Chicago Cubs need more help than Dave Martinez can provide

The Chicago Cubs interviewed Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez recently for their open managerial position. Martinez, 49, is a former Cubs player and has been with Tampa Bay for six years as an assistant to Joe Maddon, beginning in 2008 when the Rays lost in the World Series. Apparently the Cubs are hoping to build a winning atmosphere in the clubhouse, even if they can’t on the field.

“The game is changing and what I’ve learned from Joe is that you have to change with the game or you’ll fall behind,” Martinez said during a Q&A with FanGraphs. “I do everything Joe does, except I don’t have to deal with the media and I don’t get credit for anything. I help manage the game the way I see fit. I’m very opinionated and give Joe my opinions. Ultimately, he makes the final decisions, but I do the best I can to manage the games alongside him.”

The Cubs are an enigma, one of the most popular franchises in sports but also one of the most poorly run and unsuccessful. The Rays are a well-run organization who draft wisely and manage their finances. The Cubs do neither. It doesn’t take a genius or a new manager to be able to see the Cubs lack the three P’s: pitching, prospects and potential.

Instead of changing managers every two years, the Cubs should change scouting departments, player development personnel and front office management.

And if they want to take a faster route to success they should just double the salaries and hire every scout and personnel staff member from the St. Louis Cardinals.