ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – Joe Maddon is back under the halo.
Maddon agreed to a three-year deal to become the Los Angeles Angels’ manager on Wednesday, reuniting the World Series-winning former skipper of the Chicago Cubs with the organization where he spent the first three decades of his baseball career.
The Angels will formally introduce Maddon at a news conference next week, but he already knows his way around Angel Stadium.
Maddon, 65, signed with the Angels as an undrafted catcher in 1975, and he spent the next 31 seasons working at almost every level of the organization as a player, coach and manager. He served as a big league assistant coach under five managers, and he had two stints as the Angels’ interim manager.
He was the Angels’ bench coach alongside manager Mike Scioscia during their championship season in 2002. He left to manage Tampa Bay in 2006 for nine mostly successful seasons, followed by a big-money move to Chicago to make history.
The three-time Manager of the Year left the Cubs by mutual consent last month after they missed the playoffs for the first time in his five-year tenure. He’ll still likely never have to buy a drink in Chicago again because of 2016, when he led the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years.
Maddon replaces Brad Ausmus, who was fired after one season when the Angels finished 72-90, their worst record since 1999.
ALCS game rained out
Game 4 of the American League Championship Series on Wednesday between the Houston Astros and New York Yankees was postponed after storms were forecast for New York City.
The game at Yankee Stadium was due to get underway Wednesday at 8.08 p.m. but has been delayed by 24 hours to avoid the possibility of a rainout, MLB said in a statement.
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times