If the Chicago Cubs are America’s cuddly little team, then Joe Maddon is America’s cuddly little manager, an affable baseball lifer who is well-read and has a wide range of interests that extend far beyond the foul lines.
Well, sorry, America, but your man blew it.
And to think it was because Maddon couldn’t shake tradition, a somewhat unexpected turn of events considering this was the same renaissance man who changed how defense is played in the major leagues with his frequent use of shifts as the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.