For the second time in five years, it appears Joe Maddon hitting the open market has cost another manager his job.
The Angels have fired Brad Ausmus after just one season on the job, the team announced Monday.
Today, the Los Angeles Angels announced that Brad Ausmus will not return as manager in 2020. pic.twitter.com/XDGVCiG1gx
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) September 30, 2019
Though the Angels were a disappointing 72-90 in 2019, Ausmus would reasonably have been expected to return in just about any other year. But the Cubs' decision not to offer Maddon a new contract after five seasons could well have been the determining factor in Angels owner Arte Moreno's decision.
Before rising to managerial stardom in Tampa Bay and leading the Cubs to their first World Series win in 108 years, Maddon was an Angels lifer. He signed with the franchise as a minor league catcher in 1975 and held a variety of roles throughout the system before ascending to the major league coaching staff in 1994.
Maddon was Mike Scioscia's right-hand man from 2000-05 before leaving to take over the downtrodden Devil Rays, who he led to the World Series in his third season. But those 31 years in the Angels organization figure to carry plenty of weight for Maddon, who has maintained an offseason home in Orange County.
Should all those pieces fall into place, it will be reminiscent of his path to the Cubs job in the fall of 2014. After the departure of Tampa Bay general manager Andrew Friedman activated an out clause in Maddon's contract, the Cubs fired first-year manager Rick Renteria following a 73-89 season so they could make a move for the two-time AL Manager of the Year.
The Angels would love to see things play out in a similar fashion, particularly after signing Mike Trout to a new 12-year deal this spring. The team has made the playoffs only once in his career — in 2014, its only postseason berth in nine years.
Ausmus, 50, previously managed the Tigers from 2014-17, leading Detroit to a division title in his first season. The longtime major league catcher, who had two years left on his contract, has a career managerial record of 386-422.
He navigated a difficult season in Anaheim, most notably dealing with the death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs. The 27-year-old was found dead in his hotel room July 1, and an autopsy found a mix of fentanyl, oxycodone and alcohol in his system.
