RYNE-O IS HOPEFUL TO LAND THE BIG GIG [POST 1/27/12]

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DAYS UNTIL THE REAL SPORT BEGINS! COME ON SPRING………………

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Today is Friday Jan 27. Exactly 29 years ago today Paul Owens, then GM of our Philadelphia Phillies, traded Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to the Chicago Cubs for the scary talents of Ivan de Jesus. No really that is true.

 

Yes Dallas Green who had led the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series Championship took the GM job of the Cubs after the 1981 season and quite familiar with the Phillies farm system and the kid they called Ryno.  He also knew that Paul Owens felt Sandberg, who was a shortstop was better suited for 2nd base or 3rd base.

 

At the time the Phillies had this fella at 3rd named Mike Schmidt and a guy named Manny Trillo at 2nd so it was very unlikely that Ryno would see the light of day in the Vet anytime soon. And so he pulled what I now would call a Ed Wade Reverse.

 

Yes you know the Ed Wade move. We sent the incompetent Wade to Houston and for his indebtedness for ever having a job in Philadelphia, he then packaged Lidge, Oswalt, and finally Pence to Philly in successive years for nothing. Oh and he paid the Phillies money to take Oswalt and Pence off his hands! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

In 1982 however it was Dallas Green who left town only he fleeced the Phillies. Now in fairness to Paul Owens it is true that a 3rd basemen would not be needed for a while. But Sandberg could have played SS. And while we all loved Larry Bowa, clearly Bowa was coming to the end of his career. And frankly Trillo did not have many years left either. So you could have had Ryno on hold for a year or two. And you could have gotten something for Trillo or Bowa.

 

Also to be frank, had Owens reasoned what he reasoned and got a legit talent back for Bowa and Sandberg no one would have second guessed him. Ivan de Jesus was a flat out joke! He was coming off of a 1981 season in which he hit a red hot .194!

 

True Bowa was not exactly Rod Carew and back in those days offense from a shortstop was ignored for the most part. But the mere fact that the Cubs would part with this gem for Bowa should have told them something. Green wanted Sandberg. And the fact that Green knew your farm system should have sent a red flag up as to the motivation for this deal.

 

Of course knowing what we all know now makes it one of the worst trades in the history of mankind.

 

So here we are 29 years later and Ryno is a HOF player who wants to be a Manager for a MLB club. He has done well in the minor league system. In fact it was assumed he was next in line for the Cubs job since he was a lifetime Cubbie and managed in their farm system. He got passed over and so he left and took the job for Philadelphia in Triple A Lehigh-Valley.

 

He did well here. However when a couple major league jobs opened up, Sandberg’s name was on the short list of some teams. Most notable the now World Champs St Louis Cardinals. He did not get that job either.

 

Sandberg is more than happy to return to Lehigh-Valley though. Fact is his name will continue to surface as he does well. And if you are Sandberg you have to realize it is not impossible that Charlie Manuel may not manage for too many more years. Although I personally think Charlie wants to die in a dugout while managing a game and talking about hitting to anyone who will listen. Sandberg’s only hope is that Amaro will make the call to go in a different direction as far as I am concerned.

 

But at the end of the day I believe Ryne Sandberg will be a manager in the next 5 years for a MLB club. Until then it is nice to have him back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Although I have to admit I still have pain from his departure ……………..

 

 

 

 

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