>>Cards Ask To Speak To Sandberg

(St. Louis, MO)  --  The Cardinals are interested in a Cubs Hall of Famer to possibly fill the shoes of Tony La Russa.  FOXSports.com reports the Redbirds have asked for and received permission to talk to former Cubs shortstop and current Phillies minor league manager Ryne Sandberg about their vacant managerial position.  The 52-year-old Sandberg managed at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year.

>>Quade Out As Cubs Manager

(Chicago, IL)  --  The Chicago Cubs will have a new manager next season.  The team announced on Wednesday that Mike Quade will not return as skipper in 2012.  New Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer last met with Quade last week and said at Hoyer's Tuesday introductory press conference that they needed time to process the meeting.  Quade beat out Ryan Sandberg for the job this season after replacing the retired Lou Piniella in August 2010.  Quade was 95-and-104 during his tenure, including 71-and-91 in 2011.

>>A-Ram Wins Silver Slugger Award

(Chicago, IL)  --  Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez is a 2011 Silver Slugger Award winner.  Ramirez, who posted his sixth season with at least 30 doubles and 25 home runs, captured his first career Silver Slugger Award as the National League's top hitting third baseman.  The 33-year-old A-Ram is a free agent after nine seasons with the Cubs.  He batted .306 this past season.

>>MLB's Free Agent Frenzy Officially Begins

(Undated)  --  Major League Baseball's free agent market is officially open for business.  The window for teams to negotiate exclusively with their own free agents expired at 12:01 a.m. Eastern, allowing eligible players to sign with any club.  Among the big names certain to attract attention this offseason are St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes and Texas Rangers pitcher C.J. Wilson.