MLB to resolve Maddon tampering case before season begins
Newly appointed MLB commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Monday that his office will reach a decision shortly regarding tampering allegations that arose when the Chicago Cubs hired Joe Maddon just days after the veteran manager opted out of his contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.
“We will have the Maddon situation resolved before the season begins,” Manfred told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s easy to do a quick investigation and reach a quick decision.
“Our preference here, because it’s a very important issue in terms of the way the clubs interact with each other, was to do a very, very thorough investigation and make sure we make the right decision.”
Maddon's opt-out clause was triggered after general manager Andrew Friedman left the Rays in October for a position with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the 61-year-old signed a five-year, $25-million deal with the Cubs shortly thereafter. Maddon's hiring came almost immediately after the Cubs dismissed Rick Renteria, who led the club to a 73-89 record in his first and only season as manager.
Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer, however, doesn't seem overly concerned about the allegations.
“We’re not going to comment on it directly,” Hoyer said Monday. “But we’re confident in the outcome, and we’ve obviously cooperated fully.
“Obviously, we’d like a resolution soon. But at the same time it’s not something that distracts us, and we’re confident in the outcome.”