Quommunication

While White Sox manager is embroiled in a sniping war with former Sox reliever Bobby Jenks, it looks like Mike Quade is cementing himself as the Great Communicator in the Cubs organization.

From USA Today:

Mike Quade already had the attention of his Chicago Cubs players during his first spring training as a big league manager, between his hands-on approach during drills, added attention to fundamentals, and an infectious energy he brings to work.

But not even the most alert player saw this coming Friday: lineups posted for the first three exhibition games, two days in advance of the spring opener, complete with each starter’s backup for the day listed in parentheses.

Iā€™m not sure if itā€™s an issue of communication or just plain being organized.  Compared to the former Cubs czar, the players think heā€™s quite on top of things. 

Yet, communication, efficiency and even being a ā€˜players managerā€™ may not translate to wins.  We wonā€™t know that come April.  Itā€™s a good start, though.

RIP Chuck Tanner

Chuck Tanner Former MLB manager Chuck Tanner died yesterday after a long illness at the age of 82. 

Tanner ranks 27th all-time among managers in wins with 1352.  Unfortunately, he has 1381 losses just barely giving him a losing record for his career.  Of course, his crowning jewel was his World Series victory in 1979 with the Pirates. 

He was described as ā€œupbeatā€ by the media and that was collaborated by my friend, Todd the Ump, who is a die-hard Pirates fan.

When I got home my son was watching the Pens post game show and they started showing clips of the 1979 Pirates and Chuck Tanner.  My son said, "Oh yeah, he died."  I didn’t believe it.  Chuck Tanner is not supposed to die.  He is the eternal optimist who said "You must never ever ever ever quit."  Other than the normal happiest days of my life (i.e. kids being born, day I got married – yes I actually do love my wife) the day I met Chuck Tanner and had my picture taken with him at PNC ranks right up there. 

You couldn’t help but like Chuck Tanner.  He never said a bad word about any player and you never heard a player say a bad word about him.  Looking back it’s hard to believe that when he skippered the Buccos to the ’79 Championship that he was only a few years older than I am now.  Yet when I met him a few years back he didn’t seem to be any older than he was in 1979.

I hope the Pirates do the right thing and retire his number 7 this coming season.  After all, he quite possibly will be the last man to lead them to a World Series title.

I donā€™t think anyone could have said it better.