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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.”

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.

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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."

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.”

ST. LOUIS -- It might go down as the worst first season of any Chicago Cubs free agent in history. Pitcher Edwin Jackson barely finished the year with a below-5.00 (4.98) ERA in losing his 18th game of the season on Saturday to the St. Louis Cardinals.

“Started off shaky, ended shaky,” Jackson said of his season. “S----y year, to sum it up.”

Cubs fans were probably cursing most days Jackson took the mound after he signed a four-year, $52 million deal last winter. He’s the first -- and basically only -- big-money guy signed in the Theo Epstein era.

“I got three more years here to look forward to,” Jackson said. “I’m definitely looking to changing everything around.”

Jackson might have an excuse for Saturday’s game, as he felt tightness in his right lat and never could get the “extension” he said he needed on his pitches. But that doesn’t explain the rest of the season, during which he gave up more hits than innings pitched and struck out the fewest batters since 2008. His stuff just wasn’t very good.

“There’s a lot of people that want to throw one season away in their career,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “It’s over. Now it’s time to start from scratch in spring training.”

It’s probably too soon to worry about the Cubs front office in terms of scouting major league talent; they’ve had success spending on lesser talent. But with so few dollars to spend right now in free agency, they can’t have many misses. Jackson was supposed to be durably consistent. In this case, one out of two isn’t very good. He just didn’t keep his team in the game often enough.

“Just a crazy year,” Jackson lamented. “If I had the answer, I would have changed it a long time ago.”

And that brings us back to first-year, free-agent seasons with the Cubs. Forgetting the money, Jackson had easily the worst year of anyone signed last winter. Add the $52 million guaranteed, and it hurts even worse.

Carlos Pena in 2011 made $10 million while hitting .225. But he hit 28 home runs and drove in 80. That’s something at least. Former bad boy Milton Bradley’s 2009 season might be comparable to Jackson's season. He was making $10 million that year while producing 12 home runs and 40 RBIs before injuries and a season-ending suspension curtailed his Cubs career.

They were one-and-done in Chicago. Unless he’s traded, Jackson has a chance to redeem himself.

“I don’t feel like I pressed,” Jackson said of his season. “There may have been times where I overanalyzed things and was thinking too much and not allowing myself to go out and do what I’m capable of doing athletically.”

Take 2 comes in 2014.

ST. LOUIS – With Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s short-term fate to be determined Monday, what does that mean for his coaching staff? Even if Sveum is dismissed, it’s highly doubtful the Cubs would get rid of his entire staff.

Handicapping the coaches from the outside looking in can be a difficult task. They do the bulk of their work behind closed doors, in the form of video and of course communicating with – as well as teaching -- the players. They aren’t subjected to twice-a-day media scrums like the manager, and their success or failure with players can’t always be measured in numbers.

Still, there are some things that become obvious in terms of the value of a coach, especially with the task of developing a young core.

Here’s a look at the status of some on Sveum’s staff:

Chris Bosio, Pitching coach

Considering the Cubs keep trading his pitchers, he might be the hardest to judge. But by all accounts he’s done an admirable job. Travis Wood would be the poster child for a success story. Bosio has gotten him to work all sides of the plate and not be afraid to throw any pitch at any time. Jeff Samardzija still has room to grow but hasn’t embarrassed his pitching coach in any manner. And it would be hard to point to Bosio for the failures on the staff. Former pitcher Shawn Camp's struggles could not have come as a shock, considering his age and mileage on his arm. Carlos Marmol was on the decline before Bosio appeared on the scene. Kyuji Fujikawa got injured before Bosio could have much effect on him. There are enough positives -- and few provable negatives -- to think Bosio could return even if Sveum doesn’t.

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CHICAGO -- The Cubs ended their home season on a positive note, putting a crimp into Pittsburgh’s quest for a division title. The Pirates, who clinched a playoff berth with a win Monday, are on the verge of being eliminated from the division race after losing 4-2 to the Cubs on Wednesday afternoon.

With three playoff teams in the NL Central, the Cubs know what an uphill battle they have to become one of the elite teams in baseball.

"We have a very tough division," Anthony Rizzo said after Wednesday's victory over 16-game winner Francisco Liriano. "We want to play good baseball in St. Louis and go into the winter on a high note."

Rizzo and company will be faced with the third clinching celebration against them in less than a week Friday. Any Cardinals win or Pittsburgh loss over the last three games of the season will give St. Louis the division title.

Atlanta, Pittsburgh and soon St. Louis will have clinched against the hapless also-rans, which begs the question, how long will it be until the Cubs are competing for something relevant?

"The bar is set now," Rizzo said. "Those teams are young, and they are not going anywhere for years to come. We need to step our game up all around and continue grow as a team and as people."

The harsh reality is playing the best teams in baseball 77 times a season will test the Cubs and their resolve for years to come.

"Record-wise, we have the top three teams (in our division)," manager Dale Sveum said. "They all have 90-plus wins, the pitching from these top three teams is good as there is in baseball...That is where everything starts."

The Cubs ended their home season tying for the fewest wins with the 1957 club (31). They also have the dubious distinction of having lost the most home games in franchise history (50).

CHICAGO -- You might see a headline or two highlighting the fact the Chicago Cubs lost their 50th home game of the season on Tuesday night when they dropped an 8-2 decision to the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs snuck No. 50 in just under the wire as they’ll close out another dreadful season at home on Wednesday afternoon.

Fifty home losses is unheard of, even for the Cubs. But at the end of the day, does it really matter as anything more than another punch line?

The answer is no, it’s not a big deal, because this is all by design.

The Cubs didn’t set out to lose 50 games at Wrigley Field, but they can’t be surprised that it happened. Not when they’re trading away their roster midseason, and not when they're in a total rebuilding of the organization. This isn’t a retooling or a quasi-rebuild. This is a full-on, from-top-to-bottom job. But that’s something you know, just maybe something you’ve forgotten.

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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs have set few records over the past three seasons, but on Tuesday they broke one for home losses in a season, racking up their 50th after an 8-2 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The previous record was 49 home losses in 1971.

The perfect storm that surrounds the team's rebuilding project has both the baseball and business side of the franchise looking for a sliver of hope in the near future.

Manager Dale Sveum has been under the microscope the past two weeks of the season as a dwindling fan base looks for someone to blame for the Cubs' 192 losses over the past two years.

"To lose that many games at home is something you have to stay away from," a dejected Sveum said after Tuesday's loss. "For whatever reason, we have to score more runs at home and do more at home. This year has been tough. We seem to do more good things on the road than we do at home."

Cubs attendance has dropped every season since 2008 when the club drew a franchise-high 3.3 million fans. This season, they figure to be down about 700,000 from that figure. The Cubs' average ticket price is the fourth-most expensive in baseball.

"We have to do more things with men on base," Sveum said. "This is just a flip-flop from last year."

All things considered, the Cubs have had a decent record on the road, going 35-43 with three more road games this weekend in St. Louis. The Cubs' record for fewest home victories in a full season is 31 in 1957, though that was with a 154-game schedule. With 30 home wins heading into Wednesday's home finale, the Cubs can set a new mark for futility in what has been another forgettable season on Chicago's North Side.

CHICAGO -- So the evaluation of Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum is coming. At least that’s what the Cubs front office said last week in a mini state of the union address. There’s sure to be another one next week after the season is over.

Team president Theo Epstein left the door open a bit regarding Sveum considering he’s under contract for next season and Epstein could have simply reminded everyone of that. Then again, his reasoning made sense. No matter the expectations, when a team has a dreadful season, it's incumbent on the people in charge to make sure that the losing wasn’t out of the ordinary; that there isn’t damage to the process of becoming a winner.

So the evaluation makes sense. The question is if it’s been done already and the Cubs are just waiting for the season to end or are they really going to dissect Sveum afterwards? Let’s also take Epstein at his word regarding the process and believe him that it won’t come down to wins and losses. Instead, it will be about all the ancillary things a manager can be judged on.

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CHICAGO -- It’s not something Chicago Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija or his teammates want to see: back-to-back days on which their opponent is celebrating a playoff berth on the Cubs' home field.

The Atlanta Braves did it on Sunday and the Pittsburgh Pirates did it on Monday after a dramatic 2-1 victory in which Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz was thrown out at home to end the game. The Cubs would like to do some clinching someday -- at home, on the road, anywhere.

“We mentioned that to each other. That’s what it’s all about,” Samardzija said after a six-inning, one-run performance. “That’s why you work in the offseason and in the spring training and why you get off to a fast start in April and May.”

The Cubs put in the work but never did see that fast start. But it doesn’t mean steps haven’t been taken. Samardzija got to 200 innings for the first time this season, and, while it looked like it might be a meaningless stat the way he was pitching a few weeks ago, he’s finishing strong. He has gone 13 innings giving up 10 hits and four runs in his past two starts after 11/17/12 in his previous two.

“He threw [the] ball really well,” manager Dale Sveum said. “His cutter was getting swung and missed at more than it has all year.”

And Samardzija is learning along the way. Learning how to face a team multiple times in a season, as he did the Pirates.

“Fifth, sixth time I faced them this year,” he said. “You have to keep adjusting to what you’re doing against them.”

And he’s still learning how to prepare as a starter. He’ll be heading into his third season in that role in 2014. Time to blossom.

“I’ll definitely change up my routine in the offseason,” Samardzija said. “I think I took too much time off right out of the gates in the offseason.”

But most of all, Samardzija is simply learning how to pitch. His Achilles' heel has been the big inning. His high ERA (4.33) is a result of some crooked numbers “wrapped up in a few innings,” as Sveum put it. Eliminating those moments will turn him into a complete pitcher.

“It’s a big swing,” Samardzija said. “There have been other times in the year where I’ve given up two or three in the inning instead of keeping the damage down. That’s the most important thing for a pitcher.

“There are times I haven’t done that. That’s been the story of the year.”

So he gets it. He gets what fans and media have been saying about him. And how he has left people wanting more. Teammate Travis Wood, for example, has done everything Samardzija should be doing. Maybe next season. And maybe next season -- or soon after -- good things will start to happen for the team as well.

“We’re getting there,” Samardzija said. “We need to get some things ironed out and get this team mentally in a spot where that’s [what] we’re shooting for.”

For the team and Samardzija alike.

CHICAGO -- The best laid plans of pennant-bound teams must defer to certain detours along the way.

The Atlanta Braves with a magic number of one, were unable to hold on to a late lead, losing 3-1 to the Cubs. First baseman Anthony Rizzo drove in the go-ahead run in Chicago's three-run eighth inning.

"That is a great team and [Braves starter Kris] Medlen shut us down." Rizzo said. "To come back against a team that has a really good bullpen is impressive."

Atlanta, with a comfortable lead in the National League East, is more concerned about earning home-field advantage than when it clinches. For the Cubs, it was all about playing the spoiler role.

"That was nice to keep them [waiting] one more day," Cubs' manager Dale Sveum said. "It was nice not having to see [the clinching] in person."

The Braves were held to one run and five hits by three Chicago pitchers. Travis Wood gave up the one run on an Evan Gattis RBI single in the fourth inning. The Cubs' top pitcher threw his 24th quality start getting a no-decision in his seven-plus innings of work.

"I don't think any team looks forward to that happening," Wood said in reference to the Braves potentially clinching at Wrigley Field. "You know it is always exciting when someone does clinch. One day hopefully it will be us and we can move on from there."

The Cubs also were able to envision their closer of the future. Pedro Strop was sensational in his first save opportunity. The powerful right-hander struck out the side in the ninth to put the Braves' championship celebration on hold.

"He pitched efficiently, threw quality strikes, he had the whole gamut working," Sveum said. Usual closer Kevin Gregg had thrown 37 pitches on Friday. "It was nice to see him do it at home in front of a nice crowd. He did a great job."

Strop, who was traded to the Cubs by the Orioles in early July, converted his first save since May 18, 2012 against Washington.

CHICAGO -- What the Chicago Cubs front office, led By Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, is doing with Dale Sveum and the coaching staff is not out of the ordinary. Epstein and Co. are interested in hiring the best baseball players and instructors to attain their future goals. Just as they look to sign or acquire the top young players, so will they pursue the best free agent managers and coaches.

Epstein and Hoyer like most of what Sveum and his staff have done in his two years on the job. Despite their warm and fuzzy feelings for Sveum and his coaches, it’s wise to investigate accomplished free-agent managers like Joe Girardi.

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MILWAUKEE – Just when you may want to write Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta off, he has an outing like Thursday when he shut down the Milwaukee Brewers en route to a 5-1 victory to help halt the Cubs' five-game slide.

“I was pretty much in control from start to finish,” Arrieta said afterward. “I told (pitching coach Chris) Bosio I feel like I just threw my pregame pen and I could have gone another 100 pitches. That’s how good I felt today.”

You can’t blame Arrieta for sounding so positive, not after so many frustrating starts. He limited the Brewers to three hits and one walk over seven innings.

Consider these numbers: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Arrieta's strike percentage was a whopping 73.9. That’s the best of any start in his career. He limited himself to one 3-1 count and didn’t go 3-0 on a hitter for the first time this season. The Brewers were 1-for-11 in at-bats ending on a breaking pitch, including 0-for-6 on Arrieta's curveball.

That’s domination.

“That was by far his best curveball,” manager Dale Sveum said.

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