As upbeat, laid back, humorous and gracious that Joe Maddon was at the Cubs fan convention, the expectations placed upon his shoulders is the weight of Sears Tower.
He was labeled one of the best managers in his generation. When he suddenly opted out of his Tampa contract, it was felt it was a heavenly godsend that the Cubs could pick up an experienced, winning coach to lead the young prospects to the promised land.
The Cubs have had a long line of saviors since the last World championship.
Maddon had two interim gigs with the Angels, in 51 games managed, he went 27-24. It took almost a decade before he became a full time manager with the Rays. In the 9 seasons with Tampa, 1459 games managed, his record was 754-705 in line with career .517 winning percentage. His teams averaged in 3rd place in their division. His club only won divisions twice, in 2008 and 2010. In 2008, his team was 5 games better than projected, winning the AL pennant but losing to the Phillies in the World Series, 4-1. Maddon won his only AL manager of the year award in 2008.
In his 48 replay challenges, he got 21 overturned for a .4375 winning percentage.
Maddon hauntingly compares well with former savior, Lou Piniella.
Piniella managed 19 seasons prior to the Cubs with four different teams. He had compiled a career .517 winning percentage as a manager. In his 23 seasons as a manager, 6 of his clubs finished in first place (twice with the Cubs) and he had one world series title (1990 Reds). His teams prior to the Cubs placed around 3rd in their division.
The numbers are historically close. Piniella got off to a fast start with a veteran club and got to the post-season. The expectations of the former Yankee (and the reputable glory of that franchise) were through the roof. But the Cubs bombed in the worst way. Piniella would later say that being the Cubs manager drained him like no other tenure had ever done. The fans and the team put so much pressure to end the alleged curse that the weight of the baseball world crushed him.
Now, Piniella had nothing to prove when he came to Chicago. He had his playing career and excellent reputation as a manager. He had his championships, he had his personal glory. He liked baseball. He was an old school lifer. He was jovial, likeable, spoke his mind, got along with most of his players, kept things loose - - - until the wear and tear of the Cubs broke his baseball spirit.
In some respects, Maddon is at the same crossroads as Piniella. The Cubs job will probably be his last managerial one in baseball for Maddon. He could cement his eternal legacy by giving the Cubs a century due championship. Or it could grind him up like a Chicago red hot sausage.
The only difference between Maddon and Piniella is that Maddon is taking over a younger Cub squad. Maddon and Piniella both managed second tier organizations to the post-season. Both managed in Tampa prior to becoming the Cub skipper. Only time will tell if this is deja vu.
Showing posts with label Piniella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Piniella. Show all posts
January 23, 2015
January 11, 2015
NEW LEVEL OF PRESSURE
Lou Piniella, the veteran of the Bronx Zoo and many stress filled playoff games, never saw it coming. Laid back Dusty Baker was ground up like hamburger meal.
Now, Joe Maddon gets a hint of the Monster that will envelop his life.
CSNChicago reported:
A trip to New York reminded Joe Maddon of the nowhere-to-hide scrutiny that comes with this job. But having no OFF switch must sound ideal to someone who loves the bright lights.
“I’m walking down the street in Times Square to go to this cocktail party,” Maddon said, recalling his visit for the Lafayette-Lehigh college football game at Yankee Stadium in late November.
“There was the restaurant with the big windows. And all of a sudden a bunch of people start pounding on the window, from the inside out, because they’re all Cubs fans, pointing at Cubs stuff. You get a sense or feel of that very fast.”
>>> YOU THINK???
You are as far away from the epicenter of Cub fandom in NYC, and you are accosted by monkeys in a zoo!!
This is pressure you have never even imagined, now that the front office has rolled a pulled-pin grenade down the expectation aisle of the team bus.
Maddon has never had the scrutiny, pressure to win and the rabid fan base that is Cub nation. Maddon had been off the radar screen (doing good work by all accounts) in the literal backwater of baseball, Tampa Bay. How he handles the first failures is going to be the litmus test for his future in Chicago.
Now, Joe Maddon gets a hint of the Monster that will envelop his life.
CSNChicago reported:
A trip to New York reminded Joe Maddon of the nowhere-to-hide scrutiny that comes with this job. But having no OFF switch must sound ideal to someone who loves the bright lights.
“I’m walking down the street in Times Square to go to this cocktail party,” Maddon said, recalling his visit for the Lafayette-Lehigh college football game at Yankee Stadium in late November.
“There was the restaurant with the big windows. And all of a sudden a bunch of people start pounding on the window, from the inside out, because they’re all Cubs fans, pointing at Cubs stuff. You get a sense or feel of that very fast.”
>>> YOU THINK???
You are as far away from the epicenter of Cub fandom in NYC, and you are accosted by monkeys in a zoo!!
This is pressure you have never even imagined, now that the front office has rolled a pulled-pin grenade down the expectation aisle of the team bus.
Maddon has never had the scrutiny, pressure to win and the rabid fan base that is Cub nation. Maddon had been off the radar screen (doing good work by all accounts) in the literal backwater of baseball, Tampa Bay. How he handles the first failures is going to be the litmus test for his future in Chicago.
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