Joe Maddon brings live Cubs to spring training, because why not?
By John Buhler
Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon likes to keep his teams loose, so it’s no surprise that he brought actual live cubs to Cubs spring training Friday.
Joe Maddon’s Chicago Cubs are entering the 2016 MLB season with great expectations. The 2015 Cubs went all the way to the National League Championship Series last season and are considered a favorite to win both the National League and the 2016 World Series.
While the Cubs are one of the deepest teams in baseball entering the season, perhaps the pressure of a 108-year World Series drought could potentially loom over the heads of this otherwise talented roster. Maddon, known for eccentricities, literally brought live cubs to the Cubs spring training practice on Friday. Here are the pictures!
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) March 25, 2016
At first glance, it looks like All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo is holding a chocolate lab puppy. Then after further inspection, one realizes, no, those are baby bears hanging out with the Lovable Losers in 2016 spring training.
This isn’t the first time that Maddon has brought live animals to the diamond. He once brought live animals from the Tampa Zoo when he was the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays a few years back. The Rays had live boa constrictors in their clubhouse.
From boas to bears, one could jump to conclusions that Maddon is the fearless leader needed to manage winning baseball. It didn’t seem possible that Maddon could top bringing pythons into the Rays locker room, but in reality it was only a matter of time before he could find a pair of young cubs to let his club on the North Side play with in spring training.
How will Maddon ever top this? There is only one way: winning the 2016 World Series and riding a full-grown bear around the corner of Addison and Clark. If anybody can channel their inner Brick Tamland, it has to be Maddon.
For more posts about the MLB, please check out our MLB hub page.