Chicago Cubs: Where does Joe Maddon rank amongst team’s skippers all-time?

#5: The Wizard of Zim

By far, Don Zimmer is one of my favorite managers in MLB history. While I started watching the Chicago Cubs during the Jim Frey years, it was the time of Zim that pulled me in for good. Sure, his ways were a bit eclectic, but there is no doubt he loved the game. Zimmer spent his entire adult life in the game.

While with the Cubs, Zimmer attained a record of 265 – 258, a .508 winning percentage. That is good for 15th all-time. The team struggled for three of his seasons, finishing with 77 wins in each, the 1989 season was magical. After a 93-win season, the team made it to the NLCS. However, the powerful San Francisco Giants lineup took the series in five games.

Even so, Zimmer impacted the team for a long time. After he was let go, the team didn’t sniff the postseason until 1998.  And today, you can see some of Zim in what Joe Maddon does on the field. The two worked together in Tampa Bay. The two would talk shop and evaluate players over a few hot dogs.

It’s safe to say, Maddon learned quite a bit.