Ryne Sandberg named as IronPigs manager

FROM THE MORNING CALL

Ex-Chicago Cub great Ryne Sandberg, a former player in the Phillies minor league organization, was named Monday morning as the new manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Sandberg, 51, spent the last four seasons as a manager in the Cubs' minor league system. He is a Hall of Fame second baseman.

He replaces Dave Huppert, who managed the IronPigs — the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate — the first three years of their existence.

Sandberg was the Pacific Coast League manager of the year in 2010 while leading Iowa to 82 wins and a first-place tie in the Northern Division but left the Cubs organization after being bypassed to succeed Lou Piniella in Chicago. Former Phillies coach and Triple-A manager Mike Quade got the job instead.

Sandberg's story has become legendary as one of the biggest "ones that got away" in baseball history. A 20th-round pick of the Phillies, Sandberg was a minor-league shortstop stuck behind Larry Bowa in the Phillies system when former Phillies manager and then Cubs general manager Dallas Green persuaded the Phillies to include Sandberg as a throw-in in a swap of shortstops between the two teams, Bowa for Ivan DeJesus. Sandberg went on to become a 10-time National League all-star and hit .285 in his career with 282 home runs, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 2,164 games. At the time of his retirement his 277 home runs as a second baseman was a major league record.

The rest of the 2011 minor league staff will be announced at a later date.

http://www.mcall.com/sports/baseball/ironpigs/mc-sandberg-1115-20101115,0,4325314.story