Levine: Cubs To Be Investigated For Tampering In Maddon Signing
By Bruce Levine--
(CBS) -- The Chicago Cubs and agent Alan Nero will be under investigation for possible tampering in the hiring of new manager Joe Maddon, according to numerous sources. Maddon signed a five-year, $25-million contract on Nov. 3 to manage the Cubs.
Maddon was informed by Tampa that he had a clause to leave the team when general manager Andrew Friedman was hired to run the Dodgers. The Cubs were proactive at once and fired manager Rick Renteria to clear the way for Maddon.
At the crux of the investigation will be the timing of agent Nero's contact with the Cubs. Tampa wants a thorough investigation as to whether conversation took place before Maddon had the option to cancel the one year remaining at $2 million on his deal.
Nero has stated that after trying to work out an extension with Tampa, Maddon decided to leave the job. Only one MLB managing job was open (Twins) at that point. That led to speculation as to why the veteran manager would step away from a $2 million job with no other job in hand. (The Twins eventually signed Paul Molitor to manage a day after Maddon signed.)
"There was no tampering what so ever," Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said Monday. "We hope they investigate this so we can clear our name and we can move on from this quickly. We are giving our full cooperation."
At this point, if the Cubs are found guilty of any wrongdoing, it's hard to say if money or players would be the form of compensation going back to Tampa.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
