Gonzalez, Not Sandberg The Favorite To Land Cubs Job

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, sources have suggested that GM Jim Hendry is leaning towards a manager with major league experience to replace the retired Lou Piniella, and that man is former Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez.
Gonzalez was fired midway through this year after Florida posted a 34-36 record through 70 games. Gonzalez's career record is 276-279 in three and a half years with the Marlins. This record will hardly thrill Cubs fans.
Actually, any decision Hendry makes these days won't thrill Cubs fans. That's why with this decision, he has to go with the fan favorite, former Cubs second baseman/ Hall of Famer, Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg has worked his way up from single A ball and is currently managing the Iowa Cubs (AAA), who coming into today, were 20 games over .500 and sitting atop their division.
I'm definitely not an advocate of general managers making decisions based on the opinions of the fan base. I'm a fan myself and realize that our opinions are off base the majority of the time. But this time Hendry needs to defy conventional wisdom and take a chance on the fan favorite.
It makes sense that Hendry wants an experienced manager to fill the position. But ask yourself this question: Will an experienced manager make next year's team any better?
I'm not sure, but it's an interesting question.

The 2011 Cubs are going to be young, and quite frankly, not very good. They probably won't contend in the NL Central for at least another three years. So is it better to have an experienced manager in Gonzalez (who is still considered an up and comer, by the way), or to throw the rookie Sandberg in there and allow him to experience some growing pains along with his team.
I feel very certain about one thing, if the team struggles, the fans will be much more forgiving if Sandberg is the manager. He's the Hall of Fame second baseman, the guy who did things the right way, and according to all reports is doing a great job of teaching the AAA kids. Basically, he can do no wrong.
If the team sucks next year and Gonzalez is managing he'll be heavily criticized. He'll likely be painted as a manager who isn't getting everything out of his players, and more importantly, the guy standing in Sandberg's way.
If the team struggles and Sandberg is managing, expect the blame to be on the players. I can see it now. "What's he supposed to do? He has a terrible team to work with."
In my opinion, neither manager will have this team in contention next year, or is better suited to make them competitive in the future.
That's why Sandberg needs to be given his chance now. It would be a disaster to have him sign on as an assistant somewhere else and eventually become a head coach. I doubt he'll wait around to see how Gonzalez works out.
Sandberg is a former Cubs player. He understands the expectations and knows what it takes to win here. He's one of our own and wants to be here. His loyalty should be rewarded with a major league job.
Just this once, the fans may be right.