Levine: Cubs, Joe Maddon Cleared Of Tampering Charges

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The news has been all good for the upstart Chicago Cubs on the field. Off the field, the sun continued to shine on new manager Joe Maddon and the team's front office. Major League Baseball determined Wednesday that there was no tampering in the team's hiring process of the manager last fall.

The Rays contested that the Maddon camp and the Cubs had conspired to get him out of his deal in Tampa. Maddon had a clause in his deal that allowed him a brief window to become a free agent manager, if Tampa executive Andrew Friedman was to leave his job. Friedman did indeed take a new job in Los Angeles last October, becoming president of baseball operations for the Dodgers by signing a $40-million deal. That event kicked in the clause for Maddon to pursue work elsewhere.

The rest became conjecture and speculation by the Rays that the Cubs had orchestrated Maddon leaving Tampa, where he had a year remaining on his contract. Maddon signed a five-year, $25-million contract with the Cubs in early Novemeber. He replaced Rick Renteria, who was fired after one season with two years remaining on his contract. The move was made to hire the accomplished Maddon.

Both the Cubs and Maddon were perplexed as to why the MLB investigation took six months. General manager Jed Hoyer expressed satisfaction with the decision, though.

"We hoped it would be over with sooner, but you could say we feel vindicated," Hoyer said. "Although there was never any concern of wrong doing (on the Cubs part), there were a lot of people to talk to. I know they were thorough, and I am sure they had other investigations. At the same time we are glad the process is over."

Maddon was hesitant to talk at any length about the case against the Cubs ending.

"We are all glad that is in the rearview mirror," Maddon said. "I am very grateful it turned out the way it did. Let's move on and just play baseball. That is where I am at."

Maddon has no hard feelings toward the Rays, he said. He'll be making more than $3 million a year more with Chicago than the Tampa executives had offered him on an extension late last season.

"Pretty good actually," Maddon said his relationship with Tampa ownership. "I ran into a couple of the ownership group (members) in spring training. We had some pretty good man hugs going on. I keep in touch with various people their via text, phone calls. I see the Rays are doing very well. I am happy about that."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.