For obvious reasons, Joe Maddon will always hold a special place in my heart. First and foremost, he ended the Cubs‘ century-plus long title drought. But he’s also revolutionized managing the game of baseball – bringing quirky, off-the-wall tactics to the clubhouse with the team’s he’s managed.
That being said, especially near the end of his tenure, some of his lineup management and in-game choices stood out as somewhat questionable. Now, maybe that’s because the Cubs weren’t winning like they were and expectations have drastically shifted since 2016. Or maybe it’s because Maddon simply wasn’t making the right choices, regardless of the shortcomings of the roster handed to him.