(670 The Score) Three-and-a-half years after his tenure in Chicago ended, former Cubs manager Joe Maddon still wishes he and the club’s old core had one more chance to prove themselves.
“We should’ve stayed together longer, there’s no question,” Maddon said during an interview with Matt Spiegel and Dan Bernstein on 670 The Score on Monday. “We had a lot more chicken left on the bone. We weren’t given the opportunity. I’ll say that because it’s true.”
The context surrounding Maddon’s answer came after he was asked about the juxtaposition of the Cubs failing in their last era to lock up core players – such as first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Javier Baez and third baseman Kris Bryant – on long-term deals but having done so with All-Star outfielder Ian Happ and second baseman Nico Hoerner in recent weeks. Maddon made clear he was “happy” for both of those players and didn’t delve any deeper into reflection of his Cubs managerial tenure, which lasted from 2015 to 2019 and was highly successful, with a World Series title in 2016, two NL Central crowns and four trips to the playoffs.
The Cubs chose to not retain Maddon when his contract expired after the 2019 season, when they went 84-78 and missed the playoffs.
“This is the present-day Cubs,” Maddon said. “This isn’t the several-year-ago Cubs. You can’t revisit that. It’s over. They’ve got to do what they think is right right now, and these are really good players and they’re good dudes.”
Listen to Maddon’s full interview in the audio player above, as he also shared what he’s up to these days and discussed how MLB has changed with the implementation of the pitch clock and limits on defensive shifts.
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