Mad about you
MLB. In 2004, Joe Maddon was the only candidate besides Terry Francona to receive a second interview from the Red Sox as they pursued a manager. Yet, while Francona ended at the helm in Fenway Park, Maddon landed two years later in Tampa Bay.
It would be easy to suggest that the turn of events was a penthouse-to-outhouse scenario. Francona oversaw a history-making Red Sox team that won the World Series. Since taking over the Devil Rays last year, Maddon has a .397 winning percentage. His club had the worst record in baseball a year ago, a feat the 2007 Devil Rays (60-83, .420) are currently repeating.
Yet, despite those indicators, Tampa Bay is optimistic about the progress made under the 52-year-old skipper. The team has forged a nucleus of young, talented players who have responded well to the unrelentingly positive Maddon. In recognition of that fact, Tampa signed its manager to a two-year contract extension over the weekend in hopes that the skipper and his players can march towards contention later this decade.
“Obviously, the won-loss record the last couple of years has been disappointing for everybody involved,” Tampa Bay executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters. “We feel like while the win-loss record (in 2007) won’t be far different than it has been in years past, the team is dramatically different. If you look under the hood of this team and compare it to other teams in the past, there’s infinitely more potential and it’s more upon us than it’s ever been.”
Maddon, first as the bench coach for the Angels and now with Tampa, receives raves both for his intellect (Maddon’s defensive shifts against David Ortiz have been innovative and fascinating) and his work with young players.
The rotation now features Scott Kazmir (11-8, 3.79 ERA) and James Shields (12-8, 3.96 ERA). Maddon describes the duo as “cornerstone” pitchers who give the Rays right- and left-handed swing-and-miss starters.
The position players, too, have progressed under Maddon. The lineup is led by 26-year-old Carl Crawford (.315 average, .827 OPS, 49 steals), 23-year-old B.J. Upton (.313 average, .940 OPS, 23 homers) and 29-year-old Carlos Pena, who has launched 38 homers in a breakout season in Tampa. Those developments have provided Maddon with grounds for optimism.
“Most fans are going to want to look at this on a present-tense basis, but for us and for me personally, I project a couple years down the road what this will look like,” Maddon said. “I know we’re taking our lumps right now, but we get these young guys who are learning to compete against these guys consistently.
“If we can keep this core group together, I’d have to believe that two or three years from now you’d see a lot of confidence that we can go out and beat these guys on a consistent basis. The skill level will be there, plus the experience level will also be there.”
So, too, will the manager. A Devil Rays organization that is waiting for its first winning season believes it has found the right steward to lead the club to that goal.
