Two things are universally acknowledged about Joe Maddon. The first: He’s a great regular-season manager. Look no further than his six winning seasons and one pennant with cash-strapped Tampa and three consecutive NLCS appearances (and perhaps counting) with the rebuilt Cubs.
Second, he’s also less than a great postseason manager. Exactly how short of postseason greatness is all eye of the beholder, but suffice to say Maddon is a very “active” playoff manager. Thus he’s had his share of genius to go along with some head-scratching moments.
So as the Cubs start their fourth consecutive playoff run under his command, here’s a look-back list of Maddon’s five best and five worst playoff moves as Cubs skipper.