Joe Maddon is a Wizard Written by Tyler Schiefelbein
The Cubs picked up an improbable comeback win last night against the Mariners. The Cubs had just one walk off win before last night's crazy victory, and Joe Maddon's willingness to try anything helped grab the teams 2nd walk of win of the season.
The Cubs had trouble early when starter Brian Matusz (who has reportedly already been released) gave up three 2-run home runs in just 3 innings of work. Travis Wood (reliever/outfielder) went to the bump in the 6th and got the team out of a bases loaded no-out jam to keep the score 6-2. But this is where the managerial magic begins..
Instead of Travis Wood making a stage left exit after the 6th, Joe Maddon put Travis Wood in left field for the 7th inning. As a fan, you hope that a ball is hit no where near left field. You assume that a pitcher will somehow screw up on a ball hit to him. We often forget how athletic MLB pitchers probably are. It's almost a guarantee that Travis Wood played several postitions between tee ball and high school and catching a fly ball is like riding a bike, it comes naturally. Joe Maddon thinks the same way.
Franklin Gutierrez smashed a hard line drive into left field and Wood made a sensational catch after slamming into the ivy covered brick to rob an extra base hit and a possible run from scoring. Wrigley then turned into bedlam as seeing your reliever make the play of the game in left field is reason to riot.
Travis Wood then re-entered the game in the 8th inning to record the final out on a pick off move to first. Travis Wood, bullpen reliever extraordinaire and left field daredevil, made his heroic exit from the game. The Cubs would go on to score 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game 6-6.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 12th. Jason Heyward, who has struggled of late, almost ended the game with a loud double off the top of ivy in center field. Heyward moved to third as he tagged on the Wilson Contreras fly ball to center. Joe Maddon wanting to score the game winning run sent Jon Lester into the batters box, naturally. Lester, who is a career .051 hitter, is hardly who you want at the plate in a big moment. But I guess when you're 8 for 138 at the plate, you're due for a big moment. Lester with two strikes on him, lays down the most beautiful, majestic, nerve-wracking bunt I've ever seen. Heyward, who was stealing, slides head first across home plate. Ball game. Cubs win.
Without a doubt Joe Maddon has a gift. Whether it's using his players in unconventional positions or making unconventional moves, Joe Maddon is making unconventional, conventional.
