Chicago Cubs interim general manager Randy Bush will spend the rest of the season working to build the team's future, even though he already knows he's not going to be a part of it.
"I feel as energized this morning and committed as I ever have," Bush said on ESPN 1000's 'Talkin' Baseball' radio show on Saturday. "I just feel a strong sense of responsibility to the Ricketts family, to all of our scouts and player development people and to our fans to try to make this transition as efficient as possible and have the new GM walk into the best possible situation."
Bush, 52, who has been the assistant general manager with the Cubs for the past five seasons, was told Wednesday by owner Tom Ricketts that Jim Hendry was being fired and the team wanted to make a "fresh start" and hire its new GM from outside the organization.
Bush said his interim status won't prevent the team from making a trade before the end of the season, should the opportunity arise.
"We go about our jobs the way we always have," Bush said. "We're always evaluating and staying abreast of the market and if there's something that can make us better for next year then that is certainly something that I will go to Tom Ricketts with, and we will explore. So I would say, in that sense, we're going to continue to go about our jobs in the way we have."
With a new general manager coming in, it's likely that Cubs manager Mike Quade is also on his way out, but Bush isn't concerned about Quade's motivation level the rest of this season.
"I have no doubt that Mike Quade and our coaches are fully aware of the situation we're in," Bush said. "I have the utmost respect for Mike and his staff and I know that even with the uncertainty that they're going to go about their business in the best manner and try to win the games and try to develop our young people and get ready for next year."
Quade is under contract through 2012 and is still owed $1 million.
While Bush and Quade would like to win as many games as possible, with the team lagging in fifth place, it may make sense for them to play some of their young talent after the rosters expand on Sept. 1.
"We've already, to a certain extent, started that transition, obviously with our young players (Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney) in the middle of the diamond and the way they're continuing to develop," Bush said. "And then of course we made the (Kosuke) Fukudome trade. That was obviously to give Tyler Colvin more of an opportunity to play and get back on track this year heading into next year."
Colvin, who slumped early in the season and spent much of this year with Triple-A Iowa, hit an RBI single in the 10th inning off Octavio Dotel on Friday that gave the Cubs a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
"That just made me feel great, watching the end of that game yesterday and the way he reacted to getting that big hit," Bush said. "And those are the kind of things you're going to want to see as we go through this next six-week period. You want to see these young guys have that kind of success and grow and prove that they can be a part of what this club can look like next year."