FanHouse RyneSandberg

Ryne Sandberg, known affectionately as "Ryno" in Wrigleyville, played 15 seasons for the Chicago Cubs in his Hall of Fame career. He went to 10 All-Star games, won nine gold gloves and brought home an MVP. At present, Sandberg manages the Tennesse Smokies -- the Cubs' Double-A affiliate. He previously managed for the Cubs in Single-A as well, so it appears the Cubs are moving him along in hopes he could one day manage the big-league club.

Current Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose contract expires at the end of 2010 -- at which point he'll likely retire from managing -- believes Ryno will be considered for the 2011 job opening.

Jeff Kent, one of the best hitting second basemen in major league history, is set to announce his retirement from baseball Thursday after 17 years in the big leagues.

Kent was still productive last year, at seasonal age 40, but injured his knee and played only a small role in the Dodgers' final push toward the NL West title. Could he have been productive again this year? Sure, but given the way the market is treating players his age and with his skillset, Kent probably would have had to take a dramatic paycut to continue his career. It's hard to blame someone who's already set for life for deciding not to spend another year away from his family, especially at a discount rate.

And with that, the discussion about Kent's legacy -- to be more specific his Hall of Fame case -- can begin.

Minor league brawls come, and minor league brawls go. But this one is a shameful doozy, as the Class A affiliates of the Reds (Dayton Dragons) and Cubs (Peoria Chiefs) went at it hard Thursday night. After Julio Castillo hit two batters in the first inning in response to one of his own players getting hit, and a hard slide by the player that was hit in the head (Angel Cabrerra), the "fun" begins. After the managers (Donnie Scott for Peoria, and former Padre Carmelo Martinez for Peoria, who was filling in for Ryne Sandberg) start screaming at each other, Castillo saw it as an opportunity to throw at another Dayton Dragon. Only this time he missed ... and hit a fan in the stands who had to go to the hospital!!!

Castillo was arrested and charged with a felony assault charge. The fan was treated for injuries, and there's no report on his injuries so far.

So here's a nifty idea: the Cubs, beholders of the precious night game inside their stadium -- are ceding their July 29 evening to let their Class A affiliate Peoria squad take on the Kane County Cougars. (Sidenote: The only foul ball I've ever caught at a baseball game was at a Kane County Cougars game.)

The reasoning? To let Peoria Chiefs coach and former Cub second baseman Ryne Sandberg show off the Cubs No. 1 pick Josh Vitters.

"I think it will be very cool," said Sandberg, the Hall of Famer in his second season as Chiefs manager. "It's an opportunity for everybody involved, probably the chance of a lifetime for some of these players to come here and play at Wrigley. I can't imagine what that will be like."

The game-the only one in town that day with the White Sox playing in Minnesota and the Cubs in Milwaukee-will include team mascots, T-shirts being shot into the bleachers and kids running the bases afterward, or, as Kenney said, "things we've never really done here before to bring the spirit of the minor-league system into Wrigley Field for a night."

Three cheers to the Cubs for letting these teams play inside an MLB stadium: should be fun for all parties involved and might be the highlight off some of these kids' careers. And sweet, t-shirt guns? Whooooo!

Minor League Spotlight is the FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. Although you probably figured that out already.

I've always wondered just how well success as a professional athlete translates into the coaching realm. Just because Michael Jordan awed us for years out on the hardwood would that make him a good fit for a coach? In my assessment, it's a sporadic endeavor at best. Phil Jackson wasn't a prolific player, but he knows what he's doing in the suit and tie. (Sorry for the overt Chicago references here.)

In the end, it's not really how good you were at the sport in your playing days, but rather your knowledge of situations, smarts and intuition that makes you a good coach.

In any event, one of the greatest second basemens ever to play baseball is trying his hands at the coaching game: one Mr. Ryan Ryne Sandberg. He's back with the Cubbies as the manger of their class-A affiliate -- the Peoria Chiefs.

Now Sandberg is managing baseball babies, a Hall of Famer starting over at the bottom but with the same goal as his players-to someday be in Wrigley Field for real.

"We've talked about it," he said. "I'm trying to get to the big leagues. We're all at the same level. We're all working hard and we're all looking to learn.

"I'm doing that just like them."

It will be interesting to see if Sandberg can ascend to the majors just like he did as a player. I'm a little too young to remember Sandburg and his mid-80s brilliance, but as I said previously, it really doesn't matter what he did on the field. What he can bring to the table as a manager will rely heavily on his decision-making and smarts, not on his penchant for Gold Gloves.