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Joe Maddon

MLBTR Poll: Joe Maddon’s Angels Tenure

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Setting aside his fill-in work with the Angels earlier in his career, Joe Maddon has managed 14 campaigns in the majors. His club has cracked at least 90 wins in nine of those seasons and reached the postseason eight times. Whatever one thinks about the influence of a manager on the win-loss column, Maddon has undeniably piloted many a high-flying aircraft.

Maddon oversaw two lean years with the Rays before leaping from 66 wins to 97 and helping to shape the team into a perennial contender. He was brought in somewhat later in the process with the Cubs. In Chicago, he was tasked with vaulting a club brimming with young talent — but coming off of five-straight fifth-place finishes — into a new stratosphere. In his first year, Maddon flipped a 73-89 record into 97-65.

There are similarities and differences in his new gig. Maddon’s marching orders are essentially the same: replicate those 31-win (Rays) and 24-win (Cubs) bounces with the Halos. It’ll take something nearly as dramatic to get the L.A. organization back into the postseason for the first time since 2014. The club limped to a 72-90 record in 2019 and has turned in four consecutive losing campaigns. In a stratified American League, it might take 95 or more wins to make the playoffs.

That’s not to say it’s deja vu all over again. Maddon’s new Halos team is already led by established superstars, including the game’s greatest player in Mike Trout, its most fascinating talent in Shohei Ohtani (who’ll be back on the bump in 2020), peerless defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons, and slugger Justin Upton. The L.A. organization figures to have some funds to work with this winter and has one of the game’s truly elite prospects (Jo Adell) waiting in the wings. To be sure, there are needs — all over the pitching staff and behind the dish, in particular — but there are also resources to work with and quite a lot of talent already in place.

There’ll also be expectations. Maddon is no stranger to those after five years in Chicago. But his charges fell shy in 2018 and especially 2019, the lone year in which the Maddon-led Cubs fell shy of the playoffs. Halos owner Arte Moreno is surely short on patience given what he has invested in this club. GM Billy Eppler is roster-managing for his job without a contract beyond 2020. And the clock is ticking on Trout’s twenties.

Obviously this question involves considerations that go well beyond Maddon’s managerial acumen. But his hiring begins a consequential epoch for an organization that has endured disappointment as well as recent tragedy. Maddon will be a high-profile franchise face. He’ll start out with a three-year deal at a $12MM price tag — a significant commitment, but not quite the five-year, $25MM pact that drew him to Chicago.

So … how do you think it’ll turn out? (Poll link for app users.)

Angels Hire Joe Maddon

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11:24AM: Maddon’s contract is a three-year deal worth $12MM, Jeff Fletcher tweets.

10:03AM: The Angels have hired Joe Maddon to be the team’s next manager.  Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group reported (Twitter link) that an agreement had been reached, after MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that Maddon and the Angels were closing in on a deal.  Official terms of the contract haven’t been released, though ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers reported that Maddon is expected to earn roughly $12MM-$15MM over a three-year deal.

“We are thrilled that Joe is coming back home and bringing an exciting brand of baseball to our fans,” Angels GM Billy Eppler said in an official press release from the team. “Every stop he has made throughout his managerial career he has built a culture that is focused on winning while also allowing his players to thrive. We believe Joe will be a great asset for our Club and look forward to him leading the team to another World Series Championship.”

Joe MaddonThe signing represents something of a homecoming for Maddon, who was a member of the Angels organization from 1975-2005.  After playing four seasons of minor league ball in the Halos’ farm system, Maddon transitioned into scouting, coaching, and managing within the team’s minor league ranks before joining the Major League coaching staff prior to the 1994 season.  Maddon worked as the first base coach and bench coach, serving in the latter role in 2002 during the Angels’ World Series championship year.

From there, Maddon went on to amass a 1225-1044 record over 14 seasons managing the Rays and Cubs, a resume that includes eight postseason appearances, four division titles, both an American League and National League pennant, and (of course) the 2016 World Series title that ended the Cubs’ championship drought after 107 years.

The 65-year-old Maddon has developed a reputation as one of the game’s more innovative motivators and thinkers, though as far back as a year ago, it seemed like rumors were already swirling that 2019 would be Maddon’s last year at Wrigley Field.  Those rumors came to fruition after the Cubs missed the postseason for the first time in Maddon’s tenure (though the team still had a winning record at 84-78), and the Cubs announced that Maddon wouldn’t be brought back on a new contract for 2020 and beyond.

This technically isn’t Maddon’s first time managing the Angels, as his long tenure with the club included two separate stints (totaling 51 games) as an interim manager.  But now he’ll officially take over in the dugout following the abrupt and rather surprising dismissal of Brad Ausmus, who was let go just one season into a three-year deal with Los Angeles.  Speculation immediately began to build about a Maddon/Angels reunion as soon as Maddon’s parting with the Cubs became official, and since Ausmus’ firing came quickly after Maddon became available, it seemed like it was only just a matter of time before Maddon returned to Anaheim.  Still, the Angels did some due diligence in their search, also speaking to former Buck Showalter, John Farrell, and Johnny Washington about the manager’s job.  Showalter was the runner-up for the position, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets.

Maddon also received some interest from the Padres about their managerial vacancy, though seemingly no official connection between the two sides was ever made.  With eight teams in search for new managers this offseason, the fact that Maddon only formally interviewed with the Angels could indicate that they were each other’s top choice all along, as Maddon would have seemingly been a fit for several other teams in need for new bench bosses.  The Phillies, for instance, have been looking at veteran managers and theoretically would’ve been a prime fit for Maddon, a Pennsylvania native.

The Angels are coming off a 72-90 record in Ausmus’ only season as manager, a disappointing year on the field that was overshadowed by the tragic death of Tyler Skaggs.  Maddon will now be taking over an organization still reeling from Skaggs’ loss, as well as potential future ramifications that could stem from the circumstances surrounding his death.

In terms of on-field matters, the Angels haven’t had a winning record since 2015 and have reached the postseason only once in the last ten seasons (a three-game sweep at the hands of the Royals in the 2014 ALDS).  It isn’t a sterling record for any team, though the Angels’ lack of success particularly stands out given the presence of Mike Trout.  Despite having baseball’s best player for the bulk of the decade, Los Angeles has been consistently hampered by injuries and a lack of return from high-priced acquisitions (such as Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Vernon Wells, and C.J. Wilson).

Between Maddon’s hiring and the fact that Eppler is only under contract for one more season, the Angels seem poised for an aggressive offseason in order to finally get back into contention.  The Halos are widely expected to pursue starting pitching, and the position player side could be improved from within should stars like Justin Upton or Andrelton Simmons rebound from down years.  Shohei Ohtani is also expected to return to the mound following Tommy John surgery, giving L.A. the full benefit of his two-way skills as both a starter and a designated hitter.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Angels Nearing Deal With Joe Maddon

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9:22AM: “A deal is not imminent” between Maddon and the Angels, Maria Torres of the L.A. Times writes (Twitter link), as details are “still being worked out.”  Likewise, Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group hears from a source that the team is “working on it.”

8:39AM: The Angels are closing in on an agreement to bring aboard Joe Maddon as the team’s manager, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’s expected to be a three-year pact that pays Maddon in the realm of $12MM to $15MM, as per ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link).

If indeed a pact is completed, it’d be the first domino to fall in a busy winter of managerial movement. And it would bring the Halos an experienced and long-lauded new dugout leader to help flip the script after yet another disappointing campaign.

Maddon just wrapped up a successful stint with the Cubs. He led the Chicago organization to the promised land, finally bringing a championship to Wrigley in 2016, though the good vibes faded a bit in his final year at the helm.  Maddon finished with a 471-339 record in his five seasons in Chicago, reaching the postseason four times.

This match has made sense on paper ever since it became clear that Maddon wasn’t coming back to the Cubs, and speculation grew even heavier once the Halos fired manager Brad Ausmus after just one season. Maddon has a long history with the Angels, having spent more than three decades with the organization earlier in his career.

Latest On Angels’ Search For Manager

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The Angels have interviewed Padres hitting coach Johnny Washington for their open managerial position, according to Scott Miller of Bleacher Report. Washington’s one of four known candidates to interview for the job, joining Joe Maddon, Buck Showalter and John Farrell. It appears Washington, Showalter and Farrell will have to look elsewhere, though, as Miller writes Maddon is “all but officially” locked in as the Angels’ next manager.

Washington’s the sole member of the above quartet who has never managed in the majors. A minor league infielder with the Rangers and Dodgers from 2003-09, Washington has garnered quite a bit of experience as an assistant since his playing career ended. Washington was a coach in the Dodgers’ minor league system from 2009-15 before joining the Padres, with whom he got his first big league job as a first base coach in 2017. He began working with their batters (as an assistant hitting coach) the next season.

While Washington may one day prove to be a quality MLB manager, it’s hard to compete with Maddon right now. To many, the 65-year-old Maddon has been a shoo-in to end up with the Angels since the club fired Brad Ausmus on Sept. 30. The Angels’ high level of interest in Maddon is understandable, as he spent three decades with the organization in a variety of roles (including interim manager) before enjoying an eminently successful run as a full-time skipper from 2006-19. Atop the Rays and Cubs during that span, Maddon combined for 1,225 regular-season wins, eight playoff berths, two pennants and a World Series title.

Latest On Angels’ Managerial Search

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9:01pm: Maddon’s interview went “very well,” according to Heyman. The Angels are Maddon’s first choice, adds Heyman, who suggests owner Arte Moreno wants to hire him. As of now, signs are pointing to that happening.

8:41pm: The Angels are now fully engaged in the search for their next manager … but is the outcome already determined? Joe Maddon has been seen as the favorite since he parted ways with the Cubs.

Maddon had his interview with the Los Angeles organization today, per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). There’s no news coming out of the sit-down, but it seems reasonably notable that Maddon is the first person known to have interviewed.

That’s not to say that others won’t have their chance to chat. Bob Nightengale of USA Today adds that three other candidates are expected to interview with Angels brass (link). The others will have their meetings on separate days, Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group reports on Twitter.

While it seems the Halos intend to deliberate over the decision, Scott Miller of Bleacher Report cites “multiple sources” (Twitter link) that don’t quite see it that way. The consensus among Miller’s confidants is that Maddon is going to come away with the job and will likely be announced in relatively short order.

While it may seem like a match made in heaven, there are surely still some potential stumbling blocks. Working out a contract figures to be an interesting aspect. The Angels have previously given out a stupendously long deal (Mike Scioscia’s ten-year pact), while Maddon earned big money with the Cubs, but most skippers aren’t commanding those kinds of paydays in this day and age. And other organizations could yet intervene.

Manager Notes: Angels, Maddon, Beltran

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Former Cubs manager Joe Maddon is set to interview for the Angels’ job in the coming days, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Maddon has long been rumored as a leading candidate to succeed Brad Ausmus, and Rosenthal now reports that the feeling is mutual, naming the Halos as Maddon’s top choice. Of course, that two-way interest is at least partially motivated by the extensive history between organization and manager: Maddon spent time as an interim manager with the Angels in 1996 and 1999, and while he didn’t keep that position long-term, Maddon would spend more than thirty years with the Halos organization before departing for Tampa Bay. Maddon should have plenty of interest from other clubs with managerial vacancies, so if the Angels are indeed his ideal destination, he could have his pick of the available jobs. Surely, the Angels would be remiss if they didn’t interview other candidates, so it’s by no means a foregone conclusion, but Maddon to Los Angeles feels like a match made in heaven. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale cites the Padres as another club that has caught Maddon’s attention, and expects the two sides to arrange a meeting in the near future.

  • Former All-Star Carlos Beltran has not been shy about his desire to manage for a big-league club, but he’s waiting on the right situation to present itself, writes Nathalie Alonso of MLB.com. Beltran, who was a candidate to manage the Yankees before Aaron Boone came out ahead, joined the Bombers’ front office as a special adviser prior to the 2018 season. Beltran was recently reported to have declined an interview for the open Padres’ manager position, though there hasn’t been any explanation given. The Mets, who recently fired Mickey Callaway, have also been rumored as a potential fit for Beltran. While there’s been chatter that an allegedly frosty relationship between the ex-Met and team COO Jeff Wilpon would impede such a hire, Beltran said that he would “have to listen” if the Mets came calling. While that doesn’t indicate that he’s clamoring for the job, Beltran seems reluctant to rule out a potential reunion with his former team. As Beltran says, his focus is of course on the contending Yankees for the time being, which means that more clarity might not come to his situation until the end of October. That said, he’s certainly a name to watch as teams seek out their next skipper.

Padres Could Pursue Joe Maddon

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The Angels look like the front-runners to land coveted free-agent manager Joe Maddon, but the Padres are also considering a pursuit of the 65-year-old. They’re “doing background work on” Maddon, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.

The well-respected Maddon, who has enjoyed outstanding runs atop the Rays and Cubs, looks like a logical target for the Padres on paper. The club did just wrap up a dismal 70-92 season, its 13th straight year without a playoff berth. However, the Padres plan on finally pushing to contend in 2020, and they’d reportedly prefer an experienced manager to replace the fired Andy Green. Furthermore, executive chairman Ron Fowler spoke out in disgust this week over the Padres’ results this year, which seems to indicate they’ll be active this offseason as they seek a return to relevance.

Whether the Padres end up hiring Maddon, fellow potential candidate Brad Ausmus or someone else, that individual will be joining a franchise with at least a few enviable building blocks on hand. The left side of the Padres’ infield is in great shape with shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and third baseman Manny Machado, while right-hander Chris Paddack is coming off a tremendous rookie season. The Padres also continue to boast one of the majors’ most loaded farm systems. At the same time, though, there are quite a few roster needs to address for a team that has resided at the bottom of the MLB standings for far too long.

Managerial Rumors: Kapler, Maddon, Ausmus, Beltran

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Rumors have swirled that Gabe Kapler could be finished as the Phillies’ manager, though club ownership is taking its time in determining Kapler’s fate, as NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury tweets that a decision “likely” won’t be made until next week.  The Phils have a 161-163 record in two seasons under Kapler’s leadership, with both the 2018 and 2019 squads fading out of contention down the stretch.  This past season’s 81-81 record is particularly disappointing given the many high-profile roster additions made by the club last winter, though in Kapler’s defense, the Phillies also suffered through significant injuries to Andrew McCutchen and virtually every member of their bullpen.

The latest rumblings on dugout vacancies from around the sport….

  • Joe Maddon has widely been linked to the Angels’ job and “is set to interview with” the club, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (subscription required).  As of Tuesday, there reportedly hadn’t yet been any contact between the Halos and the former Cubs skipper, though many expected it was only a matter of time before Maddon emerged as a candidate in Anaheim, given his longstanding history with the organization.  Maddon spent 31 seasons with the Angels as a player, minor league manager and coach, and member of the MLB coaching staff.
  • Brad Ausmus, the Angels’ former manager, is expected to interview with the Padres, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link).  A hiring would represent something of a homecoming for Ausmus, who began his 18-year playing career with 303 games for San Diego.  Ausmus is still owed two years’ worth of salary after being — rather surprisingly — fired by the Angels after the season, though it’s also understandable that he would pursue other opportunities for a quick return to managing.
  • The Padres had interest in interviewing Carlos Beltran for their managerial vacancy but the former outfielder declined the request, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (Twitter link).  Since retiring after the 2017 season, Beltran was interviewed for the Yankees’ managerial opening that eventually went to Aaron Boone, and had worked for the past season as a special advisor in the Yankees’ front office.  Beltran had long expressed interest in working in a front office and potentially even as a manager, though it isn’t known why he turned down the chance to speak with the Padres.
  • Given the links between Beltran and the Mets, Feinsand wonders if Beltran could potentially be a candidate to replace Mickey Callaway, though Olney feels Beltran “seems like a total long shot” to be the next Mets’ manager given some of the hard feelings that exist between he and the organization dating back to his playing days.  As per Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Beltran’s “relationship with [Mets] COO Jeff Wilpon is not good.”

Latest On Angels’ Managerial Vacancy

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Owner Arte Moreno, frustrated with the Angels’ fourth consecutive losing season, was the one who ultimately pushed for a managerial change, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. And although the timing of Brad Ausmus’ dismissal as Angels manager aligned rather conveniently with the news that Joe Maddon was out as Cubs manager, general manager Billy Eppler said in a conference call yesterday that Ausmus’ status was being debated even before the availability of other veteran candidates (i.e. Joe Maddon) was known.

Perhaps most interestingly, Fletcher adds that while there’s been heavy speculation about the Angels and Maddon, there had been no contact between the two sides as of Tuesday. Maddon wasn’t fired and is technically under contract with the Cubs through the end of October, although the Cubs organization clearly wouldn’t stand in the way of him talking with other teams at this point.

A lack of contact between the two sides certainly doesn’t mean that there won’t be any at all. To the contrary, it’d be a genuine surprise if Maddon didn’t emerge as a viable contender for the job. At the same time, the fact that the two sides haven’t even talked suggests that Maddon to the Angels perhaps isn’t set in stone. To that end, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger lists Angels special assistant Eric Chavez, Astros bench coach Joe Espada and former Yankees manager Joe Girardi as possible candidates. Girardi, who publicly voiced a desire to return to the dugout just this morning, knows Eppler quite well from the pair’s days with the Yankees. Eppler, though, made clear yesterday that he needs to sit down with Moreno and team president John Carpino to formulate a list of interview candidates.

Furthermore, Eppler was emphatic in taking accountability for the Angels’ poor season. “I want to make it clear Brad is not solely responsible for the result of our season,” said the GM in yesterday’s call. “The majority of our short-term acquisitions that we made this past offseason did not produce to their forecast. And those failures lie with me.”

Indeed, the trio of Matt Harvey, Trevor Cahill and Cody Allen proved unproductive, although Eppler did make some shrewd pickups over the past year. Right-hander Hansel Robles has proven to be one of the more successful waiver claims in recent memory, and Eppler nabbed another waiver gem just prior to Opening Day when he claimed Brian Goodwin off release waivers from the Royals organization. Those additions might’ve provided some bright spots this season, but the team’s starting pitching situation remains bleak and will surely be an area of focus for the Angels as the offseason approaches.

Managerial Rumors: Angels, Maddon, Giants, Ibanez, Farrell, Gibbons

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Joe Maddon is reportedly a leading candidate to take over as the Angels’ next manager, but he’s not the lone possibility to replace Brad Ausmus. General manager Billy Eppler stated Tuesday that the Angels “plan on sitting down with a number of candidates” to discuss the job, per Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. Maddon’s a highly accomplished manager who earlier spent three decades with the Angels organization in several different roles, which seems to make him a slam-dunk choice for the position. However, it’s worth noting that Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last week that the Angels might be hesitant to meet Maddon’s asking price. Maddon made $6MM this year with the Cubs, who moved on from him after they fell way short of expectations in 2019.

  • The Giants, who are seeking a successor to Bruce Bochy, are interested in ex-major league outfielder Raul Ibanez, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports.  Ibanez has been working as a special assistant to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman since 2016, giving him familiarity with the Giants’ Farhan Zaidi. Before Zaidi took the reins as San Francisco’s president of baseball ops last offseason, he worked as the Dodgers’ general manager.
  • Former big league skipper John Farrell remains interested in a third go-around as a manager, Rosenthal tweets. The 57-year-old last managed in 2017, when he oversaw a Red Sox team that finished 93-69 and earned an AL East title. Farrell managed three division winners and a World Series champion (2013) in Boston over five years, though he also guided two last-place clubs during his uneven reign. Prior to that, he managed the Blue Jays to a 154-170 record from 2011-12. Farrell has served as a scout and a pitching consultant in Cincinnati since 2018, and he interviewed for the Phillies’ and Reds’ managerial openings during the previous two offseasons.
  • Fellow ex-Jays manager John Gibbons also could be a possibility for clubs, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays. The 57-year-old wants to manage again or at least serve as a bench coach, according to Feinsand. Gibbons lost his job in Toronto after 2018, ending a two-stint, 11-year run with the franchise. He led the club to a 793-789 record with a pair of playoff berths.
  • Astros first base coach Don Kelly is a candidate to draw managerial interest in the coming weeks, Morosi hears. The 39-year-old Kelly, best known for his run as a major league utlityman for the Pirates, Tigers and Marlins from 2007-16, is only in his first season as a coach. He spent the previous two seasons in a pro scouting role with Detroit.
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