Is this heaven? No, Mr. Sandberg, it's Iowa!

Reports are that the Chicago Cubs have promoted Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg to the bench in Iowa as the manager of their Triple-A affiliate.

Somewhere, Joe Morgan is telling someone that Sandberg can't manage, either.

Sandberg has spent most of his professional career with the Cubs organization after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies as a young third baseman over 27 years ago. Since then, he had arguably the best career, both offensively and defensively, of any second basemen in the last 50 years (post-Hornsby).

Since retiring (for a second time), Sandberg has been coaching in the Cubs farm system. His promotion to Triple-A will undoubtedly fuel the speculation that he is being groomed to replace Lou Piniella at Wrigley Field. Piniella's contract lasts through 2010.