Cubs hire Speier as new third-base coach

CHICAGO (AP) -- Former All-Star shortstop Chris Speier was hired by the Chicago Cubs as their third-base coach Thursday.

Speier was with five teams in 19 major league seasons, playing for the Cubs in 1985-86. He also was the hitting coach for the Cubs' Class AA affiliate in 1995.

"It's a fantastic opportunity," said Speier, who still keeps his Cubs jersey in a glass case. "I've wanted that situation for a couple of years, and never had that opportunity present itself."

Speier replaces Wendell Kim, who was often criticized for being too aggressive in sending runners home.

"You're as aggressive as your team permits you to be," Speier said. "You're working with personnel. I want guys to be aggressive baserunners, but there's an intelligence and a knowledge that goes along with it."

Speier played for Chicago, San Francisco, Montreal, St. Louis and Minnesota from 1971-89, hitting .246 with 112 homers and 720 RBIs. He was an All-Star from 1972-74, and played in the postseason three times.

After retiring, he spent two years as a roving minor league instructor for the Giants. He came back to the Cubs in 1995, leaving the next season to become a minor league manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He got his first major league coaching job in 2000 as third-base coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. He returned to Arizona the next year, serving as third-base coach on the Diamondbacks' World Series champion team.

He also worked as bench coach for the Oakland Athletics in 2003.

Cubs manager Dusty Baker said it helps having someone he knows on his staff.

"I've known Chris for a long time, played against him for many years," Baker said. "He's a good baseball man, and a fine third-base coach and infield instructor. He's also a former Cub so he knows what it means to play in Chicago and to play in day games."