| Ryne Sandberg | |
|---|---|
 Sandberg with the Chicago Cubs in 1990 | |
| Second baseman /Manager | |
| Born:(1959-09-18)September 18, 1959 Spokane, Washington, U.S. | |
| Died: July 28, 2025(2025-07-28) (aged 65) Lake Bluff, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 2, 1981, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1997, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .285 |
| Hits | 2,386 |
| Home runs | 282 |
| Runs batted in | 1,061 |
| Managerial record | 119–159 |
| Winning % | .428 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2005 |
| Vote | 76.2% (third ballot) |
Ryne Dee Sandberg (September 18, 1959 – July 28, 2025), nicknamed "Ryno", was an American professionalbaseball player,coach andmanager. He played 16 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) as asecond baseman for thePhiladelphia Phillies (1981) and theChicago Cubs (1982–1994, 1996–1997).
After a slow start to his career, Sandberg made a name for himself on June 23, 1984, having a career game including two home runs in what colloquially became known as the "Sandberg Game". After that, Sandberg established himself as a perennialAll-Star and Gold Glove candidate, making 10 consecutive All-Star appearances and winning nine consecutiveGold Gloves from1983 to1991. His career .989fielding percentage was a major-league record at second base when he retired in 1997. He is tied withJose Altuve for the mostSilver Slugger Awards for a second baseman with seven. In2005, Sandberg was elected to theNational Baseball Hall of Fame.
After his playing career, Sandberg coached in the minor leagues for the Cubs and Phillies organizations. After briefly serving as a base coach for the Phillies, he became the manager of the Phillies in the middle of the 2013 season, serving in the role until his resignation in the middle of the 2015 season.
Ryne Dee Sandberg was born on September 18, 1959, inSpokane, Washington,[1][2][3] to Elizabeth, a nurse, and Derwent D. "Sandy" Sandberg, amortician.[4][5] He was named for relief pitcherRyne Duren.[6]
Sandberg was a three-sport star atNorth Central High School and graduated in 1978.[7][8] In the fall of 1977, he was named toParade's High SchoolAll-America football team, one of eight quarterbacks listed[9][10] and one of two players fromWashington. The school's baseball field was named in his honor in 1985 as "Ryne Sandberg Field," and his varsity number was retired in both football and baseball.[5][11]
Sandberg was recruited to play quarterback atNCAA Division I colleges, and eventually signed aletter of intent withWashington State University inPullman.[8][12][13]
Sandberg opted not to attend after being selected in the 20th round of the1978 baseball amateur draft by thePhiladelphia Phillies.[8][12][13]
Sandberg was reportedly drafted after Bill Harper and Wilbur "Moose" Johnson, both Philadelphia Phillies scouts, persuaded Phillies director of scoutingDallas Green to draft Sandberg, despite his college football commitment. After the Phillies drafted Sandberg, Harper reportedly met with Sandberg, his parents, and brother Del at the their home. "His parents, particularly his mother, were very concerned about Ryne going to college and getting an education," Harper recalled. Sandberg reportedly received a $20,000 bonus, accepting the offer after taking a walk with his brother during the meeting.[14]
In 1978, at age 18, Sandberg began his professional career with theHelena Phillies in the rookie-levelPioneer League. In his first professional season, Sandberg played exclusively at shortstop and hit .311 with a .390 OBP, one home run, 15 stolen bases, and 23 runs batted in (RBIs) in 56 games. Among his teammates at Helena wereGeorge Bell, a future MVP, andBob Dernier, who later formed the "Daily Double" with Sandberg in Chicago. The three advanced through the Phillies system as teammates.[15][16]
Playing shortstop in 1979, Sandberg played for theClass ASpartanburg Phillies in theWestern Carolinas League. In 138 games, he hit .247 with seven triples, four home runs, 21 stolen bases, and 47 RBIs.[15] Sandberg played for theClass AAReading Phillies of theEastern League in 1980. With Reading, Sandberg hit .310, with a .403 OBP, 12 triples, 32 stolen bases, 11 home runs, and 79 RBIs. Playing in 129 games for Reading, he drew 73 bases on balls against 72 strikeouts. In the field, he played 120 games at shortstop and four at third base. Sandberg was selected to the Eastern League All-Star team.[15][14]
Advancing to theClass AAA levelOklahoma City 89ers in 1981, Sandberg played 133 games before being called up by the Philadelphia Phillies. With Oklahoma City, he remained primarily at shortstop, while playing 17 games at second base. Sandberg hit .293, with a .352 OBP, 32 stolen bases, 9 home runs, and 62 RBIs.[17][15]
Sandberg made his major-league debut as a shortstop for the Phillies in1981. Playing in 13 games, Sandberg had one hit in six at-bats for a .167 batting average during his brief stint with the team. The one hit occurred at Wrigley Field using a bat borrowed from starting shortstopLarry Bowa.[18]
The Phillies soon concluded that Sandberg was not a successor to Bowa at shortstop. While Sandberg had played both second and third base in the minor leagues, he was blocked from those positions byManny Trillo andMike Schmidt. He was traded along with Bowa to the Cubs for shortstopIván DeJesús prior to the1982 season. The trade came about after negotiations for a new contract between Bowa and the Phillies broke down.[19] Cubs general manager Dallas Green wanted a young prospect to go along with the aging Bowa. Green had been instrumental in the drafting of Sandberg in 1978, while working in the Phillies front office. The two remained close over the years.[12]
Years later, Phillies general managerPaul Owens said that he had not wanted to trade Sandberg, but Green and the Cubs were not interested in any of the other prospects he offered. Owens then went back to his scouts, who said Sandberg would not be any more than a utility infielder. However, Sandberg had hit over .290 in the minors two years in a row.[20] The trade is now considered one of the best (if notthe best) in recent Cubs history.[21] At the same time, it is considered one of the worst trades in Phillies history.[19] While DeJesús helped the Phillies infield on their way to the1983 World Series, he lasted only three years in Philadelphia.[22]
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The Cubs installed Sandberg as their third baseman, before shifting him to second base late in the season with the call-up of rookie third basemanPat Tabler.[23] Despite never having played third base before, he made just 11 errors in 140 games,[23] and with 172 hits at a .271 batting average, he finished sixth inRookie of the Year voting.[24]
After the Cubs acquired veteranRon Cey following the 1982 season, they moved Sandberg to second base full-time.[23] Sandberg had 165 hits at a .261 average, to go along with 30 steals. He won theGold Glove Award for second base, the first of nine consecutive such awards,[24] becoming only the thirdNational League player to win a Gold Glove in their first season at a new position.[25]
Sandberg emerged with a breakout season in1984, in which he batted .314 with 200 hits, 114 runs, 36 doubles, 19 triples, 19home runs, and 84 RBIs.[24] Bob Dernier was the leadoff hitter and Gold Glove center fielder for the Cubs in 1984, while Sandberg batted second. The pair was dubbed "the Daily Double" by Cubs announcerHarry Caray.[26] In 1984, Sandberg's runs and triples totals led the National League.[24] He was one triple and one home run shy of being the first player in MLB history to collect 200 hits, 20 doubles, 20 triples, 20 home runs, and 20stolen bases in the same season,[27][24] and led the Cubs to the National League's Eastern Division title for their first playoff appearance since1945.[28] The Cubs went on to lose in theNational League Championship Series, 3–2 to theSan Diego Padres.[29] He was named the National LeagueMost Valuable Player after receiving 22 out of 24 first place votes, the first Cub to do so sinceErnie Banks' back-to-back honors in1958 and1959, and the first for a second baseman sinceJoe Morgan in1976.[30]
In anNBC national telecast of aCardinals–Cubs game on June 23, 1984,[31] the Cubs trailed 9–8 in the ninth inning against future Hall of Fame closerBruce Sutter,[32] who would save a league-leading 45 games that season.[33] Sandberg slugged a solo home run to left field, tying the game. After the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning, Sandberg hit a two-run homer against Sutter in the 10th inning to again tie the game.[34] Cubs radio announcerHarry Caray described the home run:
There's a drive, way back! Might be outta here! It is! It is! He did it again! He did it again! The game is tied! The game is tied! Holy Cow! Listen to this crowd, everybody's gone bananas! What would the odds be if I told you that twice Sandberg would hit home runs off Bruce Sutter?[32]
Following the home run, NBC play-by-play announcerBob Costas said: "Do you believe it?".[35] The Cubs won the game in the 11th inning on an RBI single byDave Owen.[31] Cardinals managerWhitey Herzog later remarked: "Ryne Sandberg is the best baseball player I've ever seen, as far as I'm concerned."[6] The game, commonly known as theSandberg Game, is also memorable because the Cardinals'Willie McGeehit for the cycle.[36]
In1985, Sandberg batted .305 with 26 home runs, 83 RBIs, 113 runs scored, and a career-high 54 stolen bases, joining the20–50 club with his combination of power and speed.[37][38]
In1990, Sandberg led the National League in home runs with 40,[39] becoming only the third second baseman to reach that mark;Rogers Hornsby andDavey Johnson hit 42,[40] and no American League second baseman had reached 40 untilBrian Dozier in 2016.[41] Sandberg also batted in 100 runs, despite batting second in the order.[42] His batting average did not suffer from his new level of power, as he finished at .306 for the season.[24]
Sandberg played 123 straight games at second base without an error, which was then a major league record. This record was later broken in 2007 byLuis Castillo of theMinnesota Twins.[43] Sandberg played in front of his hometown fans in the1990 MLB All-Star Game, which was held atWrigley Field, home of the Cubs. Sandberg won theHome Run Derby with three home runs over the left-field bleachers.[44] Not until theCincinnati Reds'Todd Frazier in2015 did another player win the Home Run Derby in his own home stadium.[45]
In1991, Sandberg batted .291 with 26 home runs and batted in 100 runs for the second consecutive season.[24] He also won his ninth consecutive Gold Glove at second base, breaking a tie he had shared withBill Mazeroski andFrank White for most Gold Gloves at that position.[46] (Roberto Alomar later surpassed Sandberg, with ten.)[47]
On March 2,1992, Sandberg became the highest-paid player in baseball at the time, signing a $28.4 million ($63.6 million today) four-year extension worth $7.1 million ($15.9 million today) a season.[48] He earned a spot on the NL All-Star roster and an NLSilver Slugger Award at second base with a .304 batting average, 26 home runs, 100 runs, and 87 RBIs.[49]
Sandberg, a notoriously slow early-season starter, found himself struggling even more so than usual early in the 1994 season.[50] With his average at a career low .238 and having recorded only 53 hits in 57 games,[24] Sandberg decided to step away from baseball, and on June 13, 1994, he announced his retirement.[51]
Sandberg returned to the Chicago Cubs for the1996 season,[52] and re-signed with the Cubs for1997.[53]
In his final season on April 26, Sandberg hit his 267th home run to passJoe Morgan and set a new record for home runs by a second baseman.[54]
Sandberg's final game at Wrigley Field and final career hit were on September 21, 1997. Sandberg retired with a career batting average of .285, and a record 277 home runs as a second baseman;[24] this record was surpassed in2004 byJeff Kent.[55]
Initially, Sandberg kept a low profile after retiring. In2005, though, Sandberg accepted his first marketing deal since his retirement, agreeing to be spokesman forNational City Bank.[56][57] He also appeared onESPN Radio 1000 as an analyst during the2004 baseball season.[58]
Sandberg first appeared on theNational Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for its2003 round of voting; he secured 49.2% of the vote, short of the 75% required for induction. He climbed to 61.1%in 2004, before being electedat the third time of asking, with 76.2% ofBBWAA writers backing his candidacy.[24]
Sandberg delivered his induction speech at theNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in August 2005. He spoke of the importance of playing baseball in the right way, saying "learning how tobunt,hit and run andturning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light [on] the dugout camera," and the importance of respect for your team, while advocating for the election of former Cubs teammateAndre Dawson andRon Santo.[59][60] Dawson went on to be elected by the votersin 2010,[61] while Santo was enshrined by the Veterans' Committeein 2012.[62]
After his Hall of Fame induction, Sandberg had his number 23 retired in a ceremony at Wrigley Field on August 28,2005. He became only the fourthChicago Cub to have his number retired, followingErnie Banks (#14),Billy Williams (#26), andRon Santo (#10).[63]
Sandberg spent seven years as aspring training instructor for the Cubs.[12][64]
On December 5, 2006, Sandberg was named manager of the Cubs' Class-APeoria Chiefs in theMidwest League.[65] In December 2008, Sandberg was promoted to manager of the Class Double-A TeamTennessee Smokies in the Southern League.[64][66] In December 2009, he was again promoted, to manager of the Triple-AIowa Cubs. Upon leading Iowa to an 82–62 record, thePacific Coast League named him its 2010Manager of the Year.[67][68]
Sandberg said that his ideal job was to manage the Chicago Cubs.[69] Former managerLou Piniella suggested that Sandberg, as manager of the Cubs' top minor-league affiliate, would be in the mix to replace him when he retired after the 2010 season,[70] but the position was given to interim managerMike Quade.[71]
On November 15, 2010, Sandberg left the Cubs organization and returned to his original organization as manager of the Phillies' top minor-league affiliate, theLehigh Valley IronPigs.[72]
He led the IronPigs to their first-ever playoff appearance and the International League championship series.Baseball America named him its 2011 Minor League Manager of the Year.[68]
After the 2012 season, Sandberg was promoted to third-base coach and infield instructor of the Philadelphia Phillies. He was promoted to interim manager of the Phillies after they firedCharlie Manuel on August 16, 2013. Sandberg earned his first win as a manager against theLos Angeles Dodgers on Sunday August 18, 2013.[73]
On September 22, 2013, the interim tag was removed, and Sandberg was named manager. He was given a three-year contract, with a club option for 2017.[74] He became the third player to manage a team full-time after being inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player, followingTed Williams andFrank Robinson.[75]
Sandberg resigned from the position of Phillies manager on June 26, 2015, with his team in last place in the National League East Division at a record of 26–48, the worst record in MLB. Sandberg ended his managerial tenure with a record of 119–159.[76]
In 2016, Sandberg joined the Cubs organization as a goodwill ambassador. In this position, he made public appearances at Cubs-related events, and attended Cubs games to meet and greet fans;[77] he was an occasionalcolor commentator for the team's telecasts onMarquee Sports Network.[78]
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| PHI | 2013 | 42 | 20 | 22 | .476 | 4th in NL East | – | – | – | |
| PHI | 2014 | 162 | 73 | 89 | .451 | 5th in NL East | – | – | – | |
| PHI | 2015 | 74 | 26 | 48 | .351 | Resigned | – | – | – | |
| Total[79] | 278 | 119 | 159 | .428 | – | – | – | |||
Sandberg married his high school sweetheart, Cindy White, and they had two children. They divorced in July 1995.[1] Sandberg married Margaret Koehnemann in August 1995.[1] She has three children from her former marriage. Ryne's nephew,Jared Sandberg, was a third baseman for theTampa Bay Rays from 2001 to 2003.[80]
In January 2024, Sandberg announced that he had begun treatment formetastatic prostate cancer.[81] After months of intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments, he was declared cancer-free in August 2024, but on December 10, 2024, Sandberg announced that the cancer had returned and spread to other organs.[82]
He died at his home inLake Bluff, Illinois,[1] on July 28, 2025, at the age of 65.[83][84]
On August 2, 2025, every Cubs player and managerCraig Counsell wore number 23 to honor Sandberg.[85]
Sandberg and Margaret founded Ryno Kid Care[86] to assist in the lives of children with serious illnesses. The organization provided anything from "big brothers" (mentors and older companions) to a home-cooked meal. Ryno Kid Care also provided massage therapists and clowns dressed up as doctors and nurses to brighten the children's day. Ryno Kid Care's mission was "dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families, by providing supportive, compassionate and meaningful programming." Ryno Kid Care is no longer in operation.[87]
Sandberg was inducted as a laureate ofThe Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded theOrder of Lincoln (the state's highest honor) by the governor of Illinois in 2017.[88]
He was honored by astatue which was dedicated in 2024. Thebronze sculpture is located at Gallagher Way, a park outside of Wrigley Field.[89][90] His baseball achievements are listed and the text of hisHall of Fame plaque is part of the sculpture.[91]
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| Preceded by | Topps Rookie All-Star Third Baseman 1982 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month June 1984 June 1990 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |