Boston Red Sox: 5 Reasons Why Dale Sveum Spurned the Sox for the Cubs

The Red Sox lost their season.

Then, they lost their manager.

Right after that, they lost their GM.

Yes, they even lost the beautiful Heidi Watney to the Lakers of all teams. 

Now, they lost their chance to bring back Dale Sveum as their manager to the Cubs.

All is not well in Boston. That being said, because of how storied the franchise is and how stacked their lineup is, one would expect people would be lining up for the Red Sox job. 

That is not exactly the case, as the transpirations of Thursday night proved. Yes, a job in a city that hasn't won the World Series for over 100 years was more appealing than a team that can win the Series next year. Here's why.

If It Happened to Francona, It Could Happen to Them

Sveum and other candidates saw what happened to Terry Francona. He won 90 games for a team in one season after winning two World Series for them, and he lost his job.

It doesn't matter how great you are in Boston; one false step and the job is lost. The expectations are wildly high, and sometimes, it doesn't matter what a manager did in the past—even if they did help end an 86-year curse. 

Managing in Boston is all about what have you done for us lately, and this could be a major turnoff. The pressure in Chicago is not as high. People haven't won or made the playoffs in years. Just making the playoffs would be an achievement for the Lovable Losers. 

It seems like the ownership in Boston stabbed Francona in the back even though both sides mutually agreed to Francona's leaving. Sveum and other candidates see that Francona went through hell and back despite winning 90 games, and they'd rather avoid the Sox position. 

Microscope from Fans and Media

Once again, the Red Sox job requires the manager to be under a microscope and under scrutiny throughout every game. 

A bad decision in a regular season game against the Orioles? 

Bam. Media kills you.

A bad pitching change in a crucial game against the Yankees?

See ya later. 

Why would any manager want to deal with that on a nightly basis? There are only two jobs that have this much pressure, and it's the Yankees and Red Sox jobs. Cubs fans are used to losing, and the expectations are definitely not set as high as the Sox and Yankees.

Those teams expect to win every single year. The Cubs, as mentioned before, would just love to make the playoffs. 

Theo Epstein Advantage

Although the Cubs aren't stacked now, one can almost guarantee that their lineup will improve significantly in the next three or four years because of Theo Epstein.

Epstein will help the Cubs in the scouting and drafting department, and they will develop some solid homegrown players that the Cubs will be able to work with in the future. 

This is a lot more enticing than inheriting a stacked team in Boston. If something happens in October that doesn't go your way, then you're scrutinized for the rest of the offseason because of the offseason.

It makes sense to start from scratch and develop a team of players that will listen and have trust established from the get go. The Red Sox have a bunch of egos that may not buy into a manager's philosophy and create problems in the locker room. 

Epstein has a good track record of getting character guys in the locker room like Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis. He'll do the same in Chicago and eventually help them win a title. 

Free Nights

Being a Cubs player or manager has its many perks. 

You get to play in a world class city and for a storied franchise.

One of the other great perks is having nights off. The Cubs play numerous games in the afternoon, and this means players and coaches get nights off in a beautiful city. 

They can take their families out on the town and enjoy life in beautiful Chicago, which is gorgeous in the summer.

This definitely has to be a selling point for every Cubs hiring or free agent signing. It sounds crazy, but it just makes more sense to enjoy evenings in a beautiful city rather than be managing a three and a half hour game at Fenway.

Sox games generally last long, especially if they're playing the Yankees. Sometimes, Sunday Night Baseball games against the Yankees can end at midnight. By that time, Sveum can be asleep in Chicago. 

Chance to Be the Savior

Finally, as appealing as the Sox job may be, nothing is more appealing than being the guy that finally ends the curse.

Ozzie Guillen and Terry Francona will forever live in White Sox and Red Sox lore, respectively, because they were the guys that brought titles to their respective home cities.

If Sveum took the Boston job, even if he wins, it'll just be another title, and establishing dynasties in baseball the way the playoffs are structured is nearly impossible. 

It makes more sense to make a run for the title with the Cubs and be revered as a legend.

Dale Sveum: helped end a 105-year World Series drought in Chicago.

Has a nice ring to it for Sveum, and ultimately, that's why he took the job.