The Chicago Cubs brought an old face back into the organization today, but it's not Ryne Sandberg. A source has told Jeremy Schaap of ESPN that the Cubs have hired Bill Buckner to take over as the hitting coach of the Boise Hawks, Chicago's Single-A affiliate.
Buckner currently lives in Boise, Idaho, which partially explains the hire. The ESPN report adds that new Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine wanted to add Buckner to his Major League coaching staff, but Boston's front office resisted the idea. Buckner has coached in the majors in the past, but not in a while. His most recent MLB coaching gig was as the Chicago White Sox hitting coach all the way back in 1997.
The 62-year-old is a 22-year veteran of the majors, including seven-plus years with the Cubs in the late 1970's and early 1980's. His best years actually came in Chicago, as he posted a .300/.332/.439 line in 974 games on the North Side.
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