Andre Dawson’s reunion with the Cubs is edging closer to reality

Last month, I wrote about an online report that said Andre Dawson was close to joining the Cubs organization as a special assistant. Dawson had been let go by the Marlins when new ownership purged quite a number of front-office employees.

This report from George Castle (link opens .pdf) indicates that the signing of Dawson to return to the Cubs as an “ambassador, duties not yet specified” could come soon:

“I’ve sat down and I’ve spoken to Tom Ricketts,” Dawson said. “Nothing’s official yet. Both sides are real excited about the opportunity for me to come back and rejoin the organization. It’s in the process of being finalized. Tom will reach back out to me with some ideas to look over, and give him the OK. I’m anticipating around the first of the year.”

Castle speculates that the Cubs might make an announcement about Dawson’s return at the Cubs Convention, which would certainly be met by a loud ovation.

While the duties of an “ambassador” are generally pretty vague, Castle notes that Dawson might also take on some special instructor duties:

Special player instruction at both the big-league and minor league levels were part of his Marlins duties. The Cubs could benefit from a similar arrangement. As a generations-long stickler for doing things right, Dawson also could be a perfect “attitude coach.”

“I anticipate that probably being a part of it,” Dawson said. “I don’t pat myself on the back, but I put everything I can into it to try to get the best effort. My main objective is to represent this organization to the best of my ability and do what I do as best as I can.”

Andre Dawson always played hard, through many injuries, and conducted himself with class on and off the field, some of the many reasons he’s beloved by Cubs fans despite spending just six years in the blue pinstripes. Dawson is 63 and it would surely be a good thing for him, the organization and Cubs fans if he could, as noted in Castle’s article, “retire as a Cub.”