Tampa Bay Devil Rays hire Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as their new manager

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Devil Rays hired Los Angeles Angels bench coach Joe Maddon as manager, adding another important piece to what they hope is a winning formula for the future.
Maddon finalized a contract Monday for his first full-time managing job in the major leagues. He replaces Lou Piniella and inherits a solid nucleus of young talent that ownership expects to blossom in the next few years.
The Devil Rays confirmed the hiring, scheduling a press conference for Tuesday to introduce Maddon as Piniella's successor. The St. Petersburg Times and Tampa Tribune reported in Monday editions that the team selected Maddon over incumbent Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren the day before.
"I'm very happy, excited, eager, all those things," Maddon told the Times. "It's a great situation and I'm really looking forward to it."
Maddon, 33-26 in three stints as Angels interim manager in 1996, 1998 and 1999, did not immediately return phone messages left by The Associated Press.
"I'd like to congratulate Joe Maddon," McLaren told the Tribune. "He's been in the trenches a long time as I have, and he's very deserving."
Andrew Friedman, Tampa Bay's new executive vice president of baseball operations, interviewed nine candidates and also had discussions with former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine.
Valentine was a finalist even though he was believed to be a long shot because of the salary he would have commanded after leading the Chiba Lotte Marines to this year's Japan League championship.
Piniella had one season remaining on a $13 million, four-year contract but accepted a $2.2 million buyout after criticizing ownership for being more concerned with the future than trying to put a competitive team on the field in 2005.
The club is also on the hook for $1.25 million in deferred salary owed Piniella from 2003.
The selection of Maddon over McLaren brings yet another fresh face to the last-place Devil Rays, who have undergone a massive overhaul in the front office in the past six weeks. Maddon was a coach with the Angels for the past 12 seasons, spending much of that time as manager Mike Scioscia's right-hand man.
McLaren, meanwhile, offered the prospect of retaining some continuity after serving as Piniella's bench coach. Three others from within the organization — coaches Billy Hatcher and Tom Foley, and minor league manager Bill Evers — were interviewed during the first week of the search.
The other candidates were Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, former Detroit manager Alan Trammell and Atlanta batting coach Terry Pendleton.
Former New York Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi also interviewed with Tampa Bay before the Florida Marlins hired him as their manager.
The 51-year-old Maddon has a reputation for being personable and an excellent communicator.
He joins former Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker as the latest additions to the organization since new principal owner Stuart Sternberg took control of the team from Vince Naimoli last month.
Hunsicker was hired as the club's No. 2 baseball man and will work closely with Friedman, who turned 29 last weekend. Another 29-year-old, team president Matt Silverman, is playing an important role in the reconstruction of the Devil Rays this offseason.

Source: http://ap.peninsulaclarion.com/