Theo Epstein shows confidence in Dale Sveum hiring – MLB News
After moving from the general manager position of the Boston Red Sox to the president of the baseball operations of the Chicago Cubs, Theo Epstein is holding a major responsibility to develop a team, which can take the club out of 103 season’s Championship
drought. To meet this challenge, Epstein took his first move hiring Dale Sveum as manager.
Epstein was more confident to hire Sveum, who was the part of the Red Sox in 2004 and 2005 as a third-base coach, than any other candidate, including Texas Rangers’ pitching Coach Mike Maddux, Cleveland Indians’ bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Philadelphia
Phillies’ bench coach Pete Mackanin. Epstein might have signed Terry Francona, but the Red Sox former manager withdrew from the position on Thursday.
Epstein introduced Dale in front of the media on Friday, in the presence of many from the Red Sox, including vice president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod and general manager Jed Hoyer. Cubs hired Sveum for three years, according the sources
familiar with the situation, to fill the vacant position.
Epstein said, "He has a great combination of intelligence and intuition both between the lines and in the clubhouse. Next is his rare ability to hold players to high standards and hold them accountable, while also earning their respect and admiration. Dale
demands many of his players but is held in universally high regard by them. That's a tough thing to pull off."
Sveum expressed his commitment to bring the club into winning track and stated that the team needs to solve their major issues which were the main cause of such a humiliating season in 2011. According to Sveum, the team has many problems, but the major issue
was the lack of efficiency in the defence, which needed to be at its best for the next season.
"It's got to go in another direction to play this game like it's the seventh game of the World Series every day." Sveum said.
Sveum will be handling a club as manager for the first time at the big league level, since he retired as a player in 1999. However, he has been in charge of the Milwaukee Brewers for a short period in 2008.
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