Joe Maddon Welcome to Chicago

03 Nov, 2014

Joe Maddon’s unusual road to the manager’s office at Wrigley Field included a job interview at an RV park in Pensacola, Florida. The first public stop was a bar across the street from the iconic ballpark, where Maddon offered to buy a beer and a shot for everyone in the room.

“The Hazleton way,” he said in tribute to his Pennsylvania hometown.

If the beginning of Maddon’s partnership with the Cubs is any indication, this is going to be one interesting ride.

Maddon brought his unconventional style to Chicago on Monday when he was introduced as the Cubs’ fifth manager since the start of the 2010 season, replacing Rick Renteria after just one year on the job. Flanked by smiling executives Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein, he slipped on a pinstriped No. 70 jersey and repeatedly said how he excited he was about his new job.

Perhaps more importantly, at least for a century’s worth of frustrated Cubs fans, he talked about winning – right now.

“Listen, for me, I’m going to be talking playoffs next year. OK, I’m going to tell you that right now,” said Maddon, who got a $25 million, five-year contract – making him one of the highest paid managers in the game, “because I can’t go to spring training and say another thing. I’m just incapable of doing that. Why would you even report?”

The 60-year-old Maddon had a 754-705 record in nine seasons in Tampa Bay, leading the club to four playoff appearances, two AL East titles and a five-game loss to Philadelphia in the 2008 World Series. The two-time AL Manager of the Year also was the bench coach for six seasons under Angels manager Mike Scioscia before he was hired by Tampa Bay in November 2005.

The Rays went 77-85 this year, and Maddon opted out of his contract after Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay’s front office to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 14. The Cubs already had a manager in Renteria, but Epstein felt he had to act on Maddon’s free agency.

Chicago finished 73-89 in Renteria’s only season as a major league manager. The move puts the rest of Renteria’s staff in jeopardy, but pitching coach Chris Bosio attended Maddon’s introductory press conference and Epstein made it sound as if he thinks most of the coaches will be retained.

Maddon inherits an impressive group of prospects and a bigger payroll after his successful run with the small-market Rays. But he also gets a run of five consecutive losing seasons and a famous title drought that goes back to the Cubs’ win in the 1908 World Series.

Chicago hasn’t made it to the playoffs since it won the NL Central in 2008 with Lou Piniella in the dugout. Epstein was hired after the Cubs went 71-91 in 2011, beginning a rebuilding process that included 101 losses in his first year in charge.

AP

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