Joe Maddon Hired by Cubs: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

Updates from Monday, Nov. 3

The Chicago Cubs confirmed Joe Maddon's move to the club, revealing the contract details for the former Tampa Bay Rays manager:

Buster Olney of ESPN reported on the terms of Maddon's agreement in Chicago:

Updates from Friday, Oct. 31

MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has an update on the Cubs' hiring of Maddon:

ESPN's Jesse Rogers provides details on the Cubs' staff: 

Updates from Thursday, Oct. 30

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal provides an update on Maddon:

Original Text

Joe Maddon's stint as a free agent has come to an end. The former Tampa Bay Rays manager has reportedly found a new home with the Chicago Cubs.

According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, Maddon will be hired by the club after spending nine years in Tampa Bay's dugout. 

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports suggests the deal may not be imminent: 

Heyman provided details on Maddon's contract situation: 

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The contract, once finalized, is expected to make Maddon one of the highest-paid managers in baseball and quite likely the best-paid in the National League. Mike Scioscia's Angels deal pays him $5 million annually, so he sets the standard.

Cubs president Theo Epstein has long been an admirer of Maddon, according to people close to the team. The Cubs intend to make a big splash in free agency, and this represents a big start.

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post provides an update on the conflicting reports:

No one was expecting Maddon to be available this winter. He ended the 2014 MLB season with the Rays having one more year on his contract. However, the 60-year-old exercised an opt-out clause in his deal. 

According to Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg, via Bill Chastain of MLB.com, the team was trying to negotiate a new contract with Maddon before talks eventually broke down:

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We tried diligently and aggressively to sign Joe to a third contract extension prior to his decision. As of yesterday afternoon, Joe enabled himself to explore opportunities throughout Major League Baseball. He will not be managing the Rays in 2015. Joe has been our manager for nine seasons, and the foundation of success laid during his tenure endures. We thank him for all that he's meant to the organization.

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Upon leaving the Rays, Maddon immediately became the subject of many rumors for teams that already had managers in place. Rosenthal reported that Chicago was viewed as the likeliest landing spot:

Few current managers are as revered as Maddon. He was named American League Manager of the Year twice in Tampa Bay (2008, 2011) and made the postseason four times. 

In August 2014, Richard Justice wrote a piece for Sports On Earth about the secrets that make a manager successful. Maddon served as the introductory skipper for the article, which included a discussion of what he wants from players and how he keeps his clubhouse loose:

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In the toughest of times, he may order his players to forget batting practice and show up an hour before game time. He may also bring penguins through the clubhouse and hold team meetings to discuss, say, the best cities in which to get pizza.

Or a roast beef sandwich.

Through the silliness, there's a message. That is, let's have some fun and hang together.

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There's more to Maddon's success than that. He's a master at using defensive shifts, playing platoon matchups and mixing up his bullpen in key spots. 

As quirky as Maddon can be off the field, he's been one of the best in the sport ever since taking over a franchise that was a laughingstock. He was an instrumental part in bringing the Rays out of their decade-long malaise. 

Now, Maddon will have a chance to prove himself on a new stage. Given what we know about his history in the dugout, it would be a mistake to bet against him. 

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