Joe Maddon to become Cubs manager (10/29)

[cannonball 1729]

I'm going with the other LA team.

 
Scioscia clearly has pictures of management in compromising positions with livestock.  They actually had him help pick the new Angels GM after Tony Reagins departed.  He's not getting fired.
 
 

Yes. Maddon was the other finalist.

 
Yep.  The Sox ownership kept bringing this up to convince us that they knew what they were doing during the 2011 managerial search - you know, the one where the finalists were Gene Lamont and Bobby Valentine.

 

[nattysez]

FWIW, Cubs Twitter all but has Maddon reviewing carpet samples for the manager's office.
 

If he wants Cubs job, Maddon should have it http://es.pn/1siYMuf 
 

 
https://twitter.com/ESPNChiCubs/status/525763617061208064
 

Folks..I've been chasing the story all afternoon. No firm confirmations. But ask me if I think Joe Maddon will be Cubs manager? I'd say YES.
 

https://twitter.com/MattSpiegel670/status/525763508332662785
 

I've spoken with handful of solid baseball sources since the Joe Maddon news broke. Yes, Cubs are frontrunners but several teams interested.
 

https://twitter.com/thekapman/status/525763192601866240

 

[soxhop411]

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN  50s50 seconds ago
 
Rival executives believe that if Joe Maddon winds up with the Cubs, the Rays will investigate the issue of tampering.
 
 
https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/525764948769533953

 

[nattysez]

I'm shocked.  From 2008, citing Drew, Matsuzaka and the Millar deal:
 

The Boston Red Sox might think of the Yankees as the Evil Empire, but other people in baseball now seem to view the Red Sox as a team that feels it can operate outside the rules.
According to executives of several clubs, the Red Sox were a hot topic of private conversation at the general managers’ meeting last month and at the winter meetings this week. Several officials who work for Major League Baseball said there appeared to be good reason for the talk. Many of those interviewed did not want to be quoted by name because of what they viewed as the sensitivity of talking critically about another team’s conduct

 
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/08/sports/baseball/08chass.html

 

[MakMan44]

 
Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN  50s50 seconds ago
 
Rival executives believe that if Joe Maddon winds up with the Cubs, the Rays will investigate the issue of tampering.
 
 
https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN/status/525764948769533953
 

Well I guess that answer the question of whether the Rays would suck without Maddon.

 

[rembrat]

Oh boy, am I ready for The Compensation 2: Electric Boogaloo.

 

[Byrdbrain]

Tyler Kepner ‏@TylerKepner  9m9 minutes ago
Talked to Joe Maddon. He said he had no idea he even had an opt-out tied to Friedman's departure until the Rays told him he did.

 

[rembrat]

Tyler Kepner ‏@TylerKepner  9m9 minutes ago
Talked to Joe Maddon. He said he had no idea he even had an opt-out tied to Friedman's departure until the Rays told him he did.

 
Cot's either just put up this detail in his contract or Maddon is a damn liar.

 

[LeoCarrillo]

 
Cot's either just put up this detail in his contract or Maddon is a damn liar.

 
And if his agent didn't tell him, oh, about 30 seconds after Friedman left on Oct. 14, then that agent should now be fired.

 

[canderson]

No way does a genius not know a major portion of his contract. None. Zero. Zilch.

 

[VORP Speed]

Good for Joe, I say. He's 60, never made much money at all until the last few years and has a limited window to cash in with a big payday. You don't get your big payday with the Rays. Once you start approaching fair market value and above, time to move on. He served well, had a great run....time to seek riches and glory somewhere they are available.

That being said, I think a big part of Joe's genius was not being married to pre-conceived notions and taking instruction well. There is a big system aspect to everything that goes on with the Rays. I think Joe will thrive elsewhere with the right front office (LAD, Cubs), but I'm not so worried about a transition to a Davey Martinez. The front office will continue to have tremendous input and I trust they won't bring on board anyone who doesn't buy into their approach.

 

[phrenile]

Cot's either just put up this detail in his contract or Maddon is a damn liar.

Cot's did; that detail wasn't there yesterday.

 

[strek1]

 
With their young bats, the Cubs are about to become scary in the next couple of years.

 Of course The Nats were supposed to be scary by now but they keep coming up short.

 

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Hmm, the combination of Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon is a seventh dimension of fucking genius.   They are like the Long Term Capital of baseball.

 

[JohntheBaptist]

Hmm, the combination of Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon is a seventh dimension of fucking genius. 

 
Alex Cora for hitting coach and the White House starts conferring with the Cubs on matters of state.

 

[Frank Fenway]

I pity the fool who doesn't defer to their knowledge on matters of international significance.

 

[drtooth]

Not shocked here.  He came in with (and was tied to) Friedman when TB had been terrible for years.  They had a bunch of high picks (Price and Longoria, et al), fleeced teams in a couple of trades to get young players and got them to be winners.  Now that Friedman and Price are gone, the budget hasn't increased and the Rays' minor league system has dried up.  He bailed before the damage to his "genius" reputation could set in and he could get a big payday.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

Good for Joe, I say. He's 60, never made much money at all until the last few years and has a limited window to cash in with a big payday. You don't get your big payday with the Rays. Once you start approaching fair market value and above, time to move on. He served well, had a great run....time to seek riches and glory somewhere they are available.

That being said, I think a big part of Joe's genius was not being married to pre-conceived notions and taking instruction well. There is a big system aspect to everything that goes on with the Rays. I think Joe will thrive elsewhere with the right front office (LAD, Cubs), but I'm not so worried about a transition to a Davey Martinez. The front office will continue to have tremendous input and I trust they won't bring on board anyone who doesn't buy into their approach.

 
This.
 
He did well with a low payroll Rays team at a salary probably below what he's worth, it wouldn't surprise me if he goes for the money now and does fairly well with whatever team he takes over.

 

[bankshot1]

Maddon more than earned his big pay-day and retirement income. IMO he was a smug and irritating hypocrite, but a damn good manager..
 
So does the brain drain all but neuter the franchise we've all learned to loathe?

 

[nattysez]

Of course The Nats were supposed to be scary by now but they keep coming up short.

They had the best record in the National League.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Buster_ESPN Buster Olney
Re: Maddon/LAD: Think of Friedman/Maddon as baseball's Lennon/McCartney. They did great work together, now ready to go their separate ways.
 
Only the Beatles were the best ever

 

[The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa]

 
 
3 if you count the heckler guy.

 
Didn't he go bankrupt in the real estate business and lose his season tickets? He's probably a Yankees fan now.

 

[HriniakPosterChild]

Didn't he go bankrupt in the real estate business and lose his season tickets? He's probably a Yankees fan now.

 
Sounds like the Mets would be more up his alley, then.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Cot's did; that detail wasn't there yesterday.

While true, I have a strong feeling that Maddon is still lying.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

Can't wait for Maddon to go to the NL and for Ortiz to bat .380 when the rest of the league forgets to use the shift against him.

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
Didn't he go bankrupt in the real estate business and lose his season tickets? He's probably a Yankees fan now.

 
 
I don't know, but I believe he was posting on SOSH at one point.

 

[nattysez]

Mark Topkin, the Rays' beat writer, was on yesterday's Olney podcast.  Olney said he'd bet Topkin that Maddon would be a Cub and Topkin could have the field.  Topkin said he'd take the bet knowing he was going to lose, because a team executive had essentially offered him the same bet.

 

[Toe Nash]

Not shocked here.  He came in with (and was tied to) Friedman when TB had been terrible for years.  They had a bunch of high picks (Price and Longoria, et al), fleeced teams in a couple of trades to get young players and got them to be winners.  Now that Friedman and Price are gone, the budget hasn't increased and the Rays' minor league system has dried up.  He bailed before the damage to his "genius" reputation could set in and he could get a big payday.

Thank you for this. Friedman et al bungled their drafts so much and it's catching up with them. They had 25 picks in the 1st or 1st supp since 2005, and all they got were Longoria and Price, who were #3 and #1 overall. In 2011 they had an amazing 12 picks in the top 89 and only got one decent prospect (Guerrieri) who was suspended for drugs and just had TJ surgery. Meanwhile in 2011 the Sox drafted Barnes #19, Swihart #26, Owens #36, JBJ #40 and Betts #172.
 
They are getting out and getting a new start before the league realizes that they're not that great.

 

[JimD]

Cubs in talks with Maddon - could have answer by Friday
 
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/10/29/report-cubs-could-have-joe-maddon-answer-by-friday/
 
I will be shocked if he doesn't end up there.

 

[ThePrideofShiner]

Jon Heyman says it is a done deal.

 

[soxhop411]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS 3m3 minutes ago
joe maddon to become cubs manager. story up soon at @CBSSports

 

[nattysez]

So will handling the Rays' tampering allegations be Selig's last act as Commissioner?
 
Curious to see how Maddon's approach works in a high-intensity environment where he doesn't already have a well-established track record.
 
Also curious to see if he and/or Theo are viewed generally in the game as bad actors for unseating a sitting manager.

 

[soxhop411]

So will handling the Rays' tampering allegations will be Selig's last act as Commissioner?
 
Curious to see how Maddon's approach works in a high-intensity environment where he doesn't already have a well-established track record.
 
Also curious to see if he and/or Theo are viewed generally in the game as bad actors for unseating a sitting manager.

I have no doubts that the rays will press tampering charges against the Cubs... Wonder what the punishment will be

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

I have no doubts that the rays will press tampering charges against the Cubs... Wonder what the punishment will be

Probably receive a PTBNL
 
Guessing first name Not, last name One, middle name That

 

[nattysez]

Which minority candidates did they interview?

 
Rick Renteria.

 

[The Gray Eagle]

In 2011 they had an amazing 12 picks in the top 89 and only got one decent prospect (Guerrieri) who was suspended for drugs and just had TJ surgery. Meanwhile in 2011 the Sox drafted Barnes #19, Swihart #26, Owens #36, JBJ #40 and Betts #172.
 

 
Wow, the Devil Rays passed over Mookie Betts at least 12 times?!? Drafting is very inexact, Betts wasn't a huge prospect, etc. etc. but I will still just laugh at that now. They had a dozen shots at him and ignored him, and we scooped him up at #172. I love that.
 
LOL at you Devil Rays, thanks for failing so tremendously with all those high picks in 2011.

 

[Harry Hooper]

So will handling the Rays' tampering allegations be Selig's last act as Commissioner?
 
Curious to see how Maddon's approach works in a high-intensity environment where he doesn't already have a well-established track record.
 
Also curious to see if he and/or Theo are viewed generally in the game as bad actors for unseating a sitting manager.

 
Bud will want to nail the Cubs for making news during the WS, the day of Game 7 to boot.

 

[VORP Speed]

My guess is the Rays will get a decent prospect out of this when all is said and done. Sternberg will definitely pursue it. It strains belief that it went down like this without Nero getting some indication of Theo's covetous intentions.

 

[MakMan44]

Yeah, I don't understand where the tampering accusations are coming from but I assumed there was some behind the scenes knowledge. Everyone here seems to be talking as if they have some further knowledge though.

 

[canderson]

David Price, time to house hunt in Chicagoland.

 

[ivanvamp]

Theo is a solid GM.  Maddon is a terrific manager.  They are a team with a ton of young talent.  They have a potentially huge budget.
 
Ladies and gentlemen, the Chicago Cubs are going to be a major force for years to come.  
 
Which is perfectly fine with me.  

 

[Harry Hooper]

 
This. I don't see how the Rays have much ground. 

 
Hey, the Rays got mad at Daubach for fighting in a fight.

 

[cannonball 1729]

Probably receive a PTBNL
 
Guessing first name Not, last name One, middle name That

 
They can send Chris Carpenter again.  He's definitely available.

 

[67YAZ]

Curious to see how Maddon's approach works in a high-intensity environment where he doesn't already have a well-established track record.
 

 
Well, this is the Cubs.  Definitely more attention than Tampa, but if the Bulls and/or Hawks make deep playoff runs, no one is going to much care about the Cubs until July.  And even then the expectations will be low.
 
I have to imagine that this is a make-or-break off season for Epstein and Hoyer.  More revenue should be generated from stadium renovations and expanded advertising, but there's been little evidence of forward progress so far.  The Cubs have eaten a year of Sveum's contract, eaten two years of Renteria's, and will presumably pay a pretty penny for Maddon.  If the salary budget does make a significant jump this season as expected and a couple of top tier free agents sign on, then there has to be meaningful improvement in the win column.  The Ricketts are investing in the team to fill the stadium.

 

[OzSox]

I have to imagine that this is a make-or-break off season for Epstein and Hoyer.  

 
Epstein has two years left on his contract so I think he has another year of leeway. If there isn't serious improvement by the 2016 season (postseason birth?), then he might be in trouble because his contract will be up at the end of that season.

 

[Hyde Park Factor]

Oh I expect them to try, I just don't see them getting far unless they have some definitive proof that the Cubs did something untoward before he opted out.

There may be no definitive proof, but it's pretty obvious that something here doesn't pass the sniff test, so the Rays will probably receive some sort of token compensation.

What I don't understand is what advantage comes from having this all unfold during the World Series. It doesn't look like it made any material difference as far as how it all played out, so why not just wait a few more days and have one less questionable thing to defend?

 

[One Red Seat]

So Joe Maddon....who along with Buck Doubleday invented baseball's unwritten rules & are the smartest 2 people ever involved in the game or perhaps in all the world....negotiated for a job with a team that already had a manager under contract? I thought that was big no no for such a superior and classy guy.

 

[rembrat]

Theo has experience in such matters.

 

[inJacobyWeTrust]

 
Epstein has two years left on his contract so I think he has another year of leeway. If there isn't serious improvement by the 2016 season (postseason birth?), then he might be in trouble because his contract will be up at the end of that season.

 
http://youtu.be/RKKOX5fIeK4

 

[Lowrielicious]

Has this been discussed yet?