Joe Maddon Coming to Cubs?

[Boobaby1]

Except I watched just about every game that season and was really into the team. They were a good team, not a "hell of a team" as you put it.

Agreed. They had the hitting to contend, and they did win a lot of games and had the chance to make some noise in the playoffs. That I will give them.

The starting pitching to me was a little less than stellar, especially by todays standards.

Ryan Dempster had a sub 3.00 ERA. The rest were Zambrano 3.91, Lilly 4.09, and Marquis 4.53, and Harden, who was on limited pitch counts sported a 1.77

The Cubs won a lot that year, but they outscored a lot of teams too.

Oh well, fresh start. Time to see what this FO brings to the table.

 

[ChicagoBornCalifLiving]

After the error I still don't get Baker the pitching coach or one of the infielders not taking a trip out to the mound just to let everyone catch their breath and regroup. I still remember Steve Stone on the pregame show telling everyone in Chicago not to go crazy and destroy property etc. when the Cubs won the NL Title.

 

[Boobaby1]

After the error I still don't get Baker the pitching coach or one of the infielders not taking a trip out to the mound just to let everyone catch their breath and regroup. I still remember Steve Stone on the pregame show telling everyone in Chicago not to go crazy and destroy property etc. when the Cubs won the NL Title.

Scuba Steve....Damn you!

 

[ChicagoBornCalifLiving]

Scuba Steve....Damn you!

Yea it was as bad a nightmare as 1984. I was in San Diego in school and went to all three games. Harry did the same thing, telling everyone after the second game in Chicago to prepare for the festivities when the Cubs returned. Common denominator in all this is Stone, damn him.

 

[Boobaby1]

Ah yes. 1984.

When the Cubs had the Daily Double of Dernier and Sandberg, and lock down Sutcliffe who seemed unbeatable that year, much like Prior was almost a sure thing in the playoffs in 2003.

Both hit unexpected walls in the playoffs, costing the Cubs at least a trip to the WS.

I remember my Mother-in-law calling on the phone in 2003, and I kid you not, it was at the commercial break going into the top of the 8th inning in game 6. "The Cubs are going to do it" she said.

Right then I felt like I heard the bellows of a large ships horn.

If you knew my Mother-in-Law, she would have been the one to tell me to go ahead and get on the Titanic. There is nothing to be worried about, she would say.

It's not like it can sink. :nervous:

 

[ijustposthere]

Feel bad for Rick. He deserved to come back IMO. However, you don't pass on a guy like Joe Maddon

Yup, thought Rick did a pretty good job last season, but Maddon is, dare I say, "elite."

 

[ijustposthere]

Don't feel sorry for Rick Renteria. I don't remember the details of his contract but odds are he made a couple million dollars for a years worth of work. He wouldn't be afraid to replace a fired coach or put a better player in front of another, so him being replaced by someone 99% of baseball people think is better is just the way it works.

He'll probably get another job, if he is indeed fired.

 

[brett05]

I'm sure the decision will bite Sux fans more than it will ever hurt the Cubs organization.

No, but keep thinking...

 

[brett05]

Boras has his clients prove their worth in F/A. It would be stupid to trade 3 weeks for 1 year...very stupid.

Offer him a Trout contract in year 2-3 and Boras won't care. Sorry it's bad that he wasn't up already.

 

[brett05]

Point here is meeting expectations often isn't enough. You may think it's a cold move but that's baseball. Let me put it this way, as a sox fan would you want them to fire Robin and hire Rick because he "did his job?" Obviously Theo has been given some leeway but at some point whether he stays or is fired will come down to wins and losses. Who would you rather have over the next 5 years? Maddon who's largely regard as a top 5 manager and possibly higher depending on who you talk about or someone who's record thus far is 73-89?

Also, I fail to see how this really hurts Rick to begin with. As far as we are aware, no one else was on the path to hiring him as a manager last year. Had Maddon been available last year clearly the cubs would have hired him then in which case Rick would still be a coach with the Padres but not a manager. The cubs gave him likely a million or two dollars and experience for hopefully his next job as a manager two things he wouldn't have gotten regardless. Clearly we know the cubs wanted more of a high profile hire because they went after Girardi first and foremost but when he backed out they were left with not much else. So, if Rick didn't see the writing on the wall to begin with then he's quite naive. He is and always was a bridge to a higher profile hire unless he went out and greatly exceeded expectations.

Again, you can say he "did his job" but did Quade not do his job in arguably a worse situation winning at a higher rate? Still wasn't enough to keep him a job. Why? Because that's baseball(and sports in general).

What example do you have of doing what you were paid to do was not enough? Quade did not have control of the clubhouse.

Fire Robin for a guy just like him but let's say better with the kids. No. Not that I wouldn't fire Robin. I would. I wouldn't have even hired him. But the Sox are in need of a veteran manager that can take care of an experienced team.

 

[brett05]

not abut $$$. About him being a F/A in 2021 vs 2022. Teams have control for 7 years. They are not going to start his clock early and knock it down to 6 years of control. That is why Boras complaned about not giving Bryant playing time. Earlier payday. That is why they had to sign Bryant at slot. Boras would not budge.

It's an extension way before he reaches FA. It's not the agent, it's the player's decision.

 

[brett05]

For the record I love the hiring I just dislike the treatment the team is doing to Rick.

 

[Parade_Rain]

For the record I love the hiring I just dislike the treatment the team is doing to Rick.

I'm sure his increase in pay for last season and the few mil $$ in payout for the early exit will more than suffice.

 

[brett05]

I'm sure his increase in pay for last season and the few mil $$ in payout for the early exit will more than suffice.

If it was about money he could do something else.

 

[brett05]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Boras

Interesting recap of things including several High Profile guys signing away arb years.

 

[Parade_Rain]

If it was about money he could do something else.

That makes zero sense. You need to slow down and think before you hit the post button.

 

[fatbeard]

For the record I love the hiring I just dislike the treatment the team is doing to Rick.

The team is simply doing its job, which is to field the best team possible and put together the best organization to support it. Renteria has every right to be angry after he did everything the club asked him to do, but he shouldn't be surprised. It's not personal, it's strictly business.

 

[brett05]

That makes zero sense. You need to slow down and think before you hit the post button.

It makes sense...why not take your own advice before posting there "Pot"

 

[brett05]

The team is simply doing its job, which is to field the best team possible and put together the best organization to support it. Renteria has every right to be angry after he did everything the club asked him to do, but he shouldn't be surprised. It's not personal, it's strictly business.

100% agree. It's the quality of business that is being shown.

 

[fatbeard]

100% agree. It's the quality of business that is being shown.

Not sure what you mean. Every other team, manager, and GM in baseball understands why the Cubs are going after Maddon. And in the same position, they would do the exact same thing. I really doubt this is going to "stain" the Cubs org in any way, if that's what you're getting at.