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Sveum returns to Wrigley after being fired by Cubs in 2013

Dale Sveum returned to Wrigley Field Friday for the first time since being fired as Cubs manager after the 2013 season.

Sveum was hired by Royals manager Ned Yost almost immediately after being fired, and he has been the Kansas City hitting coach for most of the time since then.

Asked if it felt weird to be back at Wrigley Field, he said: "I've been on this (visiting) side way more than that side. I don't know if it's weird or not, but it's good to see some of the guys, some of the players I haven't seen since I left. It's kind of nice."

Hired at the beginning of the Cubs' rebuilding process, Sveum managed the team to records of 61-101 and 66-96 before being fired over communication issues with some of the Cubs' young players.

Last year, he was part of a Royals team that went to the seventh game of the World Series before falling to the Giants.

"It was probably one of the most exciting," he said of the season. "Obviously the run we had in Boston (2004 world-championship team as a coach) will always be the No. 1 thing in a career, but as far as coaching last year, the way it all happened, I think the wild-card game (vs. Oakland) was one of the greatest games played in baseball history.

"But the bottom line is we came up short, and it's bittersweet. It's fun."

Sveum said he'd like to manage again someday. He also said it's high time the National League adopted the designated-hitter rule.

"As a bench coach or manager, it's awesome to manage the National League game," he said. "So don't get me wrong there. That's one huge part of the fun of managing the National League game. But I think the way interleague play is now, this is the first time our pitchers are going to hit, two months into the season.

"We build our team around the DH. National League teams don't. They've got to come to our park and might use a bench player, a platoon-type thing. So they're at a disadvantage. That's my opinion. I love the National League game."

No bunts, no problem:

Cubs pitchers have not laid down a successful sacrifice bunt yet. Manager Joe Maddon didn't seem overly concerned.

"We've had some opportunity to bunt, we just haven't gotten it down," he said. "Some of that is technique. We have some guys who can swing the bat. I don't want to just give up an out if a guy (can get a hit). Look at Jonny Lester the other night. He was almost the hero offensively. I think the bunt is overrated. I think that it should be utilized in certain moments.

"You don't ask somebody to do something they're not really good at. Our pitchers work at it constantly. You're trying to bunt and somebody's throwing 97 miles per hour, I don't care how many practice bunts you've taken in your life, it's a really uncomfortable moment.

"Sometimes I'd rather they just strike out, quite frankly. I don't want them running the bases in hot weather."

Rotation switch:

The Cubs have flip-flopped a pair of pitchers in their rotation. Tsuyoshi Wada will start Saturday night while Jason Hammel will go Sunday. Hammel has been battling a minor fingernail issue.

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