Cubs’ Maddon an Intoxicating Personality

Random thoughts (or as close as we come to them around here) while wondering whether Joe Maddon realizes the media do not exist to be his drinking buddies (OK, there may be an exception or two or three or more):

Coming attraction: Playboy’s November Playmate Gia Marie is set to be on Thursday’s “Sports & Torts” at noon Central time on Talkzone.com.

* With Monday’s official coronation of Maddon as the Chicago Cubs manager, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has accomplished one major goal for the team: take the focus off the ballplayers. A greater goal for him and general manager Jed Hoyer (essentially Robin to Epstein’s Batman or Tonto to Epstein’s Lone Ranger) is to acquire talented ballplayers who will make the ballclub better. That is a more challenging task than courting a free-agent manager who is leaving his most recent employer because the employer did not want to pay the manager the money he wanted.

* Speaking of the Tampa Bay Rays and the possibility of tampering charges by the Cubs, Epstein denied any such claims. All well and good, but if the Cubs indeed had approached Maddon’s camp before he had the opportunity to opt out of his Rays contract, do you think he would admit to it? Which isn’t to say there necessarily was tampering. But given the handling of Renteria’s firing and Maddon’s hiring (not necessarily in that order), questions do remain. Of course, Major League Baseball no doubt would love to see the Cubs competitive. So let any and all conspiracy theories begin — if they haven’t already.

* Maddon’s press conference was a big triumph for all involved. At last look, however, the Cubs still are 0-0 for the 2015 season. If nothing else, bringing Maddon to manage the Cubs gives them at least a one-season honeymoon.

* Maddon’s offer to buy media at his press conference a beer and a shot would seem something well within his buying power with a five-year, $25 million contract. Plus he probably can write it off as a business expense.

* If there’s not a Joe Maddon glasses giveaway day at Wrigley Field every season he is managing the Cubs, then someone in the marketing department should be fired.

* Something says the Cubs will find a way to incorporate an “official eyewear supplier” of the ballclub in the foreseeable future.

* From the fine folks at Bovada, (www.Bovada.lv, Twitter: @BovadaLV) comes this from sports book manager Kevin Bradley: “Even though the Cubs were rumored to name Joe Maddon their new baseball manager, we still opened them at 50-1 to win the World Series last Thursday morning. The media hype surrounding the Cubs hiring Joe Maddon and now them actually hiring Joe Maddon, has convinced the average bettor to bet them regardless of the odds forcing us to drop them all the way down to 20-1.Wh ile I think he’s a tremendous manager and that the Cubs have a bright future with many young major leaguers and prospects, I was comfortable taking money on them at those 50-1 odds and wasn’t going to over-adjust based on a manager, but the overwhelming amount of wagers on the Cubs to win the World Series forced our hand.”

* Speaking of numbers, the Rays have not been to the World Series since 2008. The Cubs have not been to the postseason since 2008. The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. Lou Piniella took the Cubs to the postseason in 2007 and 2008. So did his predecessor Dusty Baker in 2003. So it’s obvious Maddon will be more successful than that, right? Maybe the Cubs will make another staff decision to explain it all. If there’s one thing the Cubs need (aside from pitching and a few more productive position players), it’s a team numerologist.

* Still speaking of numbers, that Cubs jersey with No. 70 that Maddon wore, does that number stand for the number of victories the team will have in his first season, or is that the number of years between World Series appearances (last one being 1945, so that would mean this season, right?).

Here is where to go for a daily dose of non-gratuitous video (thanks to the efforts of the editorial and video departments at ElliottHarris.com):

Advertising opportunities are available on ElliottHarris.com. For information and rates, contact sales@ElliottHarris.com.