Ryne Sandberg Gets Promotion To Double-A

Hall Of Famer Makes First Step Up Cubs' Minors System

Jan 11, 2009 David Hein

The Chicago Cubs gave former Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg a promotion, moving him up from Class A Peoria to manage the Double-A Tennessee Smokies.

Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg has taken his first step to reaching the Major Leagues as a manager by getting a promotion from the Chicago Cubs management to move from Class A to manage the Double-A Tennessee Smokies.

Sandberg Lobbies For Cubs Manger Spot

Sandberg was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame on July 31, 2005 for his legendary playing career. He had in the last few years beforehand served as an instructor at the Cubs' spring training. And after Dusty Baker was fired as the Cubs manager following the 2006 season, Sandberg approached Chicago General Manager Jim Hendry to lobby for the open position. Hendry eventually hired Lou Pinella, but he kept Sandberg in mind.

Managing Career Began In Central Illinois

Sandberg began the next phase of his baseball life on December 5, 2006, when the Chicago Cubs named him as manager of the Low Class A affiliate the Peoria Chiefs in central Illinois. Sandberg replaced his former Cubs teammate Jody Davis. The last time Sandberg had been in the minor leagues was in 1981 when he played Triple-A Oklahoma in the Philadelphia Phillies system and nearly every one of his Chief players had not yet been born.

Above-.500 Record In Firey First Season

Sandberg ended his first season as the Chiefs manager with a 71-68 record. But it was an intriguing and tell-tale campaign for the extremely competitive former second baseman. Sandberg was known as someone who was quiet and strictly-business as a player, getting ejected just twice in his 16-year playing career. But being back in the game brought out the competitive fire in Sandberg and he was tossed from four games during the 2007 season.

Learning Continues In 2008 In Peoria

Sandberg's second season also had its share of ejections and Peoria finished the season with a 60-78-1 record in 2008. The 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner admitted during the season that he had learned more about the game in his two seasons with Peoria as a minor league manager than he did in his 20 years as a player.

Return To Wrigley As Manager

The 2008 season also featured Sandberg's return to Wrigley Field on July 30, 2008 - this time in the uniform as Chiefs manager as Peoria played the first minor league game in the 94-year history of the Cubs' hallowed grounds.

Arizona Fall League Calling

Just a day later, it was announced that Sandberg would be serving as hitting coach for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) - a Winter baseball league for some of the elite prospects in Double-A and Triple-A. And Sandberg's help led Mesa to winning the American division and reaching the AFL final, though it lost 10-4 to the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Promotion To Double-A

After seeing Sandberg's results from the AFL, the Cubs decided Sandberg should be moved up and announced on December 17 that he would take over the Double-A Tennessee Smokies. The promotion will give Sandberg a chance to test his managerial skills since Tennessee will play by National League rules in some ballparks.

Cubs Impressed With Sandberg

"From my standpoint, he's rolled up his sleeves from Day 1, and he took on a challenge no different than when he was a player. He's approached every day as if he's a young A-ball player again," Cubs player development director Oneri Fleita told mlb.com on December 17, 2008 of Sandberg.

"If you had asked me in the middle of my career if I felt I'd be doing this after my career, I would've said, 'No chance. I guess you never know in this game. Once I was out of the game, I felt baseball was all I knew. Now, being back in it in this capacity, it's the next best thing to playing it," Sandberg said on MLB.com the same day.

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