Quade: Why contemplate other stuff?

Mike Quade admitted he finally got to digest all of Friday’s Wrigley wackiness after the Cubs’ victory over the Cardinals earlier in the day.

And what he came away with was awfully philosophical.

“All I can do is the best job I can do here,” said Quade, who’s future as manager is anything but certain. “There’s nothing else I can do other than focus on that every day. So why contemplate other stuff?

“How can you wonder what will happen when you don’t even know who the new (general manager) is going to be? It’s the age-old thing and it’s such a cliché, but why worry about things you can’t control? What I can do is try to get this club to continue and play well. That’s all I can do. “

As for his thoughts on departed boss Jim Hendry?

“I just hope that he’ll step back and take a week ... and take a deep breath,” Quade said. “My concern goes immediately to him, not his future. He’ll be fine

“When you’re all consumed — and that’s his nature — that’s sometimes the toughest thing. It was great to hear him talk about spending time with his kids and everything else. I think that will be good for him.”

Futurama drama:

It may be lame-duck time at Wrigley Field these days, but that doesn’t mean interim general manager Randy Bush is expecting any less than the best effort from twisting-in-the-wind manager Mike Quade and his staff.

“They’re all professionals, they understand that this is the business world and we’re in the business of wins and losses,” Bush told WMVP AM-1000. “I know that even with the uncertainty, they’re going to go about their business in the best manner ... try to win the games and also try and develop our young people and get ready for next year.”

Plane delay:

Saturday’s first pitch was delayed by about one minute — or enough time for a fighter jet to buzz Wrigley Field, loop around Elgin and then return for a jaunt over North Avenue Beach.

Festival of first pitches:

Aramis Ramirez’s 2-run home run on the first pitch Saturday made it 12 first-pitch homers for the Cubs’ third baseman this season, the most since Moises Alou (14) in 2004.

Why all the first-pitch success?

“I’m Domincan,” Ramirez said. “We go out there swinging. We don’t walk a lot.”

He said it:

“I’d say ‘interesting’ is a fair enough word for what has taken place in the last year.”

— Cubs manager Mike Quade on nearing the one-year anniversary of taking over the reins from Lou Piniella.