Maddon enjoys spring reunion with his old club
Joe Maddon hugged Anthony Rizzo, shared an in-game microphone with Kris Bryant, slapped hands with the Cubs’ mascot and drew a warm reception from the Chicago fans at Sloan Park.
As if he’d never been away at all.
The manager who guided the Cubs to an elusive World Series championship in 2016 and parted ways with the team after last season returned on Monday, now guiding the Los Angeles Angels.
The mini-reunion came during a spring training exhibition, with a splitsquad of Cubs topping the Angels 9-4.
“It’s very comfortable,” Maddon said before the game. “You talk about wonderful memories, it was five years, but it was a very eventful five years. There’s nothing to lament, it was wonderful. It was life-altering for me and my family to be part of this organization.”
The Angels and Cubs don’t meet in the regular season, so the short trip from Tempe to Mesa provided Maddon a chance to meet old pals.
Maddon was embraced by new Cubs manager David Ross, who retired as a player after the Cubs beat Cleveland to end their 108year World Series drought.
The Cubs averaged 94 wins per season during Maddon’s tenure, and made the playoffs in the first four. Last year, after Maddon’s contract was not extended following an early playoff exit, Chicago slumped to 84-78, missed the postseason and the Cubs front office moved on from Maddon.
Maddon ended up back with the organization where he spent most of his previous time in the game, including as a coach on the Angels’ 2002 World Series winners.
“Stuff happens along the way,” Maddon said. “Eventually it’s for the best that you do something else. It’s good for you and for them. There’s nothing adversarial. I just texted Theo (Epstein, Cubs president) and we’ll try to get together.”
“The method of the world today is everyone’s looking for adversarial. It’s not. We won together, it was a great moment,” he said.
Maddon teamed up with Bryant and Rizzo during the game, all three of them wired together on microphones to talk at the same time during the ESPN telecast.
“Last year we went off the rails a little bit. But we don’t win 95-plus games without a real good method in place and really good players. I don’t take it personally. I like change. It’s got to be for all the right reasons,” Maddon said.
Maddon hasn’t changed his unique methods in returning to the Angels’ organization. Monday morning’s guest speaker in Tempe was basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who addressed the team and hit a few golf shots in the outfield.
“He’s great,” Maddon said of the NBA great who lives in the Phoenix area. “It’s energy and enthusiasm.”
MVP OUT OF LINEUP>> NL MVP Cody Bellinger was scratched from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting lineup for their game against the Cincinnati Reds after feeling discomfort in his side.
The outfielder took part in a charity event on Sunday night at a Topgolf facility in Scottsdale, and a video showed him hitting a long drive off a tee.
Golf swings aren’t believed to be the reason for his injury, according to manager Dave Roberts.
• David Price felt a rush of nervous energy leading up to Monday. Acquired by the Dodgers last month from Boston, he made his first spring training appearance for Los Angeles.
Price allowed two runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings during a 6-2 loss to Cincinnati with three strikeouts and two walks.
“It’s been a while since I faced hitters wearing a different jersey,” the 34-yearold left-hander said. “It’s the first time I’ve been in a game in six, almost seven months. My legs were shaking out there. It’s just, if you love what you do you’re definitely going to have nerves. It was fun.” PIRATES' BRAULT AILING >> Pittsburgh pitcher Steven Brault has a strained left shoulder and will be evaluated in two weeks. JONES JOINS ESPN >> Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones has joined the ESPN lineup. The former Braves star will work as a major league analyst, primarily on weeknight and holiday games. He’ll debut on opening day when the Giants play at Dodger Stadium on March 26.