The Chicago Cubs reportedly have come to terms with Joe Maddon to be their next manager. That has irked some people around Major League Baseball, and the team could potentially face tampering charges if the deal becomes official.
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The timing just doesn’t add up. When Joe Maddon exercised an opt-out in his contract and left the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this month, he expressed a curiosity about the other opportunities out there. He made it sound like he was willing to not manage at all in 2015 if the right opportunity had not come along.
To go from that relative lack of urgency to agreeing to a deal with a new team less than two weeks later is a big change. That is why many people around baseball are questioning the timing of Maddon’s reported deal with the Chicago Cubs and whether or not everything happened on the level.
Right now that skepticism from around the league is mostly taking the form of snippy comments about Maddon and the Cubs. But if the deal becomes official, the Cubs could face a more serious issue. Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if MLB and the Rays might look into tampering charges if this deal is executed:
Can confirm @JonHeymanCBS report #Cubs have reached agreement with Joe Maddon to be their manager
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 29, 2014
#Cubs denying reports but last thing they want to do is annoy MLB by announcing this on same day as Gm 7
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 29, 2014
Suspect #Rays and/or MLB will look into tampering charges on #Cubs, considering deal Maddon left/how quickly this came together with Chi
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 29, 2014
Once the World Series is behind us, this news will jump to the top of the list of off-season story lines. As it does, many people will be skeptical of Maddon and the Cubs if their reported deal comes to be true.
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