Chicago Cubs Rumors: Maddon to be employed by end of week
By Jason Parini
The Chicago Cubs fired manager Joe Maddon after five seasons with the team. According to reports, he won’t be unemployed for very long.
Less than two weeks after the Chicago Cubs fired Joe Maddon after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, the Los Angeles Angels (or wherever they think they’re from this week) are set to make Maddon their next manager. That’s according to Scott Miller of Bleacher Report
If the reports do indeed come to fruition, it will be Maddon’s second tenure with the Angels. He’s spent most of his career in the organization, working in numerous roles throughout the organization from 1975-2005.
Maddon would replace former manager Brad Ausmus, who was fired by the team after one season.
Interestingly enough, it wouldn’t be the first time that Maddon replaced a manager after just one season with the team.
The Cubs fired skipper Rick Renteria after one season with the team in order to hire Maddon. Of course, it ended up working out for both sides as Renteria is now at the helm on the other side of town for the Chicago White Sox.
Maddon will have some familiar faces in the clubhouse. Former Cubs Tommy La Stella, Felix Pena and Trevor Cahill are all members of the Angels now. All three played under Maddon during his tenure on the North Side.
It’s also worth noting that Maddon has managed the Angels before, though never with the permanent title. In two stints as interim manager for the Halos, Maddon posted a 27-24 record in 1996 and 1999.
Should Maddon be hired as the Angels manager, it will be interesting to see how he does with the team in his first season. Only twice has Maddon ever had a losing record in a full season. Unsurprisingly, those two seasons came in his first two years as manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
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We’ll know by the end of the week if Maddon is indeed the next Angels skipper. If he is, the club may just be gaining a few extra fans with Maddon teaming up with the likes of fan-favorite Tommy LaStella and the incomparable Mike Trout.