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Former All-Star shortstop Chris Speier was hired by the Cubs as their third-base coach.
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' Double-A 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."
TRACY EXTENSION: The Dodgers plan to offer a multiyear contract extension to manager Jim Tracy. "One year doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Then I'm just back in the same spot next year," said general manager Paul DePodesta, who deferred a decision on the manager's future throughout the season.