Just to shake things up, we at Goat Riders have decided to post a managerial piece that is both relevant and topical (this article is like suntan lotion with words). Today in the Trib, Dave Van Dyke sidestepped the ottoman and declared that Bochy may have been contacted and now may be the frontrunner for the Cubs' managerial postition. Just trying to sell papers? Hard to say, but he did site a source "close to the situation" which, to be honest, is more than we've got here. Before we get to the Bochy piece, let me just note that a huge log has been thrown into the anti-Piniella fire as White Sox "announcer" Hawk Harrelson strongly endorsed Piniella (reg. required).

"We would have the two best managers in the same city," Harrelson said. "If Lou comes, the Cubs' upside could be huge."

If by "best" Harrelson means "wackjobiest" then I fully agree. That being said, I rarely take my advice from people who can't form complete sentences. Let's hope Hendry heard this glowing praise and just said: "He Gone." So, is Bochy a better choice than Piniella (yes) or Girardi (maybe) or is he just another managerial re-tread? To find out, we went to Geoff Young, author of the very popular Padres' blog Ducksnorts. Here's what he had to say. You might notice a shocking similarity between these questions and those we asked about Torre. That's just a coincidence, we assure you. Okay, here's Geoff:

Is Bochy a good in-game manager? Strategy and what not. Is he agressive with the steals or more of a three-run homer type. Big on the double switch? You know, stuff like that. He is not a particularly good in-game manager (there are some who would say I'm being too kind in that assessment). He leans more toward the small-ball style, though that may be as much a function of his home park as anything. His pinch-hitting choices will drive you crazy sometimes, as he won't always send the best option up to the plate. He'll also call the hit-and-run just to "shake things up" on occasion, regardless of whether it makes sense to do so. Strategy isn't his strength. How does he handle his pitchers? Conservative with the pitch count or does he ride his horses? He used to ride his horses more than he does now. I wouldn't say that he's especially conservative, but in recent years he's had some good bullpen options and been more likely to use them earlier if needed. Jake Peavy is about the only guy he'll stretch out these days, and even then, it's not extreme. How does he feel about using rookies? Was he prone to falling in love with a crappy veteran over a superior young player? Historically he hasn't always been willing to give much responsibility to young hitters. This year he gave Josh Barfield and Adrian Gonzalez plenty of PT by necessity, but he's been more comfortable with established guys in the past. The young hitters he did use tended to be developed in other organizations (e.g., Quilvio Veras, Mark Kotsay). Also, if you give him crappy veterans (e.g., Deivi Cruz, Gary Bennett, Vinny Castilla, Mark Bellhorn), chances are he'll find a way to get them into the lineup too often. Bochy has shown more willingness to use the young pitchers at his disposal, which may be colored by the fact that GM Kevin Towers has given him better young pitchers than position players in the past. Did his players seem that they wanted to play for him? Does he seem to be a good motivator? Absolutely. This is Bochy's greatest strength as a manager. For all his strategical shortcomings, he knows how to work with his players. In general, good manager? Would you miss him or would you be okay with the Cubs stealing him away? I think I would miss him because he's got a pretty rich history with the club (he's the only person to be in uniform for all five of the Padres' playoff seasons) and he seems like a genuinely good person. That said, I'm not sure he's the guy to lead the Pads to a championship, so seeing him move on wouldn't kill me, assuming the Padres were able to find a capable replacement. I'd be sorry to see him go, but not necessarily because he's a great manager.

So, there you have it. For the most part, it either seems that all managers are the same or that the Cubs are simply going after one kind of guy. All these guys have the same thing in common: questionable in-game strategy, love for the veterans and great motivation skills. Bruce Bochy seems like a decent choice at this point and is certainly as good as anyone else, I think. Given that Earl Weaver won't be managing again anytime soon, I think we're just going to settle for a manager who's "good". I will go on the record regarding Bochy with a resounding "meh".