From the moment Joe Maddon joined the Chicago Cubs, taking the reins in a Wrigleyville bar five years ago, he talked about winning.
He was the right manager at the right time for a franchise that had experienced mostly terrible timing for more than a century. Right until Maddon’s time in Chicago ran out.
The Cubs will have a new manager next season after Maddon and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced Sunday it was time for a change after three years of declining results that culminated in the team missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Maddon and Epstein met after Saturday’s 8-6 victory at St. Louis, and then shared their plans before Sunday’s finale against the Cardinals. Maddon’s contract expires after the game.
“Change can help you grow,” Epstein said. “And Joe said this change is going to help him grow and I feel it’s going to help the Cubs grow, too.”
The change in the dugout begins what could be an active offseason for the Cubs, and the 65-year-old Maddon once again becomes one of baseball’s top free agents.
“I want to continue to do this, whatever’s next out there, I want to be able to be on top of that too,” Maddon said. “All of it’s been positive, man, and it’s been interesting, entertaining and quite frankly for this time of year (I’m) feeling pretty good, feeling pretty eager about everything, so it’s been a good year.”
While Maddon is out after five seasons, he is tied to Chicago forever after managing the Cubs to the 2016 World Series title for the franchise’s first championship in 108 years.