Theo Epstein breaks down why Cubs moved on from Joe Maddon |
CHICAGO — One of the topics of discussion in Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein's season-ending press conference on Monday was Joe Maddon's dismissal as Cubs manager. Maddon was officially relieved of his duties following the Cubs' season finale on Sunday, as the Cubs organization will not be offering him a new contract.
Maddon's contract expired at season's end, making him a managerial free agent. Epstein previously said that he expects there to be "a bidding war" around the big leagues for Maddon's services, as the 65-year-old wants to continue managing. However, Epstein made it clear that the Cubs were in need of a change. He described Maddon as the perfect fit for the club when the skipper first took the helm in 2015 but added that, at this point, a new voice needs to be added to the mix. Change was a theme of Epstein's comments on Monday afternoon, and Epstein admitted that he and others in the Cubs' front office were reluctant to pull the trigger on changes in previous offseasons due to trepidation surrounding abandoning what worked in the World Series campaign of 2016. Although he referred to Maddon as a future Hall of Fame manager, Epstein said that not even a skipper of Maddon's caliber could accomplish the same feats with the Cubs' current group as a new leader with a fresh perspective. Epstein's full comments pertaining to Maddon's dismissal can be read here: Here’s Theo, when asked again today why it was the right time to move on from Joe Maddon as manager... pic.twitter.com/eDJQn21F3m
