Chicago Cubs: Top 3 Maddonisms we don’t want in a new skipper

Chicago Cubs: Be Present Not Perfect 

Not only will the new manager need to be perfect but so will the players in 2020. This is one Maddonism that a new Cubs skipper can definitely ignore. The front office seems to be looking for, a grinding, yet winning coach that’s as close to ‘perfect’ as possible. The Joe Maddon School of Baseball is out of business and now the staff and players have to earn their money and perform.

Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said that players have to have a sense of accountability and there needs to be a culture where players are pushing themselves in his recent season-ending press conference.

That’s a far different tune than the “It’s OK to fail culture”, Maddon fostered with some of the Cubs’ best like shortstop Javier Baez, during his offensive meltdowns in the past. In the future, there will be an expectation of playing at a high level and lifting fellow teammates to perfection. The mentorship Maddon showed his players was part of an era gone by the wayside. The 2020 Chicago Cubs will be about performance now that Epstein is looking for accountability from the players as the contention window winds down.

While Epstein recognizes new players need a little coddling, he’s expecting his new manager to be able to handle this aspect without much thought.