Article: Joe Maddon is Out in Tampa. Could Twins Get Him?

[LaBombo]

I would be fielding calls not seeking out employers if I was Maddon and his agent.  We're not talking about some mid-level corporate job -- Maddon can wait for the offers to come to him.

 

A bit of an arrogant view?  Perhaps, but Maddon is a prime commodity.  He is the "sought after" not the "seeker".

That's not even halfway to arrogant.  That's just the reality of the market and of his perceived value as the nerdy David who's been slaying AL East Goliaths for years with nothing but a laptop, a sling, and a pouch full of pebble-sized salaries.

[Bark's Lounge]

Buster Olney ‏@Buster_ESPN  · 43m43 minutes ago 

Rival executives believe that if Joe Maddon winds up with the Cubs, the Rays will investigate the issue of tampering.

 

 

May not help Renteria, though.

Yeah, I read that also. If he indeed ends up in Wrigleyville it will be interesting to see how it plays out. It's weird that kind of tampering mumbo jumbo would be thrown out there so soon after his departure. GM Matt Silverman seemed pretty bummed out about the whole Maddon exodus. I guess you can't blame the guy. The Rays lost a whole lot this past week.

 

On another note: how is your broken bone healing?

[JB_Iowa]

 GM Matt Silverman seemed pretty bummed out about the whole Maeaddon exodus. I guess you can't blame the guy. The Rays lost a whole lot this past week.

 

On another note: how is your broken bone healing?

 

Ironic that Maddon supposedly learned of the "opt out" clause from Silverman.

 

Won't know much on my arm until Thurs  when I see the surgeon.  Still typing one handed but I ordered a carpal tunnel brace that may give me just the support I need.  Thanks for asking.

[Bark's Lounge]

The minute Maddon hit the open market life began to suck at least a little for somewhere between a half a and a full dozen current managers.

Agreed - but the Cubs do seem like the likely destination. All of their nice new action figures that are about to hit the toy stores, the money to play around with and the combo of Epstein, Hoyer and Maddon probably give a warm and fuzzy feeling to all of the aforementioned individuals. No offense to Renteria, I am sure he is an excellent baseball guy, but he seems like a guy you could toss away to bring in Joe.

 

Sure, the Dodgers could be a nice fit, but I believe Friedman when he says Mattingly is their guy.

[Bark's Lounge]

Ironic that Maddon supposedly learned of the "opt out" clause from Silverman.

 

Won't know much on my arm until Thurs  when I see the surgeon.  Still typing one handed but I ordered a carpal tunnel brace that may give me just the support I need.  Thanks for asking.

Silverman should have probably kept his mouth shut.

 

I hope your appointment with the surgeon goes well. It sounds like it was an extremely awful injury.

[Mike Sixel]

Ironic that Maddon supposedly learned of the "opt out" clause from Silverman.

 

Won't know much on my arm until Thurs  when I see the surgeon.  Still typing one handed but I ordered a carpal tunnel brace that may give me just the support I need.  Thanks for asking.

Do your therapy. Always. Good luck.....sixteen months in and I still have weakness and pain in the leg I broke.......

[Thrylos]

The Twins should open a new position for him and make him St. Peter's boss.  Then let him decide on GM, manager etc.   He will not come to MN to be a manager....  

[JB_Iowa]

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino  · 18m18 minutes ago 
Terry Ryan on Maddon: "I certainly will do my due diligence on anybody that's available."

Plans to do that on Maddon "in the coming days."

 

 

 

 

O  M  G   ,,,,

[Shane Wahl]

5 years, 25+ million bucks. Just make it happen. He might want the job, actually.

[jokin]

5 years, 25+ million bucks. Just make it happen. He might want the job, actually.

 

You'll never get anywhere if you don't ask for the business.  I'm not sure if the Twins have gotten over their inferiority complex yet.

[howeda7]

If he doesn't want to come here, fine. But $$ should not be the issue. $5 million? Great. $8 million? OK. Even $10 million. What player could they sign for these amounts that would do more on the field or with the fans than Maddon would?

[jokin]

The Twins should open a new position for him and make him St. Peter's boss.  Then let him decide on GM, manager etc.   He will not come to MN to be a manager....  

Or something like what La Russa has in Arizona might work-  I'd prefer he focus strictly on the baseball operation.

[Pius Jefferson]

Which, if true, tells us more than a little about how this pretty universally admired manager views the Twins job, IMO.

 

I don't think it's the job that would be keep Maddon from having interest. It's the ownership and front office placing a self induced salary cap on the team.

[Thrylos]

Or something like what La Russa has in Arizona might work-  I'd prefer he focus strictly on the baseball operation.

 

Exactly.  Agreed.  But he should be the top decision maker like LaRussa in AZ is and Ryan was in TX.  Thus has to be St Peter's boss.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Mike Berardino ‏@MikeBerardino · 18m18 minutes ago

Terry Ryan on Maddon: "I certainly will do my due diligence on anybody that's available."

Plans to do that on Maddon "in the coming days."

 

 

 

 

O M G ,,,,

There's really nothing else Ryan can say at this point. He can't talk up Maddon because then if you don't get him, you look foolish. You also piss off your other candidates. You can't talk him down because you might want him. Nothing is known about Joe's options or desires at this point so one stays vague in a CYA mode.

 

Talk to Maddon and go from there. No point in giving the press ammunition at this point.

[JB_Iowa]

There's really nothing else Ryan can say at this point. He can't talk up Maddon because then if you don't get him, you look foolish. You also piss off your other candidates. You can't talk him down because you might want him. Nothing is known about Joe's options or desires at this point so one stays vague in a CYA mode.

 

Talk to Maddon and go from there. No point in giving the press ammunition at this point.

 

It was just the language that got me ,,, it comes out better in the story than in the tweets:

 

 http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2014/10/24/twinsights-terry-ryan-says-joe-maddon-news-caught-eye/

[Otto von Ballpark]

Even if it is a long shot and Maddon isn't particularly interested in the job, I think pursuing him a bit communicates something good to the other candidates about the kind of manager/personality/culture the Twins want.  (And communicates the same to the fans.)

 

Kinda the same with big-ticket free agents -- I don't expect the Twins to sign many or any of them, but just knowing they are interested in the best talent sends a good message.

[jorgenswest]

At his age, it is his last big contract before retiring or moving to front office. He goes where the money takes him. The Twins can afford him. Pay the guy.

[Otto von Ballpark]

At his age, it is his last big contract before retiring or moving to front office. He goes where the money takes him. The Twins can afford him. Pay the guy.

Do we really want to be locked in with an expensive guy on the wrong side of 60, just a year or two before our own younger, cheaper manager prospect is ready?

[Thrylos]

There's really nothing else Ryan can say at this point. He can't talk up Maddon because then if you don't get him, you look foolish. You also piss off your other candidates. You can't talk him down because you might want him. Nothing is known about Joe's options or desires at this point so one stays vague in a CYA mode.

 

Talk to Maddon and go from there. No point in giving the press ammunition at this point.

Thus is the problem

Ryan should not be the one making decision about Maddon's position

That should be Pohlad

Ryan should report to Maddon, if he is lucky enough to be in the organization if someone like Maddon takes over.

 

Hope Pohlad gets this

Edited October 25, 2014 by Thrylos

[DocBauer]

Do we really want to be locked in with an expensive guy on the wrong side of 60, just a year or two before our own younger, cheaper manager prospect is ready?

 

Hilarious!

 

But on a serious note, at age 60, is it possible he wants a taste of a big market that might have a bigger checkbook? I mean, the reality is that his next job just might be his last.

 

And while not in the slightest way to demean Maddon, are the Twins better off long term with a quality candidate who is younger and would be part of the rebuild, the next phase of Twins winning, for a longer tenure? Just idle speculation.

[Deduno Abides]

Sounds like he wants a five-year deal for less than the amount the Twins paid Kevin Correia, Mike Pelfrey and Kendrys Morales the last couple of years.  That's a bargain.  Further, in comparison to Gardy, Maddon seems to think that keeping morale up in the clubhouse is his job, so hiring him would save the money that has been spent on retreads "who know their way around the clubhouse" the last few years, i.e., add the $3 million or so that was paid to Kubel, Bartlett and Guerrier to the $2 million that was paid to Gardy and - presto! - you're able to meet Maddon's demands.  Finally, if he could do with Joe Mauer what he did with James Loney . . ., how much would that be worth?

 

Also, if he were to go to the Cubs, wouldn't Rich Renteria immediately go to the top of the Twins' candidate list?  Good experience, good reputation and the ability to speak with the entire locker room.

[DocBauer]

Personally, in today's ever changing market place, and the Twins seemingly growing in to that world with SOME of the payrolls they've had since the move to Target Field, and the new found FA aggressiveness they began to embrace last season, I don't think Maddon would not be approached or hired due to contract. I mean, really, as someone pointed out, in a multi million business in which Pelfrey gets a $5M deal, paying a top, well respected manager something similar really shouldn't be an issue.

 

I find the timing of Maddon's exodus interesting. Why not leave right after the season was over, if he was feeling frustrated and wanted to move on elsewhere. Was he truly not aware of his option? Did he really leave because the GM left and he felt daunted by the change?

 

Personally, and I know I'm a devoted fan, I think we need to get over any insecurity of being a Midwest and mid-market team that nobody wants to come to. There is some real history involved with Twins baseball. And while the team may run things smart and responsible, to the point of being frugal at times, we haven't been in the Calvin G days of penny pinching for some time.

 

Target Field is one of the best venues in all baseball. The teams spends plenty on scouting and development, works constantly to upgrade facilities, has some pieces in place, and one of the best milb systems around. We might not be where Maddon wants to be, but I wouldn't take that as a slight. This is a pretty good job to have.

[minn55441]

What do you always hear from free agents?  I want to go someplace where I can win a championship.  At age 60.  I really don't think money is the main concern.  He wants to go some place where he can win.  The Twins and the Cubs both have strong minor league systems, will that be the determining factor?

 

Would you rather face the Cardinals, Pirates, Reds and Brewers or is your road to the postseason easier facing the Royals, the fast fading Tigers, the Indians and White Sox?

 

If I'm turning 60 and know this is my last chance to put myself in a position to win a world series, I would ask myself where can I win.  What situation gives me the best shot of making the post season.  What organization would benefit the most from the skills I could bring to the job?

 

I'm not sure money would be the deciding factor.  I think Joe will decide based on the probability of winning a world championship.  Period.

[Old Twins Cap]

I love the posters who claim that the Twins will "never spend more than 2 million on a manager".

 

Well, they are spending 2 million next year to make sure Gardy is not their manager.

 

There is no where else to go but above 2M.  And that's the best investment they've made in a long time.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, if he were to go to the Cubs, wouldn't Rich Renteria immediately go to the top of the Twins' candidate list?  Good experience, good reputation and the ability to speak with the entire locker room.

Oh yeah -- don't know if this has been mentioned or not, but apparently Maddon speaks Spanish fluently.

[nicksaviking]

Nick Blackburn, Jason Marquis and Mike Lamb have weighed in. They all agree that it would be foolish to pay a guy that kind of money who doesn't actually play in the games.

[Danchat]

Something tells me that the Pohlads aren't going to go out of their way to hire Maddon and have him be a superior to TR. The Pohlads appear OK letting TR do whatever he wishes.

 

I wonder if Maddon really wants to be a manager or the head of baseball operations of whatever team he eventually signs with.

[twinscowboysbulls]

Seems like a perfect transition? 5 year deal and take over for Terry after he wins back to back Chamlionships...

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

My next thought on hearing the Maddon-Rays news, after the first thought of "obviously! go get him!", was that if Friedman's departure prompted Maddon to opt out of his contract, would he really want to go work for Ryan, not nearly as analytical a GM by reputation and perhaps a less savvy one overall?

 

Apparently, Maddon's opt-out was only triggered when Friedman left the Rays organization, but Maddon claims he "didn't even know" of the clause in his contract. I'm skeptical, but it does seem like the emerging story is about Maddon deciding to explore his options because he could, perhaps follow the money elsewhere once the Rays org went into flux, and less about choosing to leave the Rays because Friedman was gone.

 

That's the only interpretation that gives me hope that Maddon could be interested in the Twins job.