Ryne Sandberg
Encyclopedia
Ryne Dee Sandberg nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball
second baseman
. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs
. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren
, and is recognized as one of the best second basemen in baseball history. Sandberg was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005
; he was formally inducted in ceremonies on July 31, 2005.
Sandberg is currently the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
.
Sandberg established himself as a perennial All-Star
and Gold Glove candidate, making 10 consecutive All-Star appearances and winning nine consecutive Gold Gloves from to . His career .989 fielding percentage
is a major league record at second base.
, and was offered a chance to become quarterback at Washington State
. However, he turned it down after being drafted in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies
. He went on to make his major league debut as a shortstop
for the Phillies in .
However, the Phillies didn't have much room in the lineup for him at the time. The Phillies didn't think he could play shortstop, though he would have probably had trouble dislodging Larry Bowa
from that spot in any event. While he'd seen time in the minors at second base, third base
and center field
, he was blocked from those positions by Manny Trillo
, Mike Schmidt
and Garry Maddox, respectively. Accordingly, he was traded along with Bowa to the Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus
prior to the season. The trade, now reckoned as one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history, came about after negotiations between Bowa and the Phillies broke down for a new contract.
However, Cubs general manager
Dallas Green
, a former Phillies manager, wanted a young prospect to go along with the aging Bowa (as it turned out, Bowa would be out of baseball by 1985). Green had largely been responsible for the Phillies drafting Sandberg in 1978, when Green worked in the Phillies front office. The two have remained very close over the years. Years later, Phillies general manager Paul Owens
said that he didn't want to trade Sandberg, but Green and the Cubs weren't interested in any of the other prospects he offered. Owens then went back to his scouts, who told him Sandberg wouldn't be any more than a utility infielder. However, Sandberg had hit over .290 in the minors two years in a row. The trade is now considered one of the best (if not the best) in recent Cubs history. At the same time, it is considered one of the worst trades in Phillies history; DeJesus would only last three years in Philadelphia, and was out of baseball by 1988.
Sandberg is one of two Hall of Famers who came up through the Phillies farm system and earned their Hall of Fame credentials primarily as Cubs, the other being Ferguson Jenkins
. Similarly, Jenkins was traded to the Cubs in another lopsided trade (a multi-player trade for pitchers Larry Jackson
and Bob Buhl
).
, and he went on to be one of the top-rated rookies of 1982. However, Sandberg was displaced by Chicago's trade for veteran Ron Cey
following the 1982 season, so Sandberg moved to second base, where he became a star.
in his first season at the new position, Sandberg emerged with a breakout season in , in which he batted
.314 with 200 hits, 114 runs, 36 doubles, 19 homers
and triples, and 84 RBI
. He nearly became only the third player to collect 20 doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen base
s in the same season, led the Cubs to the National League
's Eastern Division
title (their first championship of any kind since 1945
), and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award
, the first by a Cub since Ernie Banks
' back-to-back honors in and .
After his great season in which he garnered national attention, he wrote an autobiography Ryno with Fred Mitchell.
in general) "on the map", an NBC national telecast of a Cardinals
–Cubs game on June 23, . The Cubs had been playing well throughout the season's first few months, but as a team unaccustomed to winning, they had not yet become a serious contender in the eyes of most baseball fans.
As for Sandberg, he had played two full seasons in the major leagues, and while he had shown himself to be a top-fielding second baseman and fast on the basepaths (over 30 stolen bases both seasons), his .260-ish batting average and single-digit home run production were respectable for his position but not especially noteworthy, and Sandberg was not talked about outside Chicago. The Game of the Week, however, put the sleeper Cubs on the national stage against their regional rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams were well-established franchises with a strong fan base outside the Chicago and St. Louis area.
In the ninth inning, the Cubs trailed 9-8, and faced the premier relief pitcher of the time, Bruce Sutter
. Sutter was at the forefront of the emergence of the closer in the late 1970s and early 1980s: a hard-throwing pitcher who typically came in just for the ninth inning and saved around 30 games a season. (Sutter was especially dominant in 1984, saving 45 games.) However, in the ninth inning, Sandberg, not yet known for his power, slugged a home run to left field against the Cardinals' ace closer. Despite this dramatic act, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the tenth. Sandberg came up again in the tenth inning, facing a determined Sutter with one man on base. As Cubs' radio announcer Harry Caray
described it:
The Cubs went on to win in the 11th inning. The Cardinals' Willie McGee
had already been named NBC's player of the game before Sandberg's first home run. As NBC
play-by-play man Bob Costas
(who called the game with Tony Kubek
) said when Sandberg hit that second home run, "Do you believe it?!" The game is sometimes called "The Sandberg Game". The winning run for the Cubs was driven in by a single off the bat of Dave Owen
.
and Barry Bonds
are the only players to have both a 40-homer (1990) and 50-steal season during their careers. Sandberg played a then major league-record 123 straight games at second base without an error. This record was later broken by Plácido Polanco
, then of the Detroit Tigers
.
.
as an analyst during the baseball season. He is also a former baseball columnist for Yahoo! Sports
.
, who was ultimately elected to join the Hall in 2010.
Following his Hall of Fame induction, Sandberg had his number 23 retired in a ceremony at Wrigley Field on August 28, , before a Cubs game against the Florida Marlins
. He became only the fourth Chicago Cub to have his number retired, following Ernie Banks
(#14), Billy Williams (#26), and Ron Santo
(#10). Since then, #31 (Ferguson Jenkins
and Greg Maddux
) has been retired. Since his retirement, no other Cub had been assigned #23. Sandberg has worn his uniform number 23 in past jobs as a Cubs spring training instructor and Peoria Chiefs manager. He also wore that number during his time with the Iowa Cubs as their manager.
.
After the 2006 season, Sandberg was named manager of the Class-A Peoria Chiefs
in the Midwest League
. Following two seasons with Peoria, Sandberg was promoted to manager of the Double-A Tennessee Smokies
, and the next year was named manager of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
. Sandberg was named Pacific Coast League
Manager of the Year in 2010.
Sandberg has said that his ideal job would be to manage the Chicago Cubs. Former manager Lou Piniella
suggested that Sandberg, as manager of the Cubs' top minor-league affiliate, would be in the mix to replace him when he retires after the 2010 season.
However the position was given to interim manager Mike Quade
.
Sandberg left the Cubs organization and on November 15, 2010, returned to his original organization as manager of the Phillies' top minor-league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Ryno Kid Care's mission is "dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families, by providing supportive, compassionate and meaningful programming."
Ryno Kid Care is no longer in operations.
with Washington State University
. However, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
and chose to turn professional in baseball.
His last game at Wrigley Field
on September 21, 1997 was also the last game during which Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray
would perform "Take Me Out to the Ball Game
" during the seventh-inning stretch
, as Caray died the following offseason.
On August 8, 1988, during the first scheduled night game at Wrigley Field
, Morganna the Kissing Bandit almost kissed him, but was intercepted by park security; he knocked the next pitch out of the park, to thunderous applause. All events of that night were voided however, as the game was called in the fourth inning and wiped out.
Sandberg also lobbied to be the Cubs' new manager after the 2006 season. General Manager Jim Hendry
thought Sandberg wanted to just have dinner when Sandberg called him; unbeknownst to Hendry, it was an interview for the job. Sandberg was a long shot, and the Cubs ended up hiring Lou Piniella
, but Hendry hinted at perhaps hiring Sandberg for one of the Cubs' minor league affiliates. This was realized on December 5, 2006, when Sandberg was named manager of the Cubs' Class A affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs
of the Midwest League
, replacing former 1984 Cub teammate Jody Davis. In his first season as Manager of the Chiefs, he took his team to the Midwest League Championship Game, the Chiefs lost to the Lansing Lugnuts
, a former Cubs affiliate. Sandberg's final game as manager of the Chiefs was on August 28, 2008, against the Clinton LumberKings
.
In December 2008 Sandberg was named manager of the Tennessee Smokies
Class Double A Team in the Southern League.
In December 2009 Sandberg was named manager of the Iowa Cubs. It was announced on September 3, 2010 that Sandberg was named as the Pacific Coast League
's Manager of the Year for 2010
His nephew, Jared Sandberg
, was a third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren
Ryne Duren
Rinold George "Ryne" Duren was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick coke bottle glasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren...
, and is recognized as one of the best second basemen in baseball history. Sandberg was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2005
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2005 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001. The Baseball Writers Association of America held an election to select from recent players, and the Veterans Committee held a separate election to select from players retired more than 20...
; he was formally inducted in ceremonies on July 31, 2005.
Sandberg is currently the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Lehigh Valley IronPigs
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a minor league baseball team that plays in the International League. The IronPigs are the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The team plays their home games at Coca-Cola Park, which is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Sandberg established himself as a perennial All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
and Gold Glove candidate, making 10 consecutive All-Star appearances and winning nine consecutive Gold Gloves from to . His career .989 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
is a major league record at second base.
Philadelphia Phillies
Sandberg was a star high school quarterback in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, and was offered a chance to become quarterback at Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
. However, he turned it down after being drafted in the 20th round of the 1978 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He went on to make his major league debut as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for the Phillies in .
However, the Phillies didn't have much room in the lineup for him at the time. The Phillies didn't think he could play shortstop, though he would have probably had trouble dislodging Larry Bowa
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
from that spot in any event. While he'd seen time in the minors at second base, third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and center field
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, he was blocked from those positions by Manny Trillo
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo , also nicknamed "Indio", is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from to...
, Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
and Garry Maddox, respectively. Accordingly, he was traded along with Bowa to the Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus
Ivan DeJesus
Iván Alvarez DeJesús is a former Major League Baseball player from 1974 to 1988 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Detroit Tigers. DeJesús was regarded as a good fielding but light hitting shortstop...
prior to the season. The trade, now reckoned as one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history, came about after negotiations between Bowa and the Phillies broke down for a new contract.
However, Cubs general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
Dallas Green
Dallas Green
George Dallas Green is a former pitcher, manager, and executive in Major League Baseball. After playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and two other teams, he went on to manage the Phillies, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets, and managed the Phillies when they won their first World Series...
, a former Phillies manager, wanted a young prospect to go along with the aging Bowa (as it turned out, Bowa would be out of baseball by 1985). Green had largely been responsible for the Phillies drafting Sandberg in 1978, when Green worked in the Phillies front office. The two have remained very close over the years. Years later, Phillies general manager Paul Owens
Paul Owens (baseball)
Paul Francis Owens was an American front office executive and manager in Major League Baseball.-Philadelphia Phillies:Owens' entire Major League career was spent with the Philadelphia Phillies...
said that he didn't want to trade Sandberg, but Green and the Cubs weren't interested in any of the other prospects he offered. Owens then went back to his scouts, who told him Sandberg wouldn't be any more than a utility infielder. However, Sandberg had hit over .290 in the minors two years in a row. The trade is now considered one of the best (if not the best) in recent Cubs history. At the same time, it is considered one of the worst trades in Phillies history; DeJesus would only last three years in Philadelphia, and was out of baseball by 1988.
Sandberg is one of two Hall of Famers who came up through the Phillies farm system and earned their Hall of Fame credentials primarily as Cubs, the other being Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
. Similarly, Jenkins was traded to the Cubs in another lopsided trade (a multi-player trade for pitchers Larry Jackson
Larry Jackson
Lawrence Curtis Jackson was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies from 1955 to 1968...
and Bob Buhl
Bob Buhl
Robert Ray Buhl was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies...
).
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs, who initially wanted Sandberg to play center field, installed him as their third basemanThird baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, and he went on to be one of the top-rated rookies of 1982. However, Sandberg was displaced by Chicago's trade for veteran Ron Cey
Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey |Washington]]) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics . Cey batted and threw right-handed...
following the 1982 season, so Sandberg moved to second base, where he became a star.
1984
After winning a Gold Glove AwardGold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
in his first season at the new position, Sandberg emerged with a breakout season in , in which he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.314 with 200 hits, 114 runs, 36 doubles, 19 homers
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
and triples, and 84 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He nearly became only the third player to collect 20 doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in the same season, led the Cubs to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Eastern Division
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
title (their first championship of any kind since 1945
1945 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season was a season in American baseball. The team won the National League pennant with a record of 98-56, 3 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals. The team went on to the 1945 World Series, which they lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games...
), and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
, the first by a Cub since Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
' back-to-back honors in and .
After his great season in which he garnered national attention, he wrote an autobiography Ryno with Fred Mitchell.
"The Sandberg Game"
One game in particular was cited for putting Sandberg (as well as the 1984 Cubs1984 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 1984 season was the 109th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 96-65 in first place of the National League Eastern Division. Chicago was managed by Jim Frey and the general manager was Dallas Green...
in general) "on the map", an NBC national telecast of a Cardinals
1984 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 1984 season was the team's 103rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 93rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 84-78 during the season and finished 3rd in the National League East, 12½ games behind their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs...
–Cubs game on June 23, . The Cubs had been playing well throughout the season's first few months, but as a team unaccustomed to winning, they had not yet become a serious contender in the eyes of most baseball fans.
As for Sandberg, he had played two full seasons in the major leagues, and while he had shown himself to be a top-fielding second baseman and fast on the basepaths (over 30 stolen bases both seasons), his .260-ish batting average and single-digit home run production were respectable for his position but not especially noteworthy, and Sandberg was not talked about outside Chicago. The Game of the Week, however, put the sleeper Cubs on the national stage against their regional rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams were well-established franchises with a strong fan base outside the Chicago and St. Louis area.
In the ninth inning, the Cubs trailed 9-8, and faced the premier relief pitcher of the time, Bruce Sutter
Bruce Sutter
Howard Bruce Sutter is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He was arguably the first pitcher to make effective use of the splitter....
. Sutter was at the forefront of the emergence of the closer in the late 1970s and early 1980s: a hard-throwing pitcher who typically came in just for the ninth inning and saved around 30 games a season. (Sutter was especially dominant in 1984, saving 45 games.) However, in the ninth inning, Sandberg, not yet known for his power, slugged a home run to left field against the Cardinals' ace closer. Despite this dramatic act, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the tenth. Sandberg came up again in the tenth inning, facing a determined Sutter with one man on base. As Cubs' radio announcer Harry Caray
Harry Caray
Harry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
described it:
The Cubs went on to win in the 11th inning. The Cardinals' Willie McGee
Willie McGee
Willie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career...
had already been named NBC's player of the game before Sandberg's first home run. As NBC
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
play-by-play man Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
(who called the game with Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
) said when Sandberg hit that second home run, "Do you believe it?!" The game is sometimes called "The Sandberg Game". The winning run for the Cubs was driven in by a single off the bat of Dave Owen
Dave Owen
Dave Owen , is a former professional baseball player who played infielder in the Major Leagues from -. He played for the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. He got the game-winning RBI game during the The Sandberg Game. He attended the University of Texas at Arlington and played for the...
.
1990
In , Sandberg led the National League in home runs–a rarity for a second baseman–with 40. Sandberg was only the third second baseman to hit 40 home runs; Rogers Hornsby and Davey Johnson hit 42, and no American League second baseman has yet reached forty. Sandberg also batted in 100 runs, despite batting second in the order. His batting average did not suffer from his new level of power, as he finished at .306 for the season. Sandberg, Brady AndersonBrady Anderson
Brady Kevin Anderson is an American former outfielder with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians of Major League Baseball...
and Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
are the only players to have both a 40-homer (1990) and 50-steal season during their careers. Sandberg played a then major league-record 123 straight games at second base without an error. This record was later broken by Plácido Polanco
Plácido Polanco
Plácido Enrique Polanco is a Major League Baseball player who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers. He is a third baseman, but in the past has played second base and shortstop...
, then of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
.
1992
On March 2, , Sandberg became the highest paid player in baseball at the time, signing a $28.4 million ($ today) four-year extension worth $7.1 million ($ today) a season. He earned a spot on the NL All-Star roster and an NL Silver Slugger Award at second base with a .304 batting average, 26 home runs, 100 runs, and 87 runs batted in.1994
After struggling early in the season, Sandberg retired in . While he had been a historically slow starter throughout his entire career, his 1994 start was slower than normal. In his book, Second to Home, Sandberg said,1996–1997
Sandberg returned to the Chicago Cubs for the and seasons, retiring again with a career batting average of .285, and a record 277 home runs as a second baseman; this record was surpassed in by Jeff KentJeff Kent
Jeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
.
Post-playing career
Initially, Sandberg kept a low profile after retiring. However, in , Sandberg accepted his first marketing deal since his retirement, agreeing to be spokesman for National City Bank. He also appeared on ESPN Radio 1000ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
as an analyst during the baseball season. He is also a former baseball columnist for Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports
Yahoo! Sports was launched on December 8, 1997. It receives a majority of its information from STATS, Inc., employs various writers, and has team pages for teams in almost every North American sport...
.
Hall of Fame induction
Sandberg delivered what many traditionalist fans considered a stirring speech at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2005. He thanked the writers who voted for him because it meant that he played the game the way he had been taught it should be played. He spoke several times of respect for the game, and chided a subset of current players who, in his opinion, lack that respect. Specifically, he spoke of how the game needs more than home run hitters, citing that turning a double-play and laying down a sacrifice bunt are weapons many of today's greats don't value. He also made a strong pitch for induction of his former teammate, Andre DawsonAndre Dawson
Andre Nolan Dawson , nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs .An 8-time National League All-Star, he was named the...
, who was ultimately elected to join the Hall in 2010.
Sandberg's number is retired
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. He became only the fourth Chicago Cub to have his number retired, following Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
(#14), Billy Williams (#26), and Ron Santo
Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo was an American professional baseball player and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive...
(#10). Since then, #31 (Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
and Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
) has been retired. Since his retirement, no other Cub had been assigned #23. Sandberg has worn his uniform number 23 in past jobs as a Cubs spring training instructor and Peoria Chiefs manager. He also wore that number during his time with the Iowa Cubs as their manager.
Managerial career
Sandberg formerly served as a spring training instructor for the Cubs in Mesa, ArizonaMesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
.
After the 2006 season, Sandberg was named manager of the Class-A Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
in the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
. Following two seasons with Peoria, Sandberg was promoted to manager of the Double-A Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
, and the next year was named manager of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
. Sandberg was named Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
Manager of the Year in 2010.
Sandberg has said that his ideal job would be to manage the Chicago Cubs. Former manager Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
suggested that Sandberg, as manager of the Cubs' top minor-league affiliate, would be in the mix to replace him when he retires after the 2010 season.
However the position was given to interim manager Mike Quade
Mike Quade
Mike Quade is the former manager of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Prior to this, he served as the Cubs' third base coach and was the former manager of the Iowa Cubs, the AAA baseball team for the Chicago Cubs....
.
Sandberg left the Cubs organization and on November 15, 2010, returned to his original organization as manager of the Phillies' top minor-league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Charity foundations
Sandberg and his wife, Margaret, founded Ryno Kid Care to assist in the lives of children with serious illnesses. The organization provides anything from big brothers to a home-cooked meal. Ryno Kid Care also provides massage therapists and clowns dressed up as doctors and nurses to brighten the children's day.Ryno Kid Care's mission is "dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families, by providing supportive, compassionate and meaningful programming."
Ryno Kid Care is no longer in operations.
Other information
In 1977, Sandberg was named to Parade Magazine's High School All-American football team, identifying him as one of the top two football players in the state of Washington. He was recruited to play quarterback at NCAA Division I colleges, and eventually signed a letter of intentNational Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
with Washington State University
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
. However, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and chose to turn professional in baseball.
His last game at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
on September 21, 1997 was also the last game during which Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray
Harry Caray
Harry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
would perform "Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song. The song is traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch of...
" during the seventh-inning stretch
Seventh-inning stretch
The seventh-inning stretch is a tradition in baseball that takes place between the halves of the seventh inning of any game – in the middle of the seventh inning. Fans generally stand up and stretch out their arms and legs and sometimes walk around. It is a popular time to get a late-game snack as...
, as Caray died the following offseason.
On August 8, 1988, during the first scheduled night game at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Morganna the Kissing Bandit almost kissed him, but was intercepted by park security; he knocked the next pitch out of the park, to thunderous applause. All events of that night were voided however, as the game was called in the fourth inning and wiped out.
Sandberg also lobbied to be the Cubs' new manager after the 2006 season. General Manager Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry is da greatest white guitar player there ever was. both herman li and thomas dookul and brandon co-oper agree...
thought Sandberg wanted to just have dinner when Sandberg called him; unbeknownst to Hendry, it was an interview for the job. Sandberg was a long shot, and the Cubs ended up hiring Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
, but Hendry hinted at perhaps hiring Sandberg for one of the Cubs' minor league affiliates. This was realized on December 5, 2006, when Sandberg was named manager of the Cubs' Class A affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
, replacing former 1984 Cub teammate Jody Davis. In his first season as Manager of the Chiefs, he took his team to the Midwest League Championship Game, the Chiefs lost to the Lansing Lugnuts
Lansing Lugnuts
The Lansing Lugnuts are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Toronto Blue Jays, that plays in the Midwest League.The Midwest League came to Lansing, Michigan in 1996. The franchise began in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1955; after two seasons it moved to Waterloo, Iowa, where it...
, a former Cubs affiliate. Sandberg's final game as manager of the Chiefs was on August 28, 2008, against the Clinton LumberKings
Clinton LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings are a Midwest League Class A minor league baseball team based in Clinton, Iowa, USA, affiliated with the Seattle Mariners.-History:Clinton joined the Midwest League in 1954 and is the oldest franchise in the league...
.
In December 2008 Sandberg was named manager of the Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
Class Double A Team in the Southern League.
In December 2009 Sandberg was named manager of the Iowa Cubs. It was announced on September 3, 2010 that Sandberg was named as the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
's Manager of the Year for 2010
His nephew, Jared Sandberg
Jared Sandberg
Jared Lawrence Sandberg is a former American Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The nephew of former Chicago Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg, he is currently the manager of the Class-A level Hudson Valley Renegades in the Rays organization.Sandberg was born in...
, was a third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
.
Managerial statistics
| Team | |Regular Season | Peoria Chiefs Peoria Chiefs The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League.... Midwest League Midwest League The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort... |
2007 | 139 | 71 | 68 | .511 | T-4th in West Division | – | – | – | – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 138 | 60 | 78 | .435 | 7th in West Division | – | – | – | – | |||
| Peoria Chiefs Total | 277 | 131 | 146 | .473 | - | – | – | – | – | |||
| Tennessee Smokies Tennessee Smokies The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season... Southern League Southern League (baseball) The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams... |
2009 | 140 | 71 | 69 | .507 | 2nd in North Division | 4 | 4 | .500 | lost in Southern League Finals | ||
| Tennessee Smokies Total | 140 | 71 | 69 | .507 | - | 4 | 4 | .500 | 1 playoff appearence | |||
| Iowa Cubs Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:... Pacific Coast League Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The... |
2010 | 144 | 82 | 62 | .569 | T-1st in PCL American - North Division | – | – | – | – | ||
| Iowa Cubs Total | 144 | 82 | 62 | .569 | 1 Divisional Title | – | – | – | – | |||
| Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs International League International League The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States... |
2011 | 144 | 80 | 64 | .555 | 2nd in INT North 1st in Wild Card |
4 | 3 | .571 | lost in Governors' Cup Finals | ||
| Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs Total | 144 | 80 | 64 | .555 | 1 Wild Card | 4 | 3 | .571 | 1 playoff appearance | |||
| Total | 705 | 364 | 341 | .516 | 8 | 7 | .533 | 2 playoff appearances | ||||
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions