Chicago Cubs are looking for a new team identity from their next manager

The Chicago Cubs want their next manager to focus on teamwork and creating a new team identity as the franchise turns the page on the Joe Maddon era.

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon commented that he wished the Cubs would have gone out for beers while out on the road or after their games, instead of sitting on their phones. Maddon was sensing that his unbreakable clan had broken up.

In his recent 80+ minute end-of-season presser, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein talked about how a new manager is going to have to help the current team foster a new identity. Epstein’s idea of identity is turning the cast of current individual characters into ones that represent teamwork. He is looking for players and coaches to be working as a team and not so much individualized efforts.

"“It’s gonna be important for the next manager of this particular group, at this time to find a way to foster a team identity,” Epstein said. “I think that this group, our routines tend to be more individualized, there wasn’t a lot of work as a team,” Epstein continued."

Epstein seems to point to the same notion that Maddon had of his team. A bunch of individuals with their noses in their phones instead of having a beer and getting to know each other, really know each other.

Epstein’s analysis is done and he wants more of a group “buy-in” as the team begins to do more things together.  What’s next for the Chicago Cubs – no phones at practice? Seems that’s the way the Chicago brass is approaching technology for next season in a bigger effort to foster teamwork through the coaching staff.