The Cubs will probably have a new manager soon. That’s a sentence I thought in my head a month ago, even if I didn’t commit it to print. I didn’t expect this search, the seeds for which were likely sewn long before Dale Sveum was actually fired, to take over a month. Absent the front office waiting on someone who was otherwise obligated like Torey Lovullo, I just didn’t see the reason for a long, drawn out process. But, as the month has played out, I’m constantly reminded: I’m not in the room. I’m not a part of the process. I don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors or the reasons for a long, drawn out process. Maybe there’s a good reason. Maybe there are several. So I continue wait, as you do.
The wait is almost over, though, as Carrie Muskat – among others – says the decision on a new manager will be made this week (we knew it was coming by the start of the GM Meetings on November 11, so I suppose that leaves us but a week either way). With only Torey Lovullo left to be interviewed – assuming that happens as has been reported – you’d think a decision could come at any moment.
On Lovullo, as of late yesterday, despite Ken Rosenthal’s report of an imminent interview, the Cubs had not yet requested or received permission to interview him, per CSN. I wonder if there’s a bit of semantics going on, and I tend to think Rosenthal wouldn’t report that an interview was forthcoming if it wasn’t relatively certain. Gordon Wittenmyer also suggested yesterday that a Lovullo interview was coming this week. There have been World Series celebratory activities going on all weekend, so maybe it’s just an issue of propriety and timing.
Dave Kaplan reports that, according to a source, the Cubs probably could have had Brad Ausmus if they’d wanted him, but decided that the lack of experience was just too much to overcome.
Joey Cora has been mentioned as a possible coach for the Cubs, but that won’t happen if he winds up getting the Mariners’ managerial gig. Cora is reportedly one of the finalists for that job, together with – among others – Rick Renteria. (EMBARRASSING UPDATE: I got my Coras mixed up. The Cubs have been connected to Alex, not Joey. My bust. Carry on.)