The Tampa Bay Rays look like they may have to start from the bottom again. After watching Andrew Friedman, the team's executive vice president of baseball operations, leave for the Dodgers earlier this month, they will now witness the departure of manager Joe Maddon.
Maddon has reportedly exercised the opt-out clause in his contract and will leave the Rays immediately, which has now created more speculation of the manager heading out west to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Friedman is now with the Dodgers and it was believed he might try to recruit Maddon to replace manager Don Mattingly. However, there has yet to be any information regarding that notion.
Sources: Manager Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out clause in his contract and is leaving the Tampa Bay Rays immediately.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 24, 2014
Maddon was the most successful manager in the short history of the Rays, accumulating a 754-705 record in nine seasons to go along with four postseason appearances and one World Series appearance. Friedman and Maddon were viewed as the two responsible for the Rays' great success as a small market franchise, as the two led the team to five 90-plus win seasons in nine years after they started off with 10 losing campaigns. 2014 was the first losing season for the Rays (77-85) since 2007.
Tampa Bay now has a number of important roles to fill. They traded their ace David Price at the deadline because they wouldn't have been able to afford the arbitration settlement, and then subsequently lost Friedman and Maddon. Owner Stuart Sternberg appointed Matt Silverman as the team's president of baseball operations following Friedman's departure. Silverman joined the Rays with Friedman back in 2004 after the two left their careers on Wall Street. The team also has some significant personnel decisions to make with second baseman Ben Zobrist ($7.5 million option for 2015) and Desmond Jennings (arbitration eligible in 2015).
"We tried diligently and aggressively to sign Joe to a third contract extension prior to his decision," Sternberg said in a statement. "As of yesterday afternoon, Joe enabled himself to explore opportunities throughout Major League Baseball. He will not be managing the Rays in 2015."
The Rays will no doubt be active this offseason as they look to prepare for 2015.
