SOON AFTER he was hired to run the Chicago Cubs in the fall of 2011, Theo Epstein named Dale Sveum to be his manager. As the Brewers' hitting coach, Sveum had a reputation not just for developing young hitters, but for being a tough, no-nonsense type and requiring accountability from those who played for him. The Cubs needed that discipline as their organizational philosophy veered toward perennial restocking and patience, much as the Phillies have done recently.
Two seasons and 197 losses later, Sveum was fired with a year left on his contract. His two young hitters, Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro, had taken huge steps backward.