Joe Maddon was in Hazelton this weekend for his annual fundraiser and Thanksmas. Maddon was honored by his hometown for the work he has done with the Hazelton Integration Project and for the Cubs winning The World Series.
Unfortunately, Maddon also had to respond to the comments made by Aroldis Chapman. Maddon defended the way he managed in The Series, specifically games six and seven, and the way he used Chapman in the postseason.
Chapman did not agree with the way he was used and he let the New York media know about it during a conference call to announce his record contract with the Yankees.
Did Maddon make mistakes? Yes. He said he would not change a thing because of the outcome. The bottom line, the Cubs won The World Series.
David Ross and Tyson Ross were in the news and rumor mill.
And the Cubs announced the minor league managers, coaching staffs and field coordinators for every level in the organization.
Here are the headlines from the last three days, along with links to the Cubs Rewind series …
Minor League Assignments
The Cubs announce the Minor League Managers, Coaching Staffs and Field Coordinators for every level of the system Friday. Every manager is returning for next season and will return to the affiliates they spent the 2016 season.
Marty Pevey (Triple-A Iowa), Mark Johnson (Double-A Tennessee), Buddy Bailey (High-A Myrtle Beach), Jimmy Gonzalez (Low-A South Bend) and Jesus Feliciano (Short-Season Class-A Eugene) will all be back at the helm. Bailey’s Pelicans and Feliciano’s Emeralds have league championships to defend.
Click on the report for a complete, detailed list of the managers, coaches and field coordinators throughout the Cubs’ organization …
Cubs, Tigers Reportedly Unable to Find Match for Justin Wilson
The Cubs are not done adding arms to the bullpen, especially from the left-side. The front office could go the route of minor league signings for depth. Right now, the Cubs continue to be linked to Major League relievers.
The Cubs reportedly had a conversation with the Tigers about lefty Justin Wilson. Those talks appear to have ended. The Cubs and Tigers could not find a match on a deal for Wilson according to Bob Nightengale.
Cubs Rewind
With the holidays quickly approaching and 2017 just around the corner, we have been looking back at moments from the season that was for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs Rewind series will continue through the end of The Year. For now, here are the games and moments that we think stood out from the regular season that saw the eventual World Series Champions win 103 games.
Video and Audio clips are included with in the Cubs Rewind of the Year that turned out to be The Year …
- Anthony Rizzo’s Inside the Park Home Run
- Jake Arrieta’s No-No in Cincinnati
- Javier Baez’s Walk-Off on Mother’s Day
- Addison Russell’s Three-Run Shot on Opening Night at Wrigley Field
- Jon Lester’s Walk-Off Bunt in Extra Innings Versus Mariners
David Ross
David Ross was in the news quite a bit this past week. Ross appears to be enjoying retirement as he contemplates what is next for him in the game.
Ross has a book coming out in May that will be a must-read for those that respect the game and appreciate what players like David Ross mean to winning teams. Ross’ book, ‘Teammate: My Life in Baseball’ has a scheduled release date of May 9.
Ross is considering different opportunities with the Cubs. There has been talk that he could be a catching consultant or a Special Assistant to the President and General Manager. From all indications it is a matter of when, not if, that Ross will be back with the Cubs in an official capacity.
Ross is on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s year-end issue with Simone Biles and J.R. Smith. ESPN is celebrating 2016, the craziest sports year ever! And, well the Cubs won The Series.
- The Daily CCO: David Ross’ Book, Cubs Make Koji Uehara Signing Official and Other News
- The Daily CCO: David Ross Considering Opportunities with Cubs Front Office
- David Ross on the Cover of ESPN The Magazine [Includes Image]
Tyson Ross
The Cubs tried and tried to pry Tyson Ross from the Padres and now that he’s a free agent, the front office is trying to sign the free agent.
After reports indicated the Cubs were pursuing Ross, Bruce Levine reported he was in Chicago last week taking the free agent tour of the facilities at the old ballyard.
The Daily CCO: Chapman Did Not Agree with Postseason Use, Maddon’s Response and Other Cubs News
Aroldis Chapman finalized the five-year, $86 million contract with the Yankees. And it was officially announced Thursday night.
During a conference call Friday with the New York media, Chapman voiced his displeasure with how Joe Maddon and the Cubs used him in the postseason, and especially in Game 6 of The World Series.
Chapman took a lot of heat for what he said. And so did Joe Maddon. The Cubs’ skipper made several questionable decisions in The Series. Maddon has admitted he made mistakes while pointing out the Cubs won The World Series.
Maddon has always handled the criticism and will continue to do so. Maddon had a rough series. The Cubs are The World Series Champions … period.
The Daily Report includes all of Chapman’s quotes and Maddon’s response.
There could be more day games around the league starting in 2018, according to information from Jayson Stark.
Scott Darling has an awesome mask ready to troll Cardinals fans with during the Winter Classic at Busch Stadium.
Jake Arrieta is a man of his word and has a new tattoo to prove it.
The Daily Report has info on Brad Ziegler, Welington Castillo, all of the news, notes, links, This Day in Cubstory and a Cubs Christmas video … with a Run DMC twist.
The Daily CCO: Joe Maddon’s Annual Hazelton Integration Project Fundraiser and Other Cubs News
Joe Maddon was in Hazelton all weekend. On Friday, he held his annual fundraiser for the Hazelton Integration Project. He was honored on Saturday for his work and the Cubs winning The Series. The report includes video from the event.
The Cubs are paying the Taxman for the first time.
The Daily Report includes an update on an outfielder that spent last season with the Cubs, all of the news, notes, links and This Day in Cubs History.