Joe MaddonIt has been more than five months since the Chicago Cubs hired Joe Maddon and the Tampa Bay Rays asked Major League Baseball to investigate the move.

Despite several reports that the case would be resolved before the start of the regular season, we are now into the second week of the season and there is still no word on whether or not the Cubs will be punished for tampering.

On Monday, rookie commissioner Rob Manfred said (via TampaBay.com) the investigation “remains ongoing” and it should be resolved “fairly soon.”

In early November, this is how Joel Sherman first reported the tampering charges:

“It is the Rays’ contention Maddon only opted out of his contract because he was made aware of what the Cubs were willing to offer him should he jump. If that indeed occurred, it would be an infraction of major league rules that forbid teams to talk to personnel under contract with another club.”

A month later at the Winter Meetings, Stuart Sternberg did not hesitate when he was asked if he was over what happened with Maddon and the Cubs. “No,” said Sternberg. “We’ll leave it at that.”

Two months after that, as players were preparing to report to Spring Training, Bob Nightengale reported that the Rays “insist they have proof” of tampering.

Of course, the Rays are not going to get Maddon back. About all the Rays can hope for is to have MLB decide the Rays need to be compensated in the form of a prospect (unlikely) or a draft pick (more likely). And considering how long this is taking, it would seem that there is evidence of something.

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5 Comments

  1. Starmand says:

    "Of course, the Rays are not going to get Maddon back."

    At this point, I don't think anybody wants Maddon back. The Rays have cashed in.

    :)

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  2. Gus says:

    I'd like Randy Winn as compensation.

    Or should he be unavailable, Jorge Soler and all of his glorious gold chains. Maddon will probably screw it up by messing with those guys heads so bad that they become a bunch of Matt Joyces, but he has more offensive weapons in Chicago then he had in the 10 years combined in St. Petersburg.

    Would love to stick it to Theo Epstein though. Keep litigating this please.

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  3. Geoff Peterson says:

    Only a player would be fair. It's been the going rate for trading a manager in the past. We'll tale Rizzo or Bryant.

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  4. Rumpy says:

    Kyle Schwarber would be fine by me

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  5. Starmand says:

    In other news, it's time to extend Hickey's contract.

    Like at 11:30 PM, tonight.

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