Quade played college baseball at the University of New Orleans. He was named to the Sun Belt Conference "All-time baseball team" as part of the Conference's 30th anniversary celebration in January 2006.[3]
Quade was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 22nd round (560th overall choice) of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft. He played for the Pirates' minor league system through 1983 at OF, 3B, 2B, and SS.
In November 1999, Quade managed a team of minor leaguers representing the United States to a Fourth place finish at the IBAFInternational Cup held in Sydney, Australia.
Quade also served as the first base coach of the Oakland Athletics between 2000 and 2002[4] as well as on the Chicago Cubs bench staff during the 2003 playoff run.
Quade won his 1,000th game as a minor league manager on April 18, 2004. During July of the 2006 season, Quade substituted for then Cubs third base coach Chris Speier. Speier was out for three games of third base/coaching duties because of a DUI.
In October 2006, Quade was named one of the five finalists for the 2007 Chicago Cubs managerial opening. Quade, along with AA manager Pat Listach, were two Cubs minor league candidates interviewed for the job opening.[5] Instead, Lou Piniella came out of retirement to accept the job. Quade was subsequently promoted to serve as the third base coach for the Cubs.
Quade was promoted to serve as interim manager of the Cubs after Piniella's sudden retirement on August 22, 2010.[6] On October 19, the "interim" label was removed from his job title, and he was given a two-year contract with a club option for a third year to remain as manager of the Cubs.[7] On November 2, 2011, however, Quade was terminated as manager by Theo Epstein, Cubs president of baseball operations.[8]
In 2013, the New York Yankees hired Quade as a roving outfield and baserunning instructor.[9]
