By John Nestor

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Cubs hired Dale Sveum as their new manager.

The Cubs said Sveum, who had been the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers, would be introduced at a news conference Friday at Wrigley Field.

Sveum is the first major piece of the rebuilding job that new president of baseball operations Theo Epstein is currently overseeing in Chicago.

The Cubs went 71-91 last season and once he left Boston for Chicago, one of the first things Epstein did was fire manager Mike Quade.

Sveum will be charged with breaking the Cubs' long championship drought. Chicago has gone 103 seasons since winning its last title and are now in the hands of a relatively inexperienced manager.

Sveum served as the interim skipper for the Brewers in September of 2008 after Ned Yost was fired.

Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin and Indians bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. all interviewed for the Chicago job but lost out to Sveum.

Sveum also interviewed for the Red Sox manager job and appeared to be under serious consideration for both as he met with officials from both the clubs for the second time earlier this week.

Sveum is the third to be hired for a manager post despite no previous full-time experience. Earlier this off-season, the Chicago White Sox hired Robin Ventura to replace Ozzie Guillen, and the Cardinals called on Mike Matheny to replace Tony La Russa

Copyright © - All Rights Reserved

 

Cubs Hire Dale Sveum as New Manager