And it was the another "same old, same old" for the Chicago Cubs. It's not surprising that the Cubs have released Dale Sveum, the bigger surprise will be who they hire to replace him. Most are betting on Joe Girardi, who has not re-signed with the New York Yankees. It's too bad that Ryne Sandberg got hired by the Phillies, if for nothing other than to add some drama to the hiring process.

I think that Theo better get Girardi signed, otherwise who else is available? If you don't sign an experienced manager then what was the point of releasing Sveum? Perhaps the bigger question is, just how much are the Cubs willing to spend to get a manager AND add talent to the team. A good manager can make a big difference, case in point Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians, but you still must have talent. If Joe is smart, he is going to ask some hard questions about the Cub's plans to add talent during the off season. In my opinion we have come to the "make or break" time for Theo Epstein.