Paul Sullivan: The Cubs got their guy in David Ross. But will he be a difference-maker?
CHICAGO - As the managerial vacancies thinned this week with the hiring of David Ross by the Cubs, Joe Girardi by the Phillies and Jayce Tingler by the Padres, the bigger question remains unanswered:
Do managers really matter anymore?
Baseball executives will tell you they do, even as they shy away from handing out big money or long-term deals, such as the inexplicable 10-year, $50 million deal Mike Scioscia once received from the Angels.
Sure, you still need someone to make out the lineups, though general managers often "advise" managers on the best lineups based on advanced analytics. And of course you need someone
