After Andrew Friedman announced last week that he was leaving the Tampa Bay Rays to bolt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, speculation immediately centered on whether manager Joe Maddon would join him. But the Rays' skipper said he wanted to stay a Ray, and talks began apace with Rays management to re-sign him to a long term deal.
But Maddon stunned Rays management on Thursday, informing them through his agent that he would exercise an opt-out clause in his contract, and leave the team after nine seasons.
"I'm surprised and disappointed," Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman told reporters on a conference call held Friday afternoon, shortly after the team released a statement breaking the news that Maddon was now history. "I believed that Joe wanted to be the manager of the Rays long term. That was my intention and Stu's [Rays owner Stuart Sternberg] intention, and we dove head first into discussions about an extension. But it takes two parties to reach an agreement and we weren't able to reach that agreement, and that's how we got to that stage."
Silverman emphasized twice in the 10-minute call that he believed that money was not the issue that caused Maddon to bolt from negotiations. "I am very comfortable for the financial offers that we made Joe," he said, adding "they were very generous."
But Maddon told TBO.com this afternoon that “We went back and forth a couple of times, and it didn’t want to work out." And he told the Tampa Bay Times that finances did play a part in his departure. "I have never had this opportunity to research my employment on my terms," he told the paper. "Never, never, never. And I think anybody given the same set of circumstances would do the same thing.''
In Los Angeles, Dodger officials maintain that current manager Don Mattingly, who is signed up through 2016, is not going anywhere, meaning that Maddon could be unemployed when spring training begins next year. The only team looking for a manager currently is the Minnesota Twins, which recently let its longtime skipper Ron Gardenhire go after 13 seasons.
Before being hired by the Rays in 2006, Maddon had been a coach with the California Angels, and maintains an off-season home in Long Beach. During the season he lives in South Tampa, and there is much anticipation among foodies regarding the upcoming opening of his SoHo restaurant Ava.
Silverman says the Rays will now begin a "deliberate and comprehensive search" for a new manager, and he said that both internal and external candidates will be looked at. He refused to give a timetable for when he wanted a new manager in place.
The Rays organization has a few other issues on its plate, including the search for a new stadium. Although there are still 13 more years left on the lease at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the Rays made clear years ago that they don't intend to fulfill their lease agreement, and have been in longtime negotiations with the city of St. Petersburg to allow them to talk to officials in Tampa and Hillsborough County about a new stadium.
Maddon commented recently that the lack of a new stadium was an issue that he hoped would be addressed sooner rather than later.
Maddon led the Rays to a 754-705 record, including a World Series appearance in 2008 plus playoff appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Twice, he’s been named American League manager of the year.