The Chicago Cubs are reportedly in talks to hire one of the MLB‘s best manager, former Tampa Bay Rays‘ skipper Joe Maddon
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Joe Maddon surprised many when he decided he would not be returning to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015. With Andrew Friedman leaving the Rays to join the Los Angeles Dodgers, many believed that Maddon would be following him. Although Friedman quickly ruled that out, saying that Don Mattingly would be back as the Dodgers’ manager next season, most brushed that off.
However, it looks like Friedman won’t be lying and instead could be heading for Chicago to manage the Cubs.
According to Daryl Van Schouwen of The Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs are in talks to hire Maddon.
"Major-league sources say the Cubs, who have been in discussions this week with free-agent manager Joe Maddon, could have an answer by Friday. Either they will land Maddon, finding the perfect manager for their multiyear rebuilding mission, or they will have swung and missed, leaving them with a mess on their hands with incumbent Rick Renteria.Maddon’s Chicago-based agent, Alan Nero, told the Sun-Times over the weekend that he expected clarity this week."
Maddon is reportedly looking for a deal worth about $25 million over five years so it will be interesting to see if Theo Epstein and the Cubs pony up that kind of cash. This would obviously be quite the coup for the Cubs because Epstein is already regarded as one of the best minds in baseball.
Maddon is 781-729 in his career and had managed the Rays since 2006. His reputation grew as the Rays continued to deal away stars and refuse to add pay roll (with some exceptions) yet continued to contend for a playoff spot in the brutal AL East every season. Maddon was named Manager of the Year in both 2008 and 2011 and advanced to the World Series in 2008.
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