Something still doesn't add up in the Tampa Bay Rays organization.
CBSSports.com reported Monday that manager Joe Maddon made what it considered a good-faith effort to remain with the Rays by making an offer to the club so that he could stay their manager.
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According to the report, the Rays were unwilling to meet Maddon's asking price, so he left for a bigger contract to manage the Chicago Cubs than the one he had asked the Rays to meet.
The Rays were going to pay Maddon $1.8 million in 2015 if he had stayed, which CBSSports reported was far below his fair market value. Team owner Stu Sternberg released a statement saying that the Rays "diligently and aggressively" pursued Maddon with a multiyear extension and what they considered a significant raise.
"But ultimately, Tampa Bay's offer is still thought to have been well below market value, or at least what the Cubs were willing to pay for what they viewed as an 'elite' manager. Or what Maddon was willing to stay for," CBSSports.com reported. The figure was thought to be close to $3 million per year.
Which brings the Rays' tampering charges into play. The Rays likely believe that Maddon came into those final negotiations armed with the salary that the Cubs were going to offer him.
Maddon, who had been with the team nine years and led the Rays to a 2008 World Series appearance and turned the club into perennial contenders, was said to have made the offer in an attempt to remain with the team.
CBSSports.com pointed out that Maddon's former boss, Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is making $5 million per year.
On the surface, the two sides didn't seem that far apart to have had Maddon's offer turn into a "contentious" meeting, as one source told CBSSports.com.
The catalyst for Maddon's exit could have been Rays general manager Andrew Friedman's departure to become the Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations, which triggered the opt-out clause in Maddon's contract.
The Rays contend their offer would have put Maddon in the top five in manager's salary, but his agent, Alan Nero disputed that claim.
"In their opinion they tried to negotiate a settlement, but it was so far from reality it just didn't make sense,'' Nero said to Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden on SiriusXM/MLB Network Radio.
"Joe would have stayed had they stepped up but we were so far apart. ... "This accusation of tampering, it's really sad and it's a bit insulting."
Do you think the Tampa Bay Rays have a case that the Chicago Cubs tampered with manager Joe Maddon? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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