Posted by chicagomedia.org on August 17, 2009 at 14:38:07:
Hayes: Bob Brenly doesn't want Lou Piniella's job
Analyst Brenly says he's not looking to become Cubs' manager -- and who can blame him?
August 16, 2009
BY NEIL HAYES | Chicago Sun-Times
When he is criticizing a baserunner for lack of hustle or a pitcher for his inability to throw strikes, it sometimes sounds as though Cubs TV analyst Bob Brenly is stumping for manager Lou Piniella's job.
But Brenly, a former World Series-winning manager with the Arizona Diamondbacks, says that isn't the case. He prefers his perch in the broadcast booth to Piniella's hot seat in the dugout. And given what we know about the Cubs now and moving forward, who can blame him?
''Because of my past employment, a lot of people think I'm trying to steal Lou's job,'' Brenly said. ''I'm not after anybody's job. I have to say what I see on the field. I'm doing the best job I can as an analyst, and at the end of the day, if I feel like I've made the game more interesting and fun, I've done my job.''
Piniella might come back and manage the Cubs next season. But why would he? The job is seductive because if you're filling out the lineup card when the team wins its first World Series in more than a century, you're financially set for life. You can put your feet up on your desk, lean back in your chair and puff your cigar contentedly while watching city workers change the street signs outside Wrigley Field to Piniella Way or Sweet Lou Avenue.
For the rest of your life, all you ever would hear in Chicago are the sounds of knees (and then palms) hitting the floor as Cubs fans bent to shine your shoes and kiss your feet. It's an intoxicating concept, you have to admit, except for one not-so-minor snag: The Cubs aren't going to win the World Series this season. Lou must know this by now. He also must know that whatever window of opportunity once seemed open has been slammed shut and sealed. The Cubs aren't going to win it next season or the season after that, either, because their roster is a grab bag of spare parts that don't fit together and other teams aren't delusional enough to trade for overpaid misfits.
Aggravation and indigestion
To make matters worse, the minor-league system is bereft of talent and the franchise has no organizational identity or long-term plan for the future. Even if new ownership comes up with a strategy that extends beyond throwing cash at available free agents, no matter how flawed, it will take several years for it to be implemented.
This isn't Brenly's opinion, by the way. It's mine. After all, Brenly is on the Cubs' payroll. His son is coming up through the minor-league system. He might blast players for lack of effort, but he is diplomatic enough not to say what must be obvious to any potential managerial candidate: This job isn't worth the frustration. Maybe that's why Brenly goes out of his way to make it clear that just because he criticizes the Cubs -- and justifiably so -- he isn't stumping for the job.
''If any analyst decided he wanted the manager's job, it wouldn't be very hard to make him look bad,'' Brenly said. ''You could point out everything you feel was a breach on the part of any manager -- good, bad or indifferent -- and make him look as bad as you want on a daily basis. But because I've been down there in that seat, I know how hard that job is and how hard this game is. That has never been and never will be my intention or my goal as an analyst -- to embarrass the players or to embarrass the coaches or the manager or to make myself look better than the manager.''
Piniella has to know the Cubs are a lost cause, so why would he stay? The fat paycheck is reason enough. But he's about to turn 66. Wouldn't he rather steer a golf cart than try to navigate this hopeless franchise to a World Series? Does he need the aggravation, the indigestion and the constant scrutiny? If you were Piniella, wouldn't it be nice to spend a summer not worrying about curses, Cubbie occurrences and Milton Bradley's left-handed batting stance?
La Russa next? Dream on
This team has gotten old overnight. It's best days are in the past. Adding to the sense of hopelessness is the fact that it's virtually impossible to turn over this roster. Virtually every pitcher and position player is untradable. Few teams want to take on their bloated contracts. Teams such as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, who are not opposed to spending big bucks, already have better players than the Cubs do.
If Piniella doesn't want the job and Brenly doesn't want the job, who might? Tony La Russa will be a free agent. Ending his career by trying to win a World Series with the Cubs might be intriguing. He started his career on the South Side. He could come full circle by ending it on the North Side.
Never mind. Bad idea. La Russa is a big believer in fundamentals, which evidently isn't stressed in the Cubs' organization. He likes versatile players who can play multiple positions. The Cubs don't have many of those. It's a bad fit. La Russa would need a straitjacket after a few weeks with this team.
Brenly will be an obvious candidate when Piniella leaves, as will Ryne Sandberg, who is learning the craft in the minor leagues. Brenly has been watching every Cubs game for five years and has intimate knowledge of players' strengths and weaknesses. He often sticks his head into Piniella's postgame news conferences before disappearing down the concourse toward the parking lot. He remembers what it's like to answer question after question after a tough loss. He doesn't miss it.
He would rather point out what is wrong rather than be the person responsible for fixing it. Given what we know about the Cubs, it's the more sensible approach.
''Some jobs would be more attractive than others,'' Brenly said. ''The bottom line is, I'm happy doing what I'm doing right now. If I sit in the booth here and watch Cubs games for the rest of my life, then I'll be happy to do that.''