The Chicago Cubs announced today that Dale Sveum has been hired as their new manager, officially making him the replacement for former manager Mike Quade. New Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein fired Quade in October as he tries to rebuild the organization.
Sveum, who turns 48 next week, has never managed outside of a stint as the interim manager for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008. Epstein was already familiar with his new manager from Boston, as Sveum was the Red Sox third base coach in 2004 and 2005 before moving on to Milwaukee.
Sveum beat out the likes of Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr., Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale and former Red Sox manager Terry Francona, although the former Boston skipper recently pulled himself out of the running. This is the second time in a row that the Cubs have hired a manager with no experience, so here's to hoping that this hire goes better than the last one.