Indications point to Maddon, but Cubs mum
Many baseball watchers, in and out of the media, have expected the Cubs to make a serious run at Joe Maddon to be their manager.
So when a report on cbssports.com surfaced Wednesday saying the Cubs were set to name Maddon to the job, few were surprised.
Even though Maddon-to-the-Cubs seems logical, multiple sources said, “Not so fast.”
Cubs sources said no such deal had been reached, and another source said incumbent manager Rick Renteria had yet to be informed of a change.
The 60-year-old Maddon, perhaps the most highly regarded manager in the game, opted out of his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays last Friday. That came on the heels of Rays baseball boss Andrew Friedman leaving to head baseball operations of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
When it became clear last Friday that Maddon was not going to the Dodgers, the Maddon-to-the-Cubs speculation took on a life of its own quickly. The Cubs did nothing to quell the fires, as team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer have not returned media inquiries since last week.
Epstein and Hoyer will have several issues to clean up before an announcement can be made. Not the least of which is the Renteria issue.
Signed to a three-year contract last fall, Renteria this week issued a statement saying it was his intention to manage the Cubs to a championship even as he twisted in the wind with now word of his fate forthcoming.
In addition to finalizing contract details, the Cubs and Maddon will have to hammer out agreement on a coaching staff.
The Cubs just signed highly regarded John Mallee to be their hitting coach. They also named former Cubs outfielder Doug Dascenzo their first-base coach, moving coach Eric Hinske from first base to assistant hitting coach.
Pitching coach Chris Bosio has won rave reviews for his work with the Cubs under both Renteria and former manager Dale Sveum. Bullpen coach Lester Strode is a longtime organizational soldier.
Bench coach Brandon Hyde was brought into the organization by Epstein and Hoyer, and it's possible he'd move into a different role in the system. Third-base coach Gary Jones is seen as a “Renteria guy.”
Maddon won Manager of the Year honors in the American League in 2008 and 2011. His '08 club lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies.
The timing seems right for the Cubs to hire Maddon. Their rebuilding process has progressed to the point where they've talked of competing for the National League Central crown as early as 2015, and they may feel Maddon is the manager to get them to the next point.
Maddon is seen as cerebral and innovative. He also enjoyed success in Tampa Bay, where the Rays have been hampered by relatively small player payrolls.
When the Rays played the Cubs in Chicago this past summer, Maddon talked of his fondness for Wrigley Field, which is in the early stages of a major renovation.
bmiles@dailyherald.com