MESA, Ariz. (670 The Score) -- It will be like the first day of school for Cubs manager Joe Maddon on Monday, when he will welcome his entire team ahead of the first full workout of spring training 2019.
As explained by Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein on numerous occasions over the offseason, he wants Maddon to be more hands-on in his coaching and handling of his staff's roles this season. Maddon has been looking forward to this new challenge, and now the day has come for the new approach to be implemented.
"What I want to be able to do is be involved in the bunting and situational hitting component of it," Maddon said. "I want to take some things off of the (hitting coaches), take a few things off of their table a little bit. But also I really want to get re-involved like that too. This will be fun for me."
Working in the final season of a five-year contract, Maddon has shown nothing but enthusiasm since being challenged by the front office to be more hands-on with his players in spring and throughout the season.
While the Cubs have averaged more than 96 wins in Maddon's four seasons in Chicago, Epstein explained he wants more urgency, such as in those games in April when everyone is still rounding into baseball shape and there can be a more in-sync plan and approach by players to be ready.
Maddon responded like a true professional despite being turned down for contract extension talks.
"I have really been involved with a lot of this stuff in the past," Maddon pointed out about his previous coaching method. "(The media) might not have recognized that much, but the more recognizable coaching this year for me will be on the hitting side of things. The point is I wanted to build a schedule for me this week."
Maddon will look for the best and most well-rounded attack by his hitters going forward, which isn't anything new. Maddon said that previous Cubs hitting coach Chili Davis tried to instill the same features that will be hammered home by his new hitting instructors this season.
"I still like the bunt, a bunt for a hit," Maddon said. "I like the well-executed hit-and-run. I like a ball in the gap with the bases loaded. I like that when the ball is in the dirt that you have a great secondary lead to move to second base. These are the type of things you want your players to do. I don't get caught up in all the new (metrics) that are out there. It's all good stuff in regards to helping with flaws.
"At the end of the day, you have to play the game. Frank Howard always said, and I love this, the best teacher is nine innings of baseball. That still holds true. You work the fundamentals, you put your platform and philosophy out there. Ultimately, it is about who plays better that night."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
