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Joe Maddon is no longer a manager in MLB. Since he lost his job in Anaheim, no one has given him a job again.
The reason is simple: he no longer fits in with what teams are looking for, which is collaboration between the manager and management, including the advanced statistics department.
In other words, GMs no longer want a guy who wants to decide everything on his own.
The game has changed and Joe Maddon, even if he knows his baseball, is out of his depth in this sense. And clearly, he doesn't really seem to accept the new reality of the sport.
Asked about the hiring of Tony Vitello as Giants manager, Maddon said he understood why he was chosen, wished him success… but said he was insulted by his hiring.
Why was he insulted? Because he didn't come up through the ranks in the pros, that is, in the minors.
“I'm using the word insulting only from the perspective that it appears as though you don't have to have any professional experience to do this job anymore… Having said that, I wish him nothing but the best.”
Joe Maddon on the unprecedented hiring of Tony Vitello via… pic.twitter.com/pS09FjlfGl
– KNBR (@KNBR) November 11, 2025
While Maddon may have glossed over the fact that Vitello has worked in many different positions in the NCAA, it's true that it's surprising to see a manager arrive who has never set foot in a pro locker room, either as a manager or a player.
But does that mean it has to be like the old days (Joe Maddon took 25 years from his pro debut to his Major League managerial debut) and the guy has to eat his black bread in the minors for years?
We can question the Giants' new skipper ‘s lack of experience, but to say that you absolutely have to go the “classic” route or you'll insult people is a little outdated.
Even if Maddon isn't 100% wrong.
We'll see in several years whether the change in trend will bear fruit. Leadership is now more important than experience because of the place GMs take in day-to-day decisions, and this showed in some of the managerial choices this autumn.
If Vitello hadn't realized he'd be under pressure, it's clearer than ever, anyway.
- A name to watch on the market.
Multiple MLB teams interested in trading for Royals' Kris Bubic: Sources https://t.co/w1JIf2EVhw
– The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) November 13, 2025
- The Dodgers are in every race.
Dodgers Among Teams Interested In Raisel Iglesias https://t.co/piScwDjbJV pic.twitter.com/eFKqXi2xrL
– MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) November 13, 2025
This content was created with the help of AI.
