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Levine: Agent Says Cubs On Maddon's Radar

By Bruce Levine--

(CBS) -- The agent for former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon made it clear on Saturday that the Chicago Cubs could be the future destination for his client.

Northbrook, Ill.-based agent Alan Nero talked about Maddon and what the next few days and weeks may be like for the high-profile baseball man he represents on WSCR radio's "Inside the Clubhouse."

"I had calls from 15 general managers yesterday" said Nero. "They were not all about managing. Some of them wanted to know if Joe would be interested in a top level front office job."

The baseball world was shocked on Friday when it was announced that Maddon had an opt-out clause in his contract at Tampa. After nine years as the manager of the Rays, Maddon is looking for more money and a bigger market to work in. Rumors of the Cubs being the most interested team surfaced through conversations and speculation on the national media front almost at once.

Nero said nothing to quiet that speculation on Saturday. The agent was careful to be respectful to the Cubs sitting manager Rick Renteria.

"I think Theo (Epstein) and Tom (Ricketts) are people of high integrity," Nero said. "They certainly have commitments to their people ( Renteria ). Whether it is this year or next year, it is certainly a possibility. I can tell you we have not had any conversations yet."

Asked directly about the manager's interest in Chicago, Nero did not shy away from the topic.

"Of course the Cubs would be on our radar," he said. "We have great respect for them. It would be up to them to pursue it."

A friend of Renteria's told CBSChicago.com that as of Saturday afternoon, the manager had not heard a word on the subject of Maddon, or his job status from anyone in the Cubs organization. Renteria signed a three-year contract in the fall of 2013 to manage the Cubs. He seemed to accomplish almost every goal for improvement his superiors mapped out for him in 2014. The Cubs finished the season winning 31 of their last 59 games despite having traded away top pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to Oakland on July 4th for three minor league players.

According to Nero, Maddon could try other baseball related jobs in 2015 besides managing.

"He is prepared for not managing if the right situation does not present itself," Nero related." We believe he is in the conversation as the top two or three, if not the best manager in the game."

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