Chicago Cubs: 5 Managers Theo Epstein Must Pursue

It is no surprise that Mike Quade has been let go by the Cubs, but what is surprising is that Ryne Sandberg will not be a candidate for the position.

After new Cubs President Theo Epstein spoke with the Hall-of-Famer to let him know that the team will not be pursuing him, it has brought up the question of who the Cubs will be going after to fill the vacant position.

Epstein has made it clear that the Cubs are going to hire someone with managerial or coaching experience at the major league level.

Bringing in Theo Epstein was the first step in the right direction for the Cubs and in order to continue on that path the organization will have to hire a manager who can ignite some fire under the players.

Whether it is a big time name, a hitting coach, pitching coach, or even a bench coach, the Cubs must find someone that the players believe in and want to play for.

The following are 5 coaches that the Cubs need to be pursuing.

Bobby Valentine

The Cubs are looking to hire a manager with experience and that is exactly what Bobby Valentine would bring. Valentine has spent 15 years managing in the big leagues.

He has already publicly stated that managing the Cubs would be an opportunity that any coach would like to have. If the Cubs are looking to sign a big name then they need to be looking at Valentine.

Valentine has a great mind for the game and will help in changing the culture around the North Side.

Mike Maddux

The Cubs currently have a lot of problems, but the biggest may be in their pitching. Hiring Mike Maddux would make a lot of sense for a number of reasons.

The guy is a pitching genius who has already helped turn around staffs for the Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Hiring Maddux might not be the sexiest pick, but his credentials speak for themselves and it is time that he gets a chance to manage a major league team.

Dave Martinez

Dave Martinez is a name that a lot of people might not recognize, but the only thing that is important to fans is winning and that is what Martinez has consistently done.

He has spent the last four years as the bench coach for the Tampa Bay Rays and in his time he has helped the team make the postseason in three out his four years. 

Martinez is a former Cub and he knows just as well as anyone what a World Series Title would mean to the city of Chicago. He is an extremely intriguing option for the Cubs and someone that they should pay close attention to.

Sandy Alomar Jr.

I have always been a fan of hiring a manager who has had a lot of playing experience.

While Sandy Alomar Jr. might have the least amount of coaching experience of the others I named, he is still someone who knows the game exceptionally well.

Alomar Jr. would immediately be respected in the clubhouse— mainly because of what he was able to accomplish as a player. Alomar Jr. has been very close to becoming a major league manager and there is no doubt in my mind that there will be some teams after him.

If the Cubs are smart they need to take a serious look at the former All-Star catcher.

Terry Francona

The biggest name on the list of potential managers for the Cubs is easily former Red Sox manager Terry Francona. Francona’s credentials speak for themselves as he has led the Red Sox to 6 playoff appearances and more importantly two World Series titles. 

Unfortunately there is a lot of speculation that Theo Epstein and the Cubs will not pursue Francona due to the horrific meltdown the Red Sox endured at the end of the season. 

Maybe they do need a break from each other, but if Epstein is looking to hire a guy that meets his requirements, there is no better option than Francona.

Both Epstein and Francona obviously work well together and if they ended one curse in Boston, why can’t they do it again in Chicago?

Just imagine if the two brought a championship to the Cubs. They would undoubtedly go down as one of the most dynamic duos in all of sports. 

Honorable Mention: Bob Brenly

There is no one on this list that knows the current Chicago Cubs team better than Bob Brenly. Brenly has been in the Cubs broadcast booth for the past seven seasons and he has made it apparent that he would like to have another opportunity to manage again.

Brenly is a World Series-winning manager who led the Diamondbacks to their first ever championship. He has witnessed all the problems that the team has faced and he is someone that could help fix the troubled Cubs.