After reaching goal, Sandberg finds comfort back with Cubs

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — It had been four years since Ryne Sandberg was available to make the trek to this little town of 1,834 on the banks of Lake Otsego as he chased the dream of managing in the Major Leagues.

Now that the dream is behind him, like every one of Major League Baseball’s living Hall of Famers, Sandberg was glad to be back this past weekend as an ambassador for the Cubs — the team he loves — and coaching in the Hall of Fame Classic.

Sandberg is again living full time in Chicagoland, where he played nearly all of his 16-year-career as a 10-time All-Star second baseman and the 1984 National League MVP Award winner.

“I’m getting to do some fun things, and representing the Cubs as a Hall of Famer is part of that,” Sandberg, a member of the Class of 2005, told MLB.com on Saturday. “That allows me to come back for this Classic weekend and be back here in July for the induction. I’ve missed the last four because of commitments, so I’m really looking forward to returning in July. It’s really an outstanding weekend and I love being here, really just to see the guys.”

Sandberg was a coach on Saturday under manager Andre Dawson, his former Cubs teammate, in a losing effort in the Classic. But the loss was hardly the issue. It’s the fun and camaraderie of being back in uniform, surrounded by former players and fellow Hall of Famers that constantly brings these guys back.

The induction this year of Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza on July 24 is expected to be a big one. Judging by bus rentals, Hall officials said they are expecting a bigger crowd than the 40,000 people who attended last year, when 50 living Hall of Famers were on the stage for the ceremony behind the newly expanded Clark Sports Center.

It was just about a year ago that Sandberg left his …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com