The Chicago Cubs today named Mike Quade manager of the major league club for the rest of the season, starting tomorrow at Washington. The remainder of the coaching staff will remain intact and corresponding coaching assignment announcements are forthcoming.
Quade is in his eighth season in the Cubs organization. Prior to his time on Lou Piniella’s major league staff as third base and outfield coach, he spent the previous four seasons as manager of Chicago’s Triple-A Iowa affiliate (2003-06).
He guided the I-Cubs to a 289-279 mark, a pair of first-place finishes and one appearance in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series (2004).
Overall, Quade has 17 years and 2,378 games of experience as a manager at the minor league level, compiling a career 1,213-1,165 mark (.510 winning percentage) and seven years of experience on a major league coaching staff (2007-10 with the Cubs and 2000-02 as first base coach with Oakland).
A native of the Chicago area, Quade spent five seasons as an outfielder in Pittsburgh ’s minor league system (1979-82) before retiring and entering the coaching ranks.
And of course, Quade’s ascension was made possible because Lou Piniella today elected to step down for family reasons.
“When I previously announced my intentions to retire at the end of the season, a primary reason for my decision was that it would allow me to spend more valuable time with my family,” said Piniella. “That time has unfortunately gotten here sooner than I could have ever expected. As many know, the several weeks since that announcement was made have been very difficult on a family level, requiring two leaves of absence from the club. While I fully intended to manage this club the rest of the season, a family situation at home now requires my full attention.”
Piniella enters his final game with the Cubs with a 316-292 record in his three-plus seasons in Chicago. Only seven managers have won more games than Piniella in club history, while his .520 winning percentage is the best since Charlie Grimm’s .547 combined mark from 1932-38, 1944-49 and 1960 (minimum 500 games). Piniella is the first Cubs manager in 100 years to lead the club to consecutive post-season appearances in 2007 and 2008.
