There was no confirmation from the organization but multiple reports Wednesday night said Sveum, the hitting coach, has been offered a job that many had expected would be offered to Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux. But is it the only offer he will have to consider?
The , who have interviewed Sveum twice, remained a possibility after reports of the Cubs surfaced. Red Sox officials said they are considering expanding their search but have not ruled out Sveum. It was unclear, however, why they had not made an offer if Sveum was the guy they wanted.
Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said late Wednesday night the club would have no comment at that time. Baseball operations president Jed Hoyer were not returning emails.
Sveum, 47, was the Red Sox's third-base coach in 2004-05, when Epstein was their general manager. He left to join the Brewers in '06 but and had a stint as their interim manager in 2008.
Reports about the Cubs' offer surfaced about three hours after team chairman checked into the Pfister Hotel for owners meetings.
While Ricketts declined reporters' request for an interview, he talked casually in the lobby. During that conversation, he appeared to stumble after a reporter asked him if he had met with a job candidate. Epstein had said he and Hoyer would bring Ricketts into the process when they had selected a top candidate.
Did Ricketts meet with a candidate earlier in the day? Quite possible, and reports from SI.com's Jon Heyman and Fox 's Ken Rosenthal said Sveum was that guy.
Hoyer had confirmed the Cubs would talk to Sveum for a second time on Tuesday or Wednesday but downplayed the significance of that move, saying they were meeting him face-to-face, rather than on the telephone, only because the Red Sox were bringing him from Phoenix for a second interview.
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino and GM Ben Cherington told reporters Wednesday that they are considering widening their job search, not focusing on Sveum or any other candidate.
Epstein did not immediately comment on the reports.
If Sveum has been offered the job, it's possible he was not the first choice. Not only did pull out of consideration earlier in the day Wednesday Francona never was considered a strong factor in the search, and most likely dropped out to avoid being bypassed but MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reported Maddux "likely'' dropped out because of family considerations. That had not been confirmed Wednesday night.
The Cubs had formal interviews in Chicago with four candidates Sveum, Maddux, Indians coach Sandy Alomar Jr. and Phillies coach Pete Mackanin. Epstein and Hoyer also did a telephone interview with Red Sox coach DeMarlo Hale.
Epstein, Hoyer and vice president of scouting Jason McLeod interviewed Sveum for more than five hours at Fenway Park with the Red Sox and called the two managerial jobs the "most prestigious jobs in baseball almost, if not sports.''
Sveum is a low key guy who rarely lets his emotions get the best of him.
"Probably the only times I get too excited or emotional is when I'm arguing with umpires," Sveum said at Wrigley after his interview. "I don't show a lot of emotion, so stoic would be a better way of using my personality as a manager."
Yet he was nicknamed "Nuts'' during his career as a shortstop and No. 2 hitter.
Asked his theory on why the Cubs have not won the in 103 years, he said: "We wish we all had those answers. Being a baseball player and a coach for all these years, you always bring the Cubs up and why (they don't win). It's almost like a fluke that somebody with this kind of firepower hasn't won the World Series before.''
Sveum was interim manager for the Brewers after Ned Yost was fired in the final two weeks of the 2008 season, managing the final 12 games and the four division series games against the Phillies. He conceded it was "disappointing" not to get the job in 2009 but didn't "dwell on it."
Sveum was also the third base coach in Boston when the Red Sox ended their 86-year title drought in 2004.
Meanwhile, during the day, the TheoJed Show completed its first run with the Cubs at the general managers meetings, laying groundwork for future trades and possible free agent pursuits.
"It's a big project to move the team from 71 wins and also rebuild the farm system," Hoyer said.
Epstein and Hoyer have taken turns meeting the media, so it's interesting to see how they split the duties, with Epstein clearly in charge as president of baseball operations and Hoyer second in command.
"When we get into the course of the year, I'll probably do most of the handling of the major league staff and that will free (Epstein) up to do a lot of other things," Hoyer said.
"That was sort of the dynamic we discussed. It probably will evolve over time. But for right now we're both sort of all hands on deck and dealing with a lot of issues."
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