Sandberg.

For you don’t know this Ryne Sandberg. This Ryno is charging, my friends.

Ryne Sandberg, who seldom, if ever, had a thought as a Cubs player, seems to really have found his personality since ending his playing days.

First, there was the inspiring speech at his HOF ceremony, where he railed against steroid usage in MLB.

And since he has become a manager in the Cubs minor league system, Sandberg has been very vocal with his players, the media, and even the umpires.

The old version was a great player, to be sure, but dull as dishwater. Listening to him talk was like watching paint dry. Going to a yawning festival was more exciting than one of his interviews.

The Ryno you thought you knew didn’t have a strong thought to save his life.

Oh, but it seems the man has changed. In fact, the evolution of Ryne Sandberg the quiet man to Ryne Sandberg the leader who actually has something to say began with his inspiring Hall of Fame speech in 2005.

That’s where he took a stand against steroids, amidst a not-so-veiled rant against a former teammate named Sammy. It was a stirring speech.

Since then, as a manager in the Cubs system, the man has absolutely gone berserk at times. Yes, he actually does have a pulse after all.

He gets thrown out of games more often than Charles Barkley gets thrown out of bars.

He has bumped umpires; he has threatened to eat little children.

Okay, I made that last one up. But I think you get the point.

Sandberg started his minor league managerial career as manager of the Cubs' Class A affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs, on December 5, 2006. Following the 2008 season, he was promoted to manager of the Cubs' Double-A minor league team, the Tennessee Smokies.

In his first season as manager of the Chiefs, he took his team to the Midwest League Championship Game.

The same quiet, introverted kid from Spokane, Wash., who was ejected just twice in his 16-year playing career, was tossed five times and suspended once in his first year as a manager.

In his second year with the Chiefs, he was ejected eight times.

So far this year Sandberg has already received a three game suspension for altercations with umpires.

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