Dale Sveum auditions for Cubs managerial job
Dale Sveum compared himself to Mike Maddux on Monday as he met the media after interviewing for the Cubs’ managerial job.
As it turned out, Sveum and Maddux will be competing against each other for that job.
Sveum became the second candidate to meet the Cubs’ brass and then the media, joining Pete Mackanin, who interviewed last Friday.
The Cubs said Maddux, the pitching coach of the Texas Rangers, will interview Wednesday. Maddux took himself out of consideration for the Boston Red Sox managerial opening.
“He’s a lot like me as far as the due-diligent work that he does every day,” said Sveum, currently the hitting coach of the Milwaukee Brewers. “He’s one of the hardest-working coaches, if not the hardest-working coach, probably in baseball. That’s why he’s put himself in this position to get one of these jobs.
“It’s just nice to be mentioned with a Mike Maddux because he’s a very good friend of mine, and he’ll make a very good manager someday, if not this year.”
Sveum, a former big-league infielder who played 40 games for the White Sox in 1992, has limited, but interesting, big-league managerial experience.
He took over as interim manager of the Brewers on Sept. 15, 2008, replacing Ned Yost. Sveum led the Brewers to their first postseason appearance since 1982. Although disappointed at being bypassed for the permanent job in Milwaukee, Sveum said the managerial bug definitely had bitten.
“I think it definitely whet the appetite a little bit because I think we definitely all want to do things, but when you get thrown in the fire, you don’t know if it’s the right thing for you,” he said. “You know it’s something you wanted to do. Once I got to manage that year, those 12 days and the four days of the playoffs, it was something where I felt I was right at home and very comfortable doing.”
Sveum is interviewing with Cubs baseball president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer. Sveum worked for Epstein as third- base coach of the Red Sox in 2004 (when they won the World Series) and 2005. He has coached for the Brewers six seasons, working as bench coach, third-base coach and hitting coach.
One report out of Boston said he prepares meticulously for games, using video and statistics. That stats angle should play well with the Cubs’ analytical brass.
“We can all use stats the way we want them to be used,” he said. “I think what that article meant was that I do my due diligence in video work and prepare as much as anybody with my video work and all that. As far as the stats, those are what they are. We can use them to our advantage. It’s a big part of the game now. It’s helping us win a lot of ballgames now, the stats and the matchups.”
Never a star player, Sveum says he brings plenty of other attributes.
“I don’t have any experience managing except the 16 days in ’08,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to experience a lot with a lot of players and a lot of good managers I’ve played for.
“My knowledge of the game: If there’s one thing I’ve done in this game over all my years, is pay attention, and I’ve got to learn this game from a lot of people and a lot of good managers. I think I bring a lot to the table as far as my personality and the way I treat people and the way I handle players.”