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Ryne Sandberg recalls life-changing trade: ‘What am I going to do with the Cubs?’

4 weeks agoAndy Martinez

Young Ryne Sandberg was half a world away when he received life-changing news.

He was 21 years old playing with the Águilas del Zulia in the Venezuelan Winter League and got a phone call telling him he had been traded from the Phillies to the Cubs.

The most shocking news wasn’t the trade itself — it was who else was in the deal. He was going to Chicago with Larry Bowa, Philadelphia’s long-time, Gold Glove-winning shortstop.

“What am I going to do with the Cubs?” Sandberg recalled asking himself during the most recent Cubs Weekly Podcast at Cubs Convention at the Sheraton Grand.

Sandberg had primarily been a shortstop coming up in the minors and being dealt to Chicago with an accomplished veteran meant there wasn’t necessarily a clear path to playing time. So, he left Venezuela and headed straight to Arizona to prepare for Spring Training and try and make the Cubs’ 1982 roster.

“I actually ended up with three different gloves in my locker,” Sandberg said. “By the time Spring Training ended, I played center field, I played a little bit of third, I played some second and minimal short.”

While he didn’t have a defensive home, he proved his bat belonged. The time in Venezuela meant he was more in rhythm at the plate and that carried over to Arizona.

[The ‘beautiful story’ that makes Craig Counsell bawl]

“I hit well over .400 that spring, so I ended up winning the job at third base,” Sandberg said. “So, I kind of got rid of the other gloves and I had a third baseman’s glove.”

Late that season, he moved to second base, where he won 9 Gold Glove Awards en route to a Hall of Fame career. That move from Philadelphia set him up for his success.

“I think the trade allowed me to get over 600 at-bats as a 22-year-old and play every day, get my feet wet,” Sandberg said. “And [the] very next year, won my first Gold Glove. And then the next year was MVP, Gold Glove and Silver [Slugger] and All-Star Game.”

Listen to the full episode of the Cubs Weekly Podcast:

Video: http://bit.ly/Marquee-App
Apple: https://apple.co/2TiGIZ1
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2Xb1R8X

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