At the end of the day his decisions still got them a title. As much as people can question his pitching decisions, his decision to change the batting order for these last 2 games worked out great.

 

No they didn't. This game should've been a 6-3 final. His players kept him employed by overcoming his stupidity.

No they didn't. This game should've been a 6-3 final. His players kept him employed by overcoming his stupidity.

 

Most managers also probably don't mess with that lineup like he did going into game 6 of the world series. He moved his best bats around to spots in the lineup that they hadn't been since June. Most managers don't do that. Shoot most managers probably don't start a guy like Schwerberg who didn't play all year in the world series. Most managers probably only use him as a pitch hitter out of fear of looking like an idiot if you play him and he does horrible and messes up a team who made the world series without him playing.

 

Those decisions he made most managers don't make and it worked great for them. So while yes it's easy to question how he handled the pitching, his decisions at other parts were great and did help put them in position to be up at the end of games.

Most managers also probably don't mess with that lineup like he did going into game 6 of the world series. He moved his best bats around to spots in the lineup that they hadn't been since June. Most managers don't do that. Shoot most managers probably don't start a guy like Schwerberg who didn't play all year in the world series. Most managers probably only use him as a pitch hitter out of fear of looking like an idiot if you play him and he does horrible and messes up a team who made the world series without him playing.

 

Those decisions he made most managers don't make and it worked great for them. So while yes it's easy to question how he handled the pitching, his decisions at other parts were great and did help put them in position to be up at the end of games.

 

I didn't know your defense of the Brown regime extended to other franchises, but it fits. Joe Maddon's terrible managing turned that game from (my guesses, but I think they're probably close) 5-1 and 6-3 games with win expectancies near 98 percent, into ridiculous nailbiters that somehow needed extra innings to decide, with a rain delay, no less.

 

Maddon got lucky that his players bailed him out.

I didn't know your defense of the Brown regime extended to other franchises, but it fits. Joe Maddon's terrible managing turned that game from (my guesses, but I think they're probably close) 5-1 and 6-3 games with win expectancies near 98 percent, into ridiculous nailbiters that somehow needed extra innings to decide, with a rain delay, no less.

 

Maddon got lucky that his players bailed him out.

 

And that last sentence is the magic of Joe. You can complain about his in game decisions all you want, but the players love him.

And that last sentence is the magic of Joe. You can complain about his in game decisions all you want, but the players love him.

 

If Chapman was thinking about his career instead of partying right now, he'd want to kill Maddon.

Trust The Process.

I didn't know your defense of the Brown regime extended to other franchises, but it fits. Joe Maddon's terrible managing turned that game from (my guesses, but I think they're probably close) 5-1 and 6-3 games with win expectancies near 98 percent, into ridiculous nailbiters that somehow needed extra innings to decide, with a rain delay, no less.

 

Maddon got lucky that his players bailed him out.

 

His decisions with the lineup and who to play is also a reason they were up by those scores you mentioned. You are picking and choosing what use in saying he is horrible. His managing style is definitely different than most. However that managing style is what made him until afraid to start Schwerberg in this series, when most managers would have only used him as a pitch hitter. His managing style also made him unafraid to change a batting order around before game 6, when most managers wouldn't have dared mess with that.

 

I'm not arguing that he mishandled the pitching, I'm sure he knows that too. However his decisions he made was also the reason they were up by the scores you mentioned.

I love Maddon and wouldn't trade him for anyone, but he over managed the last 2 games. We had the talent to overcome it thank God, but man Hendricks was dealing and you pull him at 60 pitches? Stupid. Let Chapman pitch in game 6? Stupid.

I think you all are being too critical of Joe Maddon here. He took Hendricks out because he had gone through the lineup twice. Maddon went in to the game with the idea that he was only going to throw Hendricks 2 times through. Then he was going to bring in arguably the best pitcher in baseball this year to give the game to Chapman. Chapman was exhausted, but every single one of you would have handled this the same way he did. You all aren't bashing Tito for pitching Kluber three times on short rest. Maddon has forgotten more about baseball, than you all will ever know. This is baseball, every decision you make doesn't work out no matter how great of a manager you are.

They say hindsights twenty-twenty. Credit Cleveland for being tough as nails. Sometimes players step and and make plays. Maddon is highly respected by Theo and that tells me all I need to know. I think Maddon will be in the dugout next season.

As a lifelong Cubs fan I have to side with Shoe on this one, Maddon almost cost them last night. Horrible decision making the last two games but they found a way. Now don't get me wrong, Joe Maddon is my favorite manager in the game and even was as coach of the Rays. When he came to Chicago I was so excited, I knew he was the perfect man for the job. Maddon is a great people manager, but not always the best in game manager. He takes risks and does some out side of the box tactics. Sometimes they work, sometimes they are an epic failure.

 

I agree with Shoe though, I almost lost it last night. My girlfriend knows almost nothing about baseball and even she said, "oh my lord this isn't good". I was so frustrated that he took the professor off the mound up four with one on and two out. IMO Hendricks gets out of that inning untouched or at most a run. Then you bring Lester in with a runner on and he's horrible with base runners (as we saw on the perfect double play opportunity that had to settle for one). Lester is also highly emotional and can let the moment get to him sometimes. Those two runs were huge IMO. Leave Hendricks in and the momentum doesn't shift that way. I say give Lester a fresh start in a clean inning and it is a different scenario completely, he should have came in for 7 and 8.

 

On the flip side of this and nothing I've heard mentioned by any of the prognosticators is that had he not brought Lester into the game that early, Ross would not have been in the game. Ross then goes on to homer and really give the Cubs a huge lift. So that's an interesting take as well.

 

 

Also don't like the decision to go to Chapman that early. He was done and it was obvious. Also, didn't like that he brought him into a dirty inning. IMO Chapman is suited for no one on base and does better without the pressure. Maybe go to Edwards, Rondon, Strop, or heck even Arrieta in that situation and save Chapman for the 9th if you can.

 

 

But all in all it was one heck of a game, one heck of a series and Cubs are World Champs. Maddon out thought himself a few different times, but he kept everyone fresh and in the moment and that's what won them their first championship in a looooooooongggg time.

 

Go cubs go!

No he's not. Should have been doused with champagne a long time ago.

He was holding the trophy. Genius

You could almost forgive not going to a 3-man rotation given how Kid Lester pitched (after his screw-up). But leaving a weakened Chapman out there? Wow. Just phenomenally stupid. Maddon put Chapman into a situation so many Reds fans have seen him fail in. Cubs fans better direct the blame properly. Chapman may never recover.

 

Running him back out for the 2nd inning was crazy. He got very lucky.

That idiot left Chapman in and he pitches out of it. Quit your cryin

 

Luck plain and simple. He was gassed. He was afraid to throw a fastball.

This is not the first time he's made questionable decisions. For some reason Joe just wins. I miss him terribly, down here.