Cubs now have two openings on Quade's staff

The Cubs will fill two openings on their coaching staff within the next week or two.

Bench coach Alan Trammell is leaving to take the same job with manager Kirk Gibson of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Special assistant Matt Sinatro, who came in as a coach with manager Lou Piniella in 2007, also will not be back.

New manager Mike Quade stated that he would like to have his coaching staff back. Set to return are pitching coach Larry Rothschild, hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, first-base coach Bob Dernier, third-base coach Ivan DeJesus, and bullpen coach Lester Strode.

Ryne Sandberg, who lost out to Quade for the manager's job, is not a candidate for the bench-coach position. General manager Jim Hendry has spoken with Sandberg, and Sandberg is welcome to return to his job as manager of the Cubs' Class AAA Iowa farm team. It's possible Sandberg could take another job somewhere in the Cubs' system.

Had Sandberg been named manager, it's unlikely Quade would have remained on the coaching staff.

Of Trammell, Hendry said: “We talked about the possibility of Alan going with Kirk Gibson during the last weekend of the season. They go way back (as players with the Detroit Tigers). They're like brothers. I have a lot of respect for Alan. He worked hard and did a good job.”

The Cubs on Tuesday also outrighted the contract of reliever Jeff Gray to Class AAA Iowa. Gray appeared in 7 games for the Cubs this year.

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