CHICAGO — Cubs manager Joe Maddon paired his 1,000th win with a glass of red wine made by Big Smooth wines out of Lodi, California.
CHICAGO — Cubs manager Joe Maddon paired his 1,000th win with a glass of red wine made by Big Smooth wines out of Lodi, California.
A nod to his past on a very sweet night.
Slumping sluggers Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber homered to help the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 on Tuesday, handing a landmark victory to their beloved manager.
Maddon became the eighth active manager with at least 1,000 wins. He started his coaching career in the minors with the Angels and served as the interim manager of the major league club on two occasions before taking over Tampa Bay. He is in his third season with the Cubs after guiding them to a World Series title last year.
“I’ve seen a lot of different methods,” Maddon said with the glass of wine waiting on the table in front of him. “I’ve been taught well, and I really want to say, it’s 1,000 wins, other guys have done it, but to the players that have been a part of this, I want to say thank you, because you don’t do this without really good players. You don’t.”
The 63-year-old Maddon, known for his eccentric tricks over the years like mariachi bands and impromptu petting zoos, also thanked his coaches before he was toasted by the team in a room off the main clubhouse at Wrigley Field.