There have been so many managerial and coaching staff changes around baseball this fall, it’s hard to keep up.
The Cubs, alone, have fired their pitching coach, hitting coach, and third base coach, have lost their assistant hitting coach to a promotion, and could be losing their bench coach to a managerial gig of his own. And that’s without mentioning the high-profile exits of guys like Dusty Baker and Joe Girardi.
It’s madness, I tell you, madness!
And it’s not limited to just those teams. Earlier this October, the Cardinals announced that pitching coach Derek Lilliguist (as well as bullpen coach Blaise Ilsley) would not have their contracts renewed for the 2018 season. In their place, rumors suggested that the Cardinals were targeting two guys also connected to the Chicago Cubs: Mike Maddux and Jim Hickey.
As it turns out, Maddux will probably be the guy:
Mike Maddux about to be named pitching coach of #STLCards, sources tell The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 26, 2017
Maddux has spent the last two seasons as the Nationals pitching coach, but his contract, like Baker’s, was not renewed after the Nationals lost to the Cubs in the NLDS. The Cardinals took very little time in targeting a guy they wanted and have reportedly pounced on Maddux as their new pitching coach.
Good for them.
In case you’re wondering, yes, this probably increases the chances the Cubs will end up with Joe Maddon’s former Rays pitching coach, Jim Hickey, as their Bosio-replacement, but that has yet to be determined.
As always, we’ll keep you apprised of any new movement or news.