SAN DIEGO -- It was here, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, during the 2014 Winter Meetings, when Joe Maddon landed the ace he coveted for his new team. The team was the Chicago Cubs, and the ace was Jon Lester. Maddon got word near late on a Tuesday night, just as he was returning from dinner.
"Several glasses of wine later," he said.
Maddon finds himself in a similar situation this year, now managing the Los Angeles Angels, who are deep in the chase for Gerrit Cole.