Chicago Cubs: Four choices to serve as David Ross’ bench coach

Chicago Cubs: Can the team entice Wallach to embrace the grind?

At the end of the 2019 season, Tim Wallach informed the Miami Marlins he would not be returning in his role as bench coach, citing a desire to be closer to his family in California. The question if you’re the Cubs? Is Chicago close enough?

Wallach spent the last four years under Don Mattingly in South Beach – and the five prior to that with him in Los Angeles as a member of the Dodgers coaching staff. He’s got the experience, to be sure – it all comes down to whether or not he’d want to stay in the game with such a time-heavy commitment.

A five-time All-Star during a 17-year playing career, Wallach racked up over 2,000 base hits in the Majors. He’s spent time on big league coaching staffs and as a manager in the Dodgers’ farm system. He checks a ton of those ‘experience’ boxes those firmly opposed to David Ross’ hiring as manager constantly point to as issues.

That all being said, the 62-year-old Wallach made it clear – he wasn’t retiring. But seeing him serve in more of a special advisory role in a front office seems more likely than his returning as a bench coach in 2020.