NBC Sports reports that the baseball managerial fraternity is upset with both the Cubs and Joe Maddon. They are both called "classless" in the alleged booting of current manager Rick Renteria.
There are only 32 managerial jobs. It is a unique club. At the time Maddon opted out of his Rays contract, only the Twins had an open vacancy. Three other clubs just hired a new manager. And the Cubs after the season strongly stated that Renteria would be back in 2015. The Cubs then went out and hired a new hitting coach to complete next year's staff.
So when Maddon gets a chance to flee a sinking Tampa franchise, he does so. But most people think he would not jump ship unless someone, through his agent, told them he had a bigger landing spot than just Minnesota. And this potential "tampering" situation is what has the ire of Rays ownership, who feel backstabbed since Maddon publicly said he was staying with the team after GM Andrew Friedman left for the Dodgers.
Now, Cubs cheerleaders say "it's just business." Renteria is not guaranteed a job as skipper. But neither are fans guaranteed a championship by the front office, despite what the new fable is being spun to sell tickets for next year. Now some fans may rejoice in the fact that the Cubs are now getting down and dirty, doing back alley questionable deals - - - in the name of winning. But other people inside the game have long memories.
Theo Epstein is on the clock. He has only two years left on his deal. The pressure is on him to win sooner than later, despite being handcuffed by the "business side" of the organization. It is the budget restrictions which may have led Epstein to make a big name splash with Maddon, to cover the flak for not being able to land a top tier FA pitcher.
Since the Monday reports that it "was a done deal," by Friday morning there is no deal announced by the club. Maddon's agent stated that he was talking to several clubs, which can mean that there are other teams with managers who are willing to torpedo their current field leader, or it can mean that Maddon is trying to make the Cubs bid against themselves for his services. Either way, this shows how rocky the road is for the Cubs to get anything done.
