A couple years before he hired Joe Maddon as manager of the Cubs, Theo Epstein hired a 25-year-old Scott Harris as the team's director of baseball operations. The three of them would help end the longest championship drought in North American sports.
As president of baseball operations for the Tigers, Harris' next charge is ending the longest playoff drought in the majors. What's eight years when you've conquered 108?
"I’ll tell you one thing," Maddon said of Harris' plan in Detroit, "it’s going to be well thought-out. He’s got a calm method about his presentation, he’s never in a hurry and I’ve always appreciated that about him. Detroit has a lot to look forward to with Scotty. I know he’s going to do a great job. A lot like you saw with Theo in the past, he’s got that kind of method about him, even Andrew Friedman, he’s along those lines."
Maddon, 68, worked under Friedman for nine years in Tampa Bay when they turned the Rays into one of the best organizations in baseball. Friedman is now president of baseball ops for the Dodgers, who have the most wins in the majors since he took over in 2014.
One of Friedman's first moves in LA was hiring Farhan Zaidi as his GM; Zaidi later became president of baseball ops for the Giants, where he hired Harris as his GM. Turns out, smart people work well together.
Maddon said he and Harris "had a great relationship" during their five seasons together with the Cubs.
"He would sit in my office and we would just talk about stuff, things, what’s going on in the world, politics. He’s just a really bright young man and he’s a great listener," said Maddon. "We would go back and forth and he wanted to know what you thought, and he was not afraid to give you his opinion back."
To no surprise, Harris has already developed a strong relationship with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch.
"They’re cut from the same academic cloth," said Maddon. "They'll engage in some great conversations and philosophically, they will line up."
Related
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker