The Twitterverse exploded this afternoon with news that Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs are in the final stages of inking a contract to make him manager of the club.
Author Archives: Schmitty
Hot-Stove: Rays Release Minor Leaguers
As is common for this time of year, the Rays released a number of minor-league players with an eye toward shaping their rosters and the organizations depth chart.
A Vote For Greenlight Pinellas is A Vote for the Future of the Rays
I wanted to take a moment to publicly advocate for Greenlight Pinellas. Beyond the fact that Pinellas County is projected to grow by more than 200,000 people (and 148,000 jobs) in the next 25 years — growth that will put more pressure on the existing transportation system as most of the roadways — most metropolitan areas with a professional sports franchise have something in common: the residents are able to depend on quality public transportation. While Pinellas County currently features public transportation, Greenlight Pinellas would vastly improve the current system, ultimately adding quicker and more efficient means of getting from place-to-place, and eventually culminate in a light-rail system that would span the county and connect with Hillsborough County.
Hot-Stove: The Preliminary Case for Dave Martinez (Updated)
Martinez has served as the Rays bench coach since the 2008 season, making him the longest tenured bench coach in franchise history. He has been a part of each of the Rays’ four postseason runs, with the club posting a 550-423 record under the watchful eyes of Martinez and Maddon.
Breaking: Joe Maddon Opts Out of Contract
In very stunning news, Rays manager Joe Maddon has opted out of his contract with the Rays and will be leaving the team. The move comes as a major surprise, as Maddon had said recently that he expected to remain in Tampa.