Unless you’re in the middle of a managerial search, the GM Meetings are frequently right around the time when an organization finalizes and announces its coaching staff for the upcoming season.
But it sounds like the Cubs won’t be doing that because some things are still up in the air:
Cryptic response from #Cubs GM Jed Hoyer on Joe Maddon’s 2019 coaching staff: “We’re still working through a lot of stuff. I won’t comment on anyone in particular, but a number of people are exploring different things and we’re not at a place now where we can announce it.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) November 6, 2018
With the exceptions of hitting coach Chili Davis (let go, replaced by Anthony Iapoce) and assistant hitting coach Andy Haines (poached by Brewers), there hasn’t been an overt discussion out there about any of the Cubs’ coaches not returning next year. It’s always a possibility, of course, that some of the crew are free agents and are looking at other options out there.
The Cubs do also still have to fill their own assistant hitting coach vacancy, so may there won’t be a ton of turnover on the staff when all is said and done. But it is an interesting way of phrasing things from Jed Hoyer, isn’t it? Kinda makes it sound like multiple guys are mulling other opportunities, and it immediately makes you wonder about the lame-duck status of manager Joe Maddon. How might that be impacting the mental calculus of the Cubs’ various coaches, in terms of long-term job security?