The Los Angeles Angels, who dismissed manager Brad Ausmus at the end of the regular season, got their man on Wednesday.

Joe Maddon, the former manager of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs, signed a three-year deal to become the AL West franchise’s new manager beginning in the 2020 season.

Maddon, considered to be one of the most respected managers in the game, is believed to be set to make between $12 and $15 million over the length of his contract.

The Pennsylvania native will return to the team that gave him his first coaching and managerial opportunity in the big leagues (albeit in an interim capacity). The 65-year-old spent 1994 to 2005 with the Angels.

After leaving the Angels, Maddon took over as the Tampa Bay Rays’ manager, where he transformed the once-lowly franchise into perennial playoff contenders.

Maddon then jumped to the Chicago Cubs in 2015, where he won two NL Central championships and the franchise’s first World Series title since 1908 in a magical 2016 season before parting ways with the franchise after the end of this year.

Now, the affable manager will be tasked with leading the Angels to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, rekindling the flame of a franchise that has failed to succeed despite having the game’s best player, Mike Trout.

The post Angels Hire Joe Maddon as Manager appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After another disappointing campaign that saw the franchise miss the playoffs yet again, the Philadelphia Phillies have decided to pull the plug on manager Gabe Kapler.

Kapler, who took over at the helm of the NL East franchise prior to the 2018 season, leaves Philadelphia after only two seasons. After an offseason that saw the team spend big money on free agents such as Bryce Harper, the 81-81 record that the team finished with was just too much for team ownership to stomach.

The California native leaves the Phillies’ bench with a 161-163 record and without a playoff berth.

Reportedly, Phillies front office personnel such as general manager Matt Klentak and team president Andy MacPhail still supported Kapler as the team’s head man. However, the team’s owner, John Middleton, made the final decision to let go of the second-year manager.

Kapler was set to finish the final season of a three-year contract in the 2020 season before his dismissal.

Now, the Phillies will be tasked with finding the right man to lead their team back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season. Expectations are always high in Philadelphia, and team brass will be expected to deliver with this hiring.

The post Phillies Dismiss Manager Gabe Kapler appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After yet another productive season at the age of 39, the Minnesota Twins are reportedly going to pick up slugger Nelson Cruz’s 2020 contract option, valued at $12 million.

Despite missing 42 games due to injury, Cruz was extremely productive in his fifteenth MLB season. He played in 120 games this season as the team’s top option at the designated hitter position. The Dominican slugger batted .311 on the season, swatting 41 home runs and accumulating 108 RBIs for the Twins’ potent offense.

Cruz became only the third player in the history of the franchise to reach the 40 home run plateau in a single season.

Not only was Cruz extremely productive at the plate, but he impressed with his ability to mentor young hitters during his first season as a Twin. Coaches say that he was crucial to helping the team’s young hitters find success and was a big reason that the team won the AL Central title this year.

Cruz, if he can remain healthy, is expected to once again enter into the 2020 season as the team’s starting designated hitter.

He will look to post yet another productive season at a relatively advanced age, a performance that is bucking the trend towards even younger players in today’s MLB.

The post Minnesota Twins to Pick Up Nelson Cruz’s 2020 Option appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After firing manager Brad Ausmus at the end of the 2019 season after only one year on the job, it appears that the Los Angeles Angels already have a candidate in mind to replace him.

Veteran manager Joe Maddon, whose contract was not renewed by the Chicago Cubs at the conclusion of the season, appears to be number one on the list of the Angels’ list of managerial candidates.

Maddon began his career as a coach with the Angels in 1994, spending time in various roles, but mainly as a bench coach for the Halos. He also took over twice after mid-season managerial dismissals as interim manager, compiling a 27-24 record.

The Pennsylvania native then moved on to manage the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs for a total of 14 seasons. In that time, he recorded a 1225-1044 record. He won two Manager of the Year Awards and led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in over a century in 2016.

Maddon has been linked to the vacancy in Anaheim ever since parting ways with the Cubs at the end of the season due to his history with the AL West franchise as well as his previous success as a manager.

If the Angels get their wish, it looks like Maddon will be going home to manage the Halos.

The post Sources: Angels to Interview Joe Maddon For Manager Position appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After an extremely disappointing 2019 season, the Los Angeles Angels have decided to cut ties with manager Brad Ausmus after just one season.

The veteran manager will not return to the Angels’ bench after his only season in charge of the AL West franchise. Things didn’t quite go as expected for LA, as they limped to a 72-90 record and found themselves out of playoff contention for most of the year.

Ausmus signed a three-year contract with the Angels last summer after being chosen by general manager Billy Eppler as the voice to lead the team. He joined the Angels franchise before the 2018 as a special assistant and convinced the team’s front office that he would be a good replacement for former manager Mike Scoscia.

However, Ausmus found himself out of luck and without a job after only one disappointing season leading the team on the field.

Speculation has built since Sunday’s announcement of Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs splitting ways that he could be Eppler’s next choice to manage the team. The former Cubs and Rays manager has spent time with the organization in the past and is said to be highly-regarded by owner Arte Moreno.

What’s already sure is that the Angels will have a new voice leading them in the 2020 season.

The post Angels Fire Manager Brad Ausmus appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Angels, who dismissed manager Brad Ausmus at the end of the regular season, got their man on Wednesday.

Joe Maddon, the former manager of the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs, signed a three-year deal to become the AL West franchise’s new manager beginning in the 2020 season.

Maddon, considered to be one of the most respected managers in the game, is believed to be set to make between $12 and $15 million over the length of his contract.

The Pennsylvania native will return to the team that gave him his first coaching and managerial opportunity in the big leagues (albeit in an interim capacity). The 65-year-old spent 1994 to 2005 with the Angels.

After leaving the Angels, Maddon took over as the Tampa Bay Rays’ manager, where he transformed the once-lowly franchise into perennial playoff contenders.

Maddon then jumped to the Chicago Cubs in 2015, where he won two NL Central championships and the franchise’s first World Series title since 1908 in a magical 2016 season before parting ways with the franchise after the end of this year.

Now, the affable manager will be tasked with leading the Angels to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, rekindling the flame of a franchise that has failed to succeed despite having the game’s best player, Mike Trout.

The post Angels Hire Joe Maddon as Manager appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After another disappointing campaign that saw the franchise miss the playoffs yet again, the Philadelphia Phillies have decided to pull the plug on manager Gabe Kapler.

Kapler, who took over at the helm of the NL East franchise prior to the 2018 season, leaves Philadelphia after only two seasons. After an offseason that saw the team spend big money on free agents such as Bryce Harper, the 81-81 record that the team finished with was just too much for team ownership to stomach.

The California native leaves the Phillies’ bench with a 161-163 record and without a playoff berth.

Reportedly, Phillies front office personnel such as general manager Matt Klentak and team president Andy MacPhail still supported Kapler as the team’s head man. However, the team’s owner, John Middleton, made the final decision to let go of the second-year manager.

Kapler was set to finish the final season of a three-year contract in the 2020 season before his dismissal.

Now, the Phillies will be tasked with finding the right man to lead their team back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season. Expectations are always high in Philadelphia, and team brass will be expected to deliver with this hiring.

The post Phillies Dismiss Manager Gabe Kapler appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After yet another productive season at the age of 39, the Minnesota Twins are reportedly going to pick up slugger Nelson Cruz’s 2020 contract option, valued at $12 million.

Despite missing 42 games due to injury, Cruz was extremely productive in his fifteenth MLB season. He played in 120 games this season as the team’s top option at the designated hitter position. The Dominican slugger batted .311 on the season, swatting 41 home runs and accumulating 108 RBIs for the Twins’ potent offense.

Cruz became only the third player in the history of the franchise to reach the 40 home run plateau in a single season.

Not only was Cruz extremely productive at the plate, but he impressed with his ability to mentor young hitters during his first season as a Twin. Coaches say that he was crucial to helping the team’s young hitters find success and was a big reason that the team won the AL Central title this year.

Cruz, if he can remain healthy, is expected to once again enter into the 2020 season as the team’s starting designated hitter.

He will look to post yet another productive season at a relatively advanced age, a performance that is bucking the trend towards even younger players in today’s MLB.

The post Minnesota Twins to Pick Up Nelson Cruz’s 2020 Option appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After firing manager Brad Ausmus at the end of the 2019 season after only one year on the job, it appears that the Los Angeles Angels already have a candidate in mind to replace him.

Veteran manager Joe Maddon, whose contract was not renewed by the Chicago Cubs at the conclusion of the season, appears to be number one on the list of the Angels’ list of managerial candidates.

Maddon began his career as a coach with the Angels in 1994, spending time in various roles, but mainly as a bench coach for the Halos. He also took over twice after mid-season managerial dismissals as interim manager, compiling a 27-24 record.

The Pennsylvania native then moved on to manage the Tampa Bay Rays and the Chicago Cubs for a total of 14 seasons. In that time, he recorded a 1225-1044 record. He won two Manager of the Year Awards and led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in over a century in 2016.

Maddon has been linked to the vacancy in Anaheim ever since parting ways with the Cubs at the end of the season due to his history with the AL West franchise as well as his previous success as a manager.

If the Angels get their wish, it looks like Maddon will be going home to manage the Halos.

The post Sources: Angels to Interview Joe Maddon For Manager Position appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After an extremely disappointing 2019 season, the Los Angeles Angels have decided to cut ties with manager Brad Ausmus after just one season.

The veteran manager will not return to the Angels’ bench after his only season in charge of the AL West franchise. Things didn’t quite go as expected for LA, as they limped to a 72-90 record and found themselves out of playoff contention for most of the year.

Ausmus signed a three-year contract with the Angels last summer after being chosen by general manager Billy Eppler as the voice to lead the team. He joined the Angels franchise before the 2018 as a special assistant and convinced the team’s front office that he would be a good replacement for former manager Mike Scoscia.

However, Ausmus found himself out of luck and without a job after only one disappointing season leading the team on the field.

Speculation has built since Sunday’s announcement of Joe Maddon and the Chicago Cubs splitting ways that he could be Eppler’s next choice to manage the team. The former Cubs and Rays manager has spent time with the organization in the past and is said to be highly-regarded by owner Arte Moreno.

What’s already sure is that the Angels will have a new voice leading them in the 2020 season.

The post Angels Fire Manager Brad Ausmus appeared first on SportzBonanza.