Joe Maddon - Managerial Career

Managerial Career

He managed each of the six years from 1981–86 in the minor leagues, but managed his team to a losing record each season.

Maddon was considered a leading candidate for the Boston Red Sox manager job in 2004, which went to Terry Francona. On November 15, 2005, he was hired to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His signature thick-rimmed glasses have led to giveaways featuring mock pairs, and tributes from Angels players wearing the glasses when playing against the Rays.

In 2008, Maddon led the Tampa Bay Rays to their first American League Eastern Division Title. He led a team of young players that won a division title over the heavily favored New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Maddon led the team to the franchise's first playoff win in the American League Division Series ALDS vs the Chicago White Sox by 3–1 and a 4 games to 3 triumph over the rival Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series ALCS. This was the first World Series appearance for the Rays, in which Tampa Bay held home-field advantage against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies won the World Series by a 4–1 game score. It completed a full-circle turnaround for the Rays, who had the worst record in Major League Baseball in 2007. Because of this, on November 12 of that year, he was given the American League Manager of the Year Award. He also received the Chuck Tanner Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award.

The manager became engaged to his girlfriend of four years, law school graduate Jaye Sousoures, in June 2007 in Boulder, Colorado, on a side trip during a Rays road trip to the Colorado Rockies. He married her in November 2008. He has two children with his first wife: a daughter, Sarah; and a son, Joey. He also has two granddaughters, Tyler and Coral Ray.

On May 25, 2009, the Tampa Bay Rays and Maddon agreed to a contract extension that would keep him manager of the Rays through 2012. He had been in the final year of the initial contract he signed when he first became manager of the team. The Rays stated that there was "never a question" on whether to keep Maddon or not after the conclusion of the 2009 season. Maddon was quoted as saying, "This is where I belong. This is where I want to be. I really have to use the word love when I talk about this organization."

On July 14, 2009, Maddon managed the American League All Star team to a 4–3 victory. Controversy arose after he failed to pick second baseman Ian Kinsler as a reserve on the team,when Dustin Pedroia and Evan Longoria bowed out.

When Major League Baseball ordered in April 2010 that managers and coaches can only wear the official team jacket or approved Majestic pullover over their jersey, and not "hoodies", Maddon complained that "It's almost like a security blanket for me. Managing without a hoodie on a cool night could be very disconcerting. Furthermore, I think it's wrong." MLB reversed their decision a few days later.

In 2011, the Rays made a second consecutive playoff appearance despite an 0–6 start to the season and a 9-game deficit in the wild card race in September. After the end of the season it was announced that Maddon had been named the American League Manager of the Year for the second time in his career. On February 13, 2012 the Rays signed Maddon to a three-year extension.

On April 16, 2012, in a game against the Boston Red Sox, Maddon won his 500th career game as manager of the Tampa Bay Rays.

On August 15, 2012, Maddon became the first manager to be ejected from a perfect game, when he was tossed for arguing balls and strikes against Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners.

Maddon earned his 600th win on September 27, 2012 with a victory over the Chicago White Sox.