Joe Maddon’s Agent Has Fielded Calls From Interested Teams
Maddon managed the Rays for nine seasons and his loss comes on the heels of the franchise also losing Andrew Friedman, who accepted the president of baseball operations position with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After nearly a decade with both Friedman and Maddon, the Rays are now left to pick up the remaining pieces.
While Friedman left the Rays for a new opportunity, Maddon’s future isn’t as clear. Friedman reiterated his stance that Don Mattingly would manage the Dodgers in 2015, which for now appears to take one potential future employer for Maddon.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Maddon’s agent, Alan Nero, said he received roughly 10 phone calls from teams pitching jobs ranging from manager to a more expansive role:
Maddon’s agent Alan Nero said in a phone interview that about 10 teams have called with suggestions of jobs from manager to a “Tony La Russa style” top front-office position to various other roles.
Despite the suitors Maddon has, Nero said it’s plausible he doesn’t manage next season:
Joe is prepared not to manage [in 2015],” Nero told Chicago radio station WSCR. “If you remember when we got Lou Piniella out of his job, ironically with Tampa, he spent a year with the FOX network and he had a good year before he went on to ironically become the Cubs manager.”
Along with the Dodgers, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies have also stated their intentions to remain with their current manager. Assuming that holds true, it’s widely believed Maddon will settle with the Chicago Cubs.
Cubs manager Rick Renteria has two years remaining on his contract and the team holds options for 2017 and 2018. Cubs president Theo Epstein interviewed Maddon before electing to with Terry Francona as the Red Sox manager.
good for him…Dodgers do not need him