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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs had too much respect for former manager Dale Sveum to get into specifics about the reasons he was fired on Monday, but in detailing what they want in a new manager -- with a plethora of young talent on the way to the big leagues -- they told us all we need to know.

“In order for us to win with this group -- and win consistently -- we must have the best possible environment for young players to learn, develop and thrive at the major league level,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. “We must have clear and cohesive communication with our players about the most important parts of the game. And, even while the organization takes a patient, long view, we must somehow establish and maintain a galvanized, winning culture around the major league club.”

The implication is Sveum failed to provide at least some of these things. Epstein said the troubles began in the first half, and a heart-to-heart meeting with Sveum after the All-Star break put him on notice. As the season wore on, Cubs brass obviously believed the changes they were seeking weren’t going to materialize with Sveum at the helm, so they fired him one year earlier than most people thought they would.

So what wasn’t working in the first half of 2013 that set off the alarms? It might have just been something in the air about the culture in Year 2 of the Epstein/Sveum regime, or maybe it was something more specific. After all, you don’t fire someone for something in the air unless a mutiny is about to take place. There was nothing so outwardly dramatic to be concerned with, so maybe it did come down to the on-field progress -- or lack thereof -- by core players.

There’s only one really important aspect that transcended the entire season, from star player to benchwarmer: The Cubs couldn’t get on base. Getting on base is the centerpiece of an Epstein offensive attack. The Cubs ranked 14th in the National League in that category. Their core players, such as Starlin Castro (.284), Anthony Rizzo (.323), Darwin Barney (.266) and even newcomer Nate Schierholtz (.301), were abysmal at reaching first. In the end, only the catchers -- Welington Castillo (.349) and Dioner Navarro (.365) -- stood out in this category.

It’s not necessarily that Sveum is directly responsible for the lack of on-base percentage -- he wasn’t going up there with a bat -- but maybe the issues were in the message. For such an important aspect of Epstein’s building process, the Cubs were making no headway. This is just one tangible example, but it provides some perspective on Sveum as a leader: The messages weren’t getting through to the liking of Epstein and the front office.

Or maybe the losing had just beaten Sveum down and the Cubs were afraid the culture change they were seeking wasn’t coming as their crop of young talent made its way to the big leagues.

Either way, there were tangible and seemingly intangible reasons for Sveum’s firing. Unless he turned out to be one of those special people who grew into an elite manager, the odds were against him staying here long term. There was just too much to do, too much to overcome, and it cost Sveum his job.

CHICAGO -- The firing of Dale Sveum had very little to do with what the former Chicago Cubs manager did wrong.

Sveum and his bosses knew when he was hired that the team would be varying degrees of bad for three or four seasons. The player development plan in the mid-to-lower minor leagues seems to be moving along nicely. A group of projected impact players might be making its way to Wrigley Field by the end of the 2014 season.

What president of baseball operations Theo Epstein desires in a manager is a stronger presence, a persona that will push his office and owner Tom Ricketts toward a championship mentality in a shorter period time than was initially planned. Epstein and Co. are held captive by a depleted baseball revenue stream. Money for the baseball operation will be limited for another three years due to a covenant agreement in the sale language of the team to the Ricketts family.

Simply put, Cubs ownership will need to be more creative in finding revenue within the business. That will be the only way they will convince a manager like Joe Girardi to come on board.

Epstein has watched with interest as his former manager with the Boston Red Sox, Terry Francona, pushes a morbidly drab Cleveland Indians organization to new heights in 2013. By insisting on some offensive help if he decided to take the job, Francona used the clout of his well-heeled résumé to leverage a commitment to win now.

Epstein knows that the plan to renovate Wrigley Field and add important revenue streams for his baseball program have fallen hopelessly behind for now. That knowledge pushes his creative and competitive nature to find a quicker route to success. What would be a smarter avenue to that goal than hiring Girardi?

This Girardi plan will also get the full endorsement of the business office, led by president Crane Kenney. Kenney is the mastermind of the renovation of Wrigley. He needs a bit more time to set his revenue plan into high gear. With the WGN TV and radio rights coming up for renewal after 2014, the team does not yet see the windfall billions coming its way until after 2018. The Cubs have lost close to 700,000 tickets sold per season since 2008. At this point, they need to stop the decline of season-ticket sales. The "Girardi factor" directs a way for season-ticket holders to see a direct path to championship baseball coming back to the north side of Chicago.

Girardi fits into all the criteria that Epstein is looking for in a manager. "The job will require someone who is dynamic," Epstein said on Monday. "It will require tremendous creativity to tackle the issues. I think we will find that in the next manager. It requires tremendous energy, and part of the reason we are here today is that we decided the job requires some change."

Girardi fits the bill in all of those areas. He would bring a world championship aura back to Chicago after winning as a player and as a manager in New York. Epstein went as far as to say that the future manager of the Cubs must at least understand the culture of "Cub Nation" before being considered for the gig. “Candidates who have the Cub experience in their background will have the built-in advantage of knowing the marketplace and the franchise," Epstein said. "[That candidate] might be better equipped in that one area to deal with that gauntlet that, at times, can be managing the Cubs. Yes, I think it helps [to have a Cubs background], [but] is it a prerequisite or does it mean it can‘t be repaired if you haven’t been through here? No.

"There is a bit more of an adjustment period when you have not been through here, as I have discovered when you come from the outside.”

The Chicago Cubs' managing job is up for grabs now that the Cubs have pulled the plug on the Dale Sveum Era after two disappointing seasons.

Will Joe Girardi grab it?

That is the question of the day since Girardi is at the end of his three-year deal with the New York Yankees, which paid him a reported $9 million. Girardi has been coy about his plans for next season, saying "I haven't really made up my mind," before Sunday's season finale in Houston.

Girardi also played down his interest in returning to the Cubs, for whom he played seven seasons, and to Chicago, where he has ties (he grew up in Peoria, about 165 miles southwest). "We haven't lived there since 2006," Girardi said. "My father's gone, my mother's gone, so there's not as much there as there used to be. Our home's [in New York]. My kids are enrolled in schools here."

Still, Cubs ownership was known to have coveted Girardi before it hired Sveum in 2011, although sources have told ESPNNewYork.com that Cubs GM Theo Epstein prefers Brad Ausmus. Yankees GM Brian Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com over the weekend that resolving Girardi's status would be his first order of off-season business. "Hell, yeah," Cashman said when asked if he wanteds Girardi back. "I think he did a terrific job this year."

Obviously, Girardi deserves a pass for this year's Yankees season, in which his injury-decimated squad won just 85 games, its lowest total since 1995, and failed to make the playoffs for just the second time in 19 seasons, both of them during Girardi's six-year tenure.

Girardi has repeatedly said he has enjoyed managing the Yankees, but the lure of trying to end the longest futility streak in baseball history -- the Cubs have not been won a World Series since 1908 -- might appeal to him, especially if the Yankees are on the verge of experiencing a run of lean years. He also left open the possibility that he might do something other than manage in 2014; he worked as a broadcaster for the YES Network after his retirement from playing and between managerial stints with the Florida Marlins and the Yankees.

QUESTION: Where do you think Girardi will end up next year? In the manager's office at Yankee Stadium? At Wrigley Field? Back in the broadcast booth?

CHICAGO -- With manager Dale Sveum's firing official after two years and 197 losses, the Chicago Cubs are on the lookout for a new skipper to command a sinking ship.

Who doesn't want to lose 90-plus games in Cubby blue while answering questions about minor leaguers?

Joe Girardi, who is under contract with the New York Yankees until Nov. 1, is the top name on this new prospect list, for good reason. The former Cub and Northwestern graduate is not only a fan favorite but also a savvy manager known for his organizational skills and devotion to his famous binder, his baseball bible of trends and statistics.

The question is: What kind of team would Girardi get? It would be foolish of him to take this job if it's the same one Sveum left.

In Sveum's short tenure, the Cubs were not built to win. It would be wrong to say they were tanking for draft picks and international spending dollars, but there was little focus on the major league product. The attendance, which dipped to a 15-year low, showed that.

(Read full post)

HOUSTON -- Joe Girardi is unsure if he will return as the New York Yankees manager in 2014.

"I haven't really made up my mind," Girardi said during his nearly 30-minute state-of-the-season news conference before the Yankees' final game against the Houston Astros.

Girardi, who turns 49 next month, said he'll make his decision after consulting with his wife and three children, who are 14, 11 and 7.

Girardi, who reportedly made $3 million this season, said finances will have "zero" to do with his decision. He also played down the idea that he would want to leave for his hometown Chicago Cubs, if manager Dale Sveum were let go. Girardi said his wife and kids are very happy in Westchester, N.Y. His family ties to Chicago -- with both his parents having passed away -- are not as strong anymore. Plus, he hasn't lived there since 2006.

"So there's not as much there as there used to be," Girardi said.

Read the entire story.

Here is the complete statement issued by Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein on the firing of manager Dale Sveum:

"Today, we made the very difficult decision to relieve Dale Sveum of his duties as Cubs manager. Dale has been a committed leader for this team the last two seasons, and I want to thank him for all of his dedication and hard work. I have a lot of admiration for Dale personally, and we all learned a lot from the way he has handled the trying circumstances of the last two years, especially the last two weeks, with strength and dignity. In his own authentic and understated way, Dale always put the team first and never complained about the hand he was dealt. He and his staff helped us excel in game planning and defensive positioning, contributed to the emergence of several players, and helped put us in position to make some important trades.

"I have no doubt that -- much like Terry Francona, whom we hired in Boston after his stint with a losing Phillies club -- Dale will go on to great success with his next team. We had hoped Dale would grow with our organization to see it through the building phase to a period of sustained excellence; instead, I believe Dale, who felt the weight of losing perhaps more than any of us, will grow because of this experience and find excellence elsewhere.

"Today’s decision to pursue a new manager was not made because of wins and losses. Our record is a function of our long-term building plan and the moves we have made -- some good, a few we would like back – to further this strategy. Jed and I take full responsibility for that. Today’s decision was absolutely not made to provide a scapegoat for our shortcomings or to distract from our biggest issue -- a shortage of talent at the major league level. We have been transparent about what we are, and what we are not yet. Today’s decision, which was painful for all of us, was made to move us closer to fulfilling our ultimate long-term vision for the Cubs.

"Soon, our organization will transition from a phase in which we have been primarily acquiring young talent to a phase in which we will promote many of our best prospects and actually field a very young, very talented club at the major league level. The losing has been hard on all of us, but we now have one of the top farm systems in baseball, some of the very best prospects in the game, and a clear path forward. In order for us to win with this group -- and win consistently -- we must have the best possible environment for young players to learn, develop and thrive at the major league level. We must have clear and cohesive communication with our players about the most important parts of the game. And -- even while the organization takes a patient, long view – we must somehow establish and maintain a galvanized, winning culture around the major league club.

"I believe a dynamic new voice -- and the energy, creativity and freshness that comes with this type of change -- provides us with the best opportunity to achieve the major league environment we seek. We will begin our search immediately -- a process which will be completed before the GM meetings in early November and perhaps much sooner. There are no absolute criteria, but we will prioritize managerial or other on-field leadership experience and we will prioritize expertise developing young talent. We have not yet contacted any candidates or asked permission to speak with any candidates, but that process will begin tomorrow morning."

So we ended up with the quite the finish here. Lots of bad baseball down the stretch. Lots. Remember: The top 10 picks are protected if you sign a free agent who is given a qualifying offer. Plus, the worse you finish in the overall standings the more money you get to spend in the draft. Yay, incentivized losing!

1. Astros: 51-111
Just in case they were worried about the Marlins catching them, they lost their final 15 games to ensure the No. 1 pick for the third draft in a row.

2. Marlins: 62-100
Kudos to Henderson Alvarez for his final-day no-hitter. In fact, the Marlins swept the Tigers in that season-ending series and won five of their final six, allowing just seven runs over those six games.

3. White Sox: 63-99
Tried hard to catch the Marlins, going 7-21 in September and losing five of their final six. Went 2-17 against the Indians, although no truth to the rumor that the Indians will share their playoff shares with the White Sox.

4. Cubs: 66-96
Ended up tied with the Twins, but get the higher pick based on 2012 record. And boy did they fight hard to get that fourth pick. Lost six of their final seven and 12 of their final 15.

5. Twins: 66-96
Lost 10 of final 11. Too bad they beat the Tigers in extra innings on Sept. 23 or they would be drafting one slot higher. In Sunday's finale, ensured defeat with three errors. In the sixth inning. Nice job, Twins!

6. Mariners: 71-91
Went 6-14 over their final 20 games to slide from a bubble team securely into a top-10 position. Lost their final eight extra-inning games, proving there's an art to successful tanking. Namely: A bad bullpen helps.

7. Phillies: 73-89
It looked like they would jump out of the bottom 10 but then lost nine of their final 11. No wonder Ryne Sandberg got the job for next year! The final game was huge, as the Phillies came up big with a 12-5 loss to the Braves.

Now, this is where things get really interesting. We had a four-way tie for spots 8 through 11. The tiebreaker is 2012 record. So ...

8. Rockies: 74-88
Those two one-run wins over the Dodgers on Saturday and Sunday didn't help, but the tiebreaker gives them the edge. Not that they'll be pursuing Robinson Cano or anything.

9. Blue Jays: 74-88
How nervous was GM Alex Anthopoulos watching the Jays nearly rally from a 7-0 deficit on Sunday? They did beat the Rays twice on the final weekend but still lost 12 of their final 19.

10. Mets: 74-88
The Mets had the most to lose if they finished out of the top 10, since they presumably could be pursuing some of the big free agents this winter. Luckily the offense came through with three straight 4-2 losses to the Brewers (before winning the season finale 3-2).

11. Brewers: 74-88
Well, this is what a 15-12 record in September will do to you. No Kyle Lohse for the Brewers this offseason!

12. Padres: 76-86
Yes, Padres fans, there were 11 teams worse than yours.

13. Giants: 76-86
The Giants went 10-5 over their final 15 to at least avoid becoming just the second World Series winner (after the 1997 Marlins) to finish in last place the next season. So there's that.

14. Angels: 78-84
A 21-7 stretch in August/September ruined any chance the Angels had of finishing with a top-10 pick. So if they went to throw $250 million at Cano, it will cost them their first-round pick.

ST. LOUIS -- Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro was addressing the media for the final time in 2013 after a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Just as fellow core player Anthony Rizzo walked by, Castro was asked when the Cubs would start winning again. After Sunday, it’s officially 105 years since their last championship.

“Me and this guy right there, we’ll be a good team for sure,” Castro said as he nodded Rizzo’s way. “I think in two years, two or three, I think we’ll compete.”

The Cubs front office has been definitive in not putting a timetable on it but the players might be feeling a little antsy after a 66-96 season. That followed a 101-loss year, but the five-game improvement means nothing in the big picture.

“I want to win and I know the guys in here want to win,” pitcher Jeff Samardzija said after suffering loss No. 96 on Sunday. “That’s the bottom line, winning ball games.”

Before any winning can happen the Cubs are going to decide if Sveum and his coaching staff are the right people for the job moving forward. The front office will let him know on Monday if he’s back for the final year of his contract.

“Like I said before, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Sveum said after the game. “We’ll find out in 12 hours or 15 or whatever it is. It’s upon us.”

Sveum’s steady demeanor is one reason he was hired during an expected, tough, rebuilding project. It’s also the reason you won’t hear a bad thing about him from his employees.

“I love Dale,” pitcher Carlos Villanueva said. “I’ve loved him for a long time. ... There’s not one person that can say anything bad about him. He can only be who he is. With what he had he did a good job.”

That’s why he won’t be judged on wins and losses but on more intangible things. Simply put, after two years at the helm, the Cubs will decide if he’s the right man moving forward with a younger core of players coming

“As a player you want consistency,” Samardzija said. “You want to build those relationships and you want that to lean on at certain times when you need that.

“It’s not our call. It’s whatever they want to do and what’s best for the organization.”

Whatever happens, Sveum earned the player’s respect. That’s in front of the media or behind closed doors.

“Everybody has been great,” Rizzo said. “Dale’s been great, the coaches have been great.”