Bleacher Bums Forum

IF the Cubs were to make a move, who would be your top 2-3 candidates for the manager job?

Paul Molitor would be worth looking at to replace Brandon Hyde as bench coach.  He would not be afraid to say to the manager "We really should walk this guy". 

Can’t imagine Maddon going anywhere.  His in game management isn’t the best but I think players love playing for him and free agents would like to play for him.

I think there will be many here who are interested in Girardi, but I think that's a bad fit. I think he's too old school and would probably be somewhat set in his ways. I think his style would clash a lot with the front office and some of the players. He's a good manager on the right team, but I don't think the Cubs are that team. Really, unless Francona inexplicably becomes available, I think it's doubtful that the front office would have any interest in another celebrity manager.

I'd like to see them try to find the next AJ Hinch--someone who has managed before and appeared to be competent, but for whatever reason didn't work out long term with his team. But I'm not sure who that would be--rookie managers who do a good job on a two year tryout with a mediocre-to-bad team aren't memorable.

I have a feeling (and I think I've read this other places, so it's not my idea) that Brandon Hyde may be the intended successor to Maddon. If they fired Maddon, I think there's a pretty good chance they just promote Hyde.

Rosenthal has an article on The Athletic about a possible Maddon firing. Nothing concrete, but he's also not the type to write a completely baseless story for clicks like Nightengale or Heyman might do.

He suggests Dave Roberts, Girardi, or Hyde as options, but it sounds primarily like his own speculation.

Rosenthal has an article on The Athletic about a possible Maddon firing. Nothing concrete, but he's also not the type to write a completely baseless story for clicks like Nightengale or Heyman might do.

He suggests Dave Roberts, Girardi, or Hyde as options, but it sounds primarily like his own speculation.

Just read the article, and to me, nearly everything in it seems like his personal speculation. And he alternates between arguing for why a change may happen with the reasons it likely won't. 

Outside of Stubby Clapp, I don't know who the best young candidates are right now...

I don't think David Ross would be a great choice either. There have been a lot of managers hired over the last few years who had no previous coaching or managing experience, and most of those haven't worked out. He'd probably be a good hire for the 2022 season if he spent the next 3 years managing in the minors...but guys with no experience shouldn't be on the Cubs' list IMO.