Chicago Cubs hire Mike Quade as manager

Mike Quade was hired Tuesday as manager of the Chicago Cubs.

Quade, 53, had a 24-13 record as interim manager of the Cubs after Lou Piniella resigned in late August. Quade had been the team’s third base coach for four seasons. He was given a two-year contract with a club option for 2013.

The hire is the first under new team owner Tom Ricketts.

“We believe that Mike can coach, manage and win for the Chicago Cubs,” Ricketts said.

It is the first major league managerial job for Quade, who managed more than 2,300 minor league games in the Montreal, Philadelphia, Oakland and Cubs farm systems.

General Manager Jim Hendry said that Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, who has managed in the Cubs’ minor league system the last four seasons, was a finalist for the job.

Sandberg, 51, guided the triple-A Iowa Cubs to an 82-62 record in 2010. He was a 10-time National League All-Star second baseman with the Cubs, a nine-time Gold Glove Award winner and the league’s most valuable player in 1984.

Sandberg told the Chicago Tribune he was “disappointed” and will continue to pursue other managing jobs. Asked whether he would return to Iowa, he told the Tribune: “I don’t know. I’m hoping there’s something else out there. I’m hoping to manage or coach at the big league level.”

Rodriguez and Mets settle case

New York Mets pitcher Francisco Rodriguez’s fight with his girlfriend’s father cost him just over $3.14 million of his $11.5-million salary for 2010 in addition to more than seven weeks on the sidelines.

Rodriguez settled his grievance with the team, which under the agreement will stop trying to convert the remainder of his contract to non-guaranteed.

The right-handed reliever tore a ligament in the thumb of his pitching hand while punching his girlfriend’s father outside a family lounge at Citi Field on Aug. 11. He was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and second-degree harassment. On Sept. 22, he was charged with seven counts of criminal contempt for sending his girlfriend dozens of text messages, which violated a restraining order.

Rodriguez remains under contract to the Mets, who are to pay him $11.5 million next year. The Mets hold a $17.5-million option for 2012 with a $3.5 million buyout.

Braves release Cabrera, Saito

The Atlanta Braves released outfielder Melky Cabrera and right-hander reliever Takashi Saito.

Cabrera, 26, hit .255 with four home runs and 42 runs batted in and started 115 games during the regular season. He was hitless in eight at-bats in a National League division series against the San Francisco Giants.

He was paid $3.1 million and would have been eligible for salary arbitration. The Braves had until Dec. 2 to offer a 2011 contract and could have traded him before then.

Saito, 40, was 2-3 with a 2.83 earned-run average in 56 games.

Nationals GM Rizzo gets extension

Mike Rizzo, general manager of the Washington Nationals, signed a five-year contract extension through 2015 and was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations.

Uecker has heart surgery

Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, 75, had heart surgery to repair a tear from a previous valve replacement.