According to ESPNChicago.com Bruce Levine, the Chicago Cubs have brought future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux back to the organization as the special assistant to GM Jim Hendry. Maddux is expected to provide instruction to the players in Spring Training and aid in scouting during the season. He also will be working with Hendry in the evaluation of the minor league affiliates and potential trades and free agent signings.
For his career, the 4-time Cy Young Award winner was one of the smartest pitchers in the game. He was able to dominate opposing hitters by knowing how to pitch the corners and get plenty of movement on his pitches. Sometimes it felt like he knew the hitters strengths and weaknesses better than the hitter himself. It will be interesting to see if Maddux can carry that knowledge of the game into his new role.
For the Cubs, this is a good move if nothing else than from a public relations standpoint. The organization now has two former fan favorite and team legends in Ryne Sandberg and Maddux holding different positions in the organization. Sandberg is rumored to be the successor to current manager Lou Piniella after next season and it would be interesting if Maddux somehow found his way to the GM position someday, as unlikely as that seems. As a Cubs fan, both Sandberg and Maddux are my favorite players of all-time and it’s good to see them staying with the organization. However, I am more ready for a World Series victory sometime in my lifetime than good PR. Time will tell if Maddux can help the organization in their pursuit of better talent evaluation.
Well their evaluation of talent couldnt get much worse! Maybe if Maddux was in the front office back in 92-93 he would of resigned himself……..
Can’t say I’m that excited about the move. Love Maddux but this is a “classic” cubbie PR move. Bring back fan favorites to appease the masses. I would have much rather seen a baseball sabermetrics geru and Maddux on the field as an assistant to the pitching coach rather than a talent evaluator. Mr. Ricketts I can’t say I am too impressed with your early attempts to put your mark on the franchise. Hopefully greater things are on the Horizon.
Maddux will tell it like it is but this is what it is which is a PR move. Its a perfect move because all the drunken retards that fill most of wrigley will love it.
I love it
lol…of course clayton loves its