Epstein on Maddon: These Chicago Cubs needed a 'new voice'
Sunday's firing of Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon by team president Theo Epstein seemed more like a lovefest, with tales of wine drinking and mutual admiration.
Epstein was asked Monday why he fired Maddon if all he did was keep praising him.
"Because Joe was the perfect manager at the perfect moment in time for us, for the group that we had, where they were in their careers, what they were trying to accomplish in the game, the identity we were trying to establish," Epstein said at his postseason news conference. "If I could go back and do it again, I obviously, anyone in this room, would go and hire Joe Maddon again.
"And now we need the perfect guy for this moment in time for this group, for where they are in their careers, for the way their skills and their habits and their outlooks have evolved. There's a unique challenge at this moment in time."
Epstein went back to praising Maddon.
"If I were in a different situation, I would hire Joe in a second," he said. "I would hire Joe in a second today. But for this group, by definition, I feel like change is important. There are certain things that a new voice can accomplish … Joe's going to go somewhere else and dominate."
Wishing for Nick:
Right fielder Nick Castellanos, whom the Cubs obtained from Detroit at the July 31 trading deadline, is an impending free agent. In 51 games with the Cubs, Castellanos had a line of .321/.356/.646 with 21 doubles, 16 home runs and 36 RBI.
Can the Cubs pay him enough to stay?
"Man, I love everything about Nick Castellanos," Theo Epstein said. "What a job he did. I don't think you could ask more of a midseason trade acquisition. The production, the consistency, the dynamic at-bats that he had and the way he went about it with a lot of passion, a lot of professionalism, a lot of hard work, a team-oriented approach.
"He really became invested in the Cubs and his teammates in a short period of time.
"We'd love to have him back. It's a more complicated issue than, 'We'd love to have the guy back.' He's worked long and hard to get to free agency, had an unbelievable year, especially his time with the Cubs. He deserves the right to take that into the free-agent market."
No surgeries needed:
Closer Craig Kimbrel, who signed in June, missed the final few games of the season after coming off the injured list with an elbow ailment.
Theo Epstein said Kimbrel would not need a surgical cleanup of the elbow. He also said infielders Kris Bryant (knee) and Javier Baez (thumb) also will not need surgery.