Joe Maddon has understandably been considered the frontrunner to become the next manager of the Los Angeles Angels from the moment the Chicago Cubs parted ways with him, and that has not changed despite the rumblings we have heard about the team’s interview process.
Bill Madden of the New York Daily News reported on Thursday that Angels owner Arte Moreno was so impressed with former Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell when he interviewed him that Farrell has now emerged as the favorite to land the LA job. However, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com later dismissed that report as “not true” and said Maddon remains the frontrunner, though it is not a done deal.
Despite a report that John Farrell has emerged as the front runner for the Angels managing job, a source indicated that is “not true.” Joe Maddon still appears to have the inside track, though others are certainly being considered.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 11, 2019
If nothing else, it sounds like Maddon taking the Angels job may be less of a foregone conclusion than it was a few days ago. That could have something to do with the Philadelphia Phillies firing Gabe Kapler on Thursday, as Maddon may now want to hear what they have to say before he makes a decision.
Maddon will essentially have his pick of several jobs, but the Angels make the most sense for him. The 65-year-old was with the Angels organization for 31 years as a player and coach before he was named the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, so it would be a surprise if he ended up somewhere else.
