Chicago Cubs To Interview Mike Maddux

It has long been the dream of many Cubs’ fans for Greg Maddux to be the team’s pitching coach. However, Maddux has been unwilling to take on a coaching position with the team, as that would mean that Maddux would have to travel with the team rather than having the option of working from home. While Maddux has yet to commit to the Cubs’ organization for the 2012 season, there is a chance that Maddux’s stance could change depending on who the Cubs bring in as their next manager.

President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein has confirmed that the Cubs have received permission from the Texas Rangers to interview their current pitching coach Mike Maddux for their managerial position. While the date of the interview is not known yet, the expectation is that it will take place within the next week. In addition to the Cubs, the Boston Red Sox have also received permission to interview Maddux for their vacant managerial position.

The idea of Mike Maddux being a manager never crossed my mind until his name was thrown into the mix by Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun Times. That is in no way supposed to be a slight against Maddux, in a way, it is compliment. While St Louis Cardinals’ pitching coach Dave Duncan receive all the praise for being the game’s best pitching coach, Maddux deserves to be in the same conversation. Maddux has spent the past three seasons with the Rangers, and the team ERA has dropped in each one of those seasons. With General Manager Jed Hoyer putting an emphasis on the pitching staff this winter, Maddux–and his pitcher-oriented background–may have the advantage in the Cubs’ managerial search.br

If Mike Maddux is hired as the Cubs next manager, that would almost gurrantee that his brother, Greg, will remain with the Cubs in some capacity. In fact, there is a chance that Maddux (Greg) would agree to become his brother’s pitching. The idea of one Maddux being the Cubs’ pitching coach was enough to make any fan salivate; now to think that the Cubs could have a Maddux as their manager, and a Maddux as their pitching coach. Can you say “Duh….Winning.”

The question is bound to be asked what makes Mike Maddux or Pete Mackanin different from Ryne Sandberg. While it is true that like Sandberg, both Maddux and Mackanin have no major league managerial experience except for the two brief stints Mackanin had as interim manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinatti Reds. There may not be a definitve answers as to what the diffence is between Sandberg and Maddux or Mackanin, but for whatever reason Epstein did not want Sandberg to be the next manager of the Cubs. I have said all along that Sandberg may not be the best option for the Cubs, and if Epstein feels that way, that is a decision that should not be criticized.

Epstein knows what he is doing, which is why I believe he already has a manager in place. In any event, I have complete confidence that Epstein and Hoyer will pick the right candidate for the position.