Chicago Cubs: Joe Maddon leads the Cubs into 2017 season

A lot of print has been written on the newer Chicago Cubs like Wade Davis and Jon Jay. Or the returning Cubs like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Ben Zobrist.  Lost in the conversation is the man who led them from day one.

I think it is important not to forget the man who led the charge for the Chicago Cubs. The man ‘behind’ the players, the guy who made out the players lineup, the guy who managed the bullpen.

Ok, manager Joe Maddon made some questionable moves in the 7^th game, and in my opinion, he overused pitcher Aroldis Chapman and just got away with it.

What can’t be denied is the culture he created, the positive mindset he espoused before the season, in Arizona and once the team started the season. Joe Maddon could have been manager of the year last season.

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But he won the year before. He’s won the award three years now and managed the Chicago Cubs to the World Title. What he did was set an upbeat tone and let his players play. At least until… Game 7.

That atmosphere, set with the slogan, “Embrace the Target” became a rallying cry for the team. The Chicago Cubs knew they were good and weren’t going to back down from anyone.

Embrace the Target

This phrase later caught on with the head coach of the Clemson football team when he visited Wrigley Field last spring. The coach felt the good vibes in the clubhouse and he thought “I want that for our team.”

So, the Clemson Tigers embraced the target and became National Champions in college football in a thrilling championship game.

President Obama kidded with Maddon when the Chicago Cubs recently visited the White House. He said, Maddon had a “lot of tricks” and joked that he even caused a rain delay in the 7^th game. That brought a smile to the manager.

Not long from now, pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Maddon will be ready. This is his team and I am sure he will relish the challenge of going for a repeat.

The front office is building a team for 2017. The Chicago Cubs are a strong organization. Dexter Fowler, who signed a deal with the Cardinals, and Aroldis Chapman, now a New York Yankee, both came to the White House ceremony. I thought that was classy. Both players made large contributions to the 2016 Chicago Cubs.

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The players come on out on the field and hopefully play their best. The manager works to implement the game plan for each game and understands the nuances of his players and the opposing team. Joe Maddon does this extremely well.

This team is built for the long haul. Most of the core players are young. Joe Maddon is the right manager to lead the Cubs deep into the postseason.