CHICAGO -- First-time manager Rick Renteria is focused on the future of the Chicago Cubs, rather than their past failures.
Jimmy Butler Bulls Jersey . Renteria preached accountability Thursday when he was introduced via teleconference as the
franchises 53rd manager. He takes on a challenging job that goes beyond merely
trying to bring a winning team to Wrigley Field. The development of young
ballplayers has been labeled as one of his strengths. And with Starlin Castro
and Anthony Rizzo needing help, the former San Diego Padres bench coach has got
lots of work ahead of him with a team that finished 66-96. "My personality
doesnt allow for being counted out," Renteria said. "I think what were trying to
do between the lines will speak for itself. In the end, were all judged in one
fashion or another, but I dont preoccupy myself too much about what I thinks
going to happen. I preoccupy myself with what I want to do." First thing he
needs to do: Get healthy. Renteria will be introduced at Wrigley at a later date
as he is recuperating in San Diego following hip surgery in October. The
51-year-old Renteria got a three-year contract with club options for 2017 and
2018. He is another unproven hire by team president Theo Epstein and the Cubs
after the struggling organization initially expressed interest in New York
Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Girardi, a Peoria, Ill., native and Northwestern
product who once played for the Cubs, signed a four-year contract worth up to
$20 million to stay with New York. "Ricks reputation is impeccable," Epstein
said. "He stood out throughout the process to lead the Chicago Cubs into our
next chapter." "You cant find anybody in this game to say a bad or neutral word
about Rick Renteria," he said. The Cubs are relying on Renteria to improve on a
127-197 record during Dale Sveums two years as manager. Despite the franchises
four consecutive losing seasons and a last-place finish in the NL Central in
2013, Renteria refused to accept the assumption that the Cubs wont be
competitive next year. The Cubs last made the playoffs in 2008 and have not won
a playoff game since 2003. Under Renteria, theyll be coming off their first
last-place finish in seven seasons. Renteria, who has spent 30 years in pro
ball, is the latest manager hoping to bring the Cubs their first World Series
title since 1908. "I cant speak to whats happened in the past," he said. "I can
only think about moving forward with the kids that we have and the product thats
being placed before us." "I know it might sound naive, but I still believe that
any team that goes in and plays between the lines has a chance to win a ballgame
every single day," he said. "If I was to come in here and assume that we were
going to lose, what kind of expectations am I laying for the players who are
here?" Epstein said the rest of the coaching staff with be announced in the
coming days and will feature a mix of turnover and returning coaches. Renteria
does have history with the Cubs front office, which immediately put him on its
radar when the managerial position opened. General manager Jed Hoyer and senior
vice-president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod both worked with
Renteria during their days in San Diego. "It was very clear when I was in San
Diego that Rick was going to be a big league manager and pretty quickly," Hoyer
said. Renteria spent the last six seasons in San Diego, the last three as bench
coach. He also has coached in the Miami Marlins organization and in March
managed Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Besides Renteria, the Cubs
interviewed former Mariners and Indians manager Eric Wedge, Rays bench coach
Dave Martinez, former Nationals and Indians manager Manny Acta, former
Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch and Brad Ausmus, who was hired by the Tigers on
Sunday. The Cubs have dumped long-term contracts and traded most anyone of value
in an effort to stock the farm system ever since Epstein was hired, hoping the
payoff will be the sort of championship success he enjoyed in the front office
in Boston. Among Renterias tasks will be getting the most out of Castro at
shortstop and Rizzo at first base, two young players who have long-term
contracts. Both were underwhelming last season and pitcher Jeff Samardzija had
an up-and-down season. Renteria believes Rizzo, who he worked with in 2011
before getting traded to the Cubs, has a "tremendous future ahead of him."
Settling in with his approach at the plate will be key, Renteria said. "Hes a
very gifted athlete and obviously has some tremendous power," Renteria said. "He
has a very good eye." With prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and
Kris Bryant in the pipeline, the Cubs made it clear they want to provide the
right environment for their young players to develop. Renterias bilingual
background enhanced his resume with his ability to speak Spanish with Latin
players. That will only help communication between the coaching staff and
players, which was an issue at times the past two seasons. "Im hoping to be a
good coach who happens to speak Spanish," Renteria said. "But I think the
ability to communicate in the same language, it sometimes creates a bit of a
comfort zone." Renteria was a minor league manager in the minors for eight years
with the Padres and Marlins. That followed a 13-year playing career as an
infielder that included all or part of five seasons with the Pirates (1986),
Mariners (1987-88) and Marlins (1993-94). The 1980 draft pick was a career .237
hitter with 20 doubles, four home runs and 41 RBIs in 184 major league games.
Isaiah Thomas Celtics Jersey . Louis Blues were workmanlike, methodical and -- most of all -- effective on Monday night.
Al Horford Celtics Jersey . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West
Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. PHOENIX -- The San Antonio Spurs were
worn out at the end of a nine-game road trip, and they prefer a slower pace even
in the best of times. So their winter journey ended in Phoenix, against the NBAs
top fast-break team with arguably the leagues fastest player in Ish Smith. The
result was a 106-85 Suns victory. Smith scored a career-high 15 points, matched
his career best of seven rebounds and triggered a decisive second-quarter run.
"Im like Ricky Bobby (from the Will Ferrell movie "Talladega Nights"), I want to
go fast," Smith said. "The biggest thing with us is we want to play that pace.
We want to constantly push the ball, push the ball. Thats what makes us really
good." Markieff Morris scored 21 points and Channing Frye 17 for Phoenix.
Gerald Green and Marcus Morris added 13 apiece. Danny Green had 15 points and
Tim Duncan 13 for the Spurs, who finished a nine-game road trip, the teams
annual sojourn while a rodeo is held back home. The Spurs went 6-3 on the swing.
The Suns, 3-0 since the All-Star break, snapped San Antonios three-game winning
streak and climbed to a season-high 12 games above .500. "You never know how you
are going to get a team," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "They have been on the
road for a long time, they were probably itching to get back home. They had an
off night and we had a decent night. We will take it." The Spurs NBA-best road
record dropped to 22-8. "They made shots, we didnt, and we turned it over," San
Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "It wasnt bad. Our ninth road game in a row,
they played hard and we couldnt stick it in the hole. It happens. It was a great
trip. Six and three on that trip under the circumstances of all the guys out and
back and forth, I thought they were great." The Suns outscored San Antonio 28-12
in the second quarter to lead 47-35 at the break, the Spurs lowest scoring half
of the season With a lineup of mostly bench players, the Suns scored 19 points
in a row in what eventually became a 26-3 second-quarter run..
Anthony Davis USA Jersey. . San Antonio got the first basket of the quarter, then didnt score again until Duncans
three-point play with 5:11 to play in the period. Frye responded with a
3-pointer, then Smith scored twice inside, the second on a nifty underhanded
layup in traffic, and Phoenix had its biggest lead of the half, 45-28, with 3:06
to play. Smith, getting added court time because Leandro Barbosa was out with a
sprained left big toe, was 5-for-5 shooting in the second quarter for 10 points
with five rebounds, two assists and a steal. "(Russell) Westbrook is fast, but
hes not like dash fast, first step," teammate Goran Dragic said. "Ish is
special. Its harder because hes so small and when he goes low, its even harder
to stay in front of him." Smith almost singlehandedly speeded up the game. "The
game was kind of their pace," Hornacek said. "I think we were down 21-17 when he
came in and he got the tempo going, really pushed the ball, got our guys in that
running mode." San Antonios 12-point second quarter matched its lowest-scoring
quarter of the season. The Suns outscored the Spurs 17-7 to open the second
half, taking a 64-42 lead on Fryes 3-pointer with 5:39 left in the period. About
that time, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich sat Duncan and Manu Ginobili for the
night. Ginobili, a game-time decision because of a sore hamstring, played 13
minutes. For the Spurs, Patty Mills was 2 of 14 from the field and
Marco Belinelli 1 for 8. San Antonio was 2 of 21 from 3-point range. The
21-point loss was the second-worst of the season for San Antonio. The Spurs lost
by 23 at the Los Angeles Clippers Dec. 16. NOTES: Phoenix snapped a five-game
losing streak against the Spurs. ... Tony Parker missed his fourth game in a row
for what Popovich labeled an assortment of ailments. ... Popovich drew a
technical seven minutes into the game and the Suns P.J. Tucker got one in the
second quarter. ... The Spurs have five days off before playing their first home
game since Feb. 1, against Detroit next Wednesday.
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