For Joe Maddon, thinking outside the box has been a stock

BY GORDON WITTENMYER Staff Reporter

FILE - OCTOBER 24, 2014: According to reports, manager Joe Madden of the Tampa Bay Rays has exercised his opt-out clause and is leaving the team October 24, 2014. ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 5: Joe Maddon #70 of the Tampa Bay Rays watches from the dugout during the third inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 5, 2014 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Cliff McBride/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 477589399

It was the last thing Sam Fuld expected. Considering the source, maybe it shouldn't have been.

After pinch-hitting for the pitcher in the eighth inning of an interleague game three years ago, the then-Tampa Bay Rays outfielder was sent to the mound to warm up.

Having just turned a four-run lead into a seven-run lead with a two-out homer, Rays manager Joe Maddon needed more time to get a different reliever ready.

'It was his way of stalling,' said Fuld, who threw his warmup pitches only to have Maddon lift him - circumventing the rule requiring the new pitcher to face a batter by reasoning that he was not new since he'd already been in the game the previous half-inning,

'He's doing stuff like that all the time,' Fuld said.

Not that the umpires got the true explanation - or could find enough muscle in the rules to prevent Maddon from doing it.

But MLB took enough notice to close the loophole in the pitcher-substitution rule before the next season in what some called 'The Sam Fuld Rule.'

'He's a creative thinker,' said Fuld, the ex-Cub. 'And he's confident. And I think it's great.'

As Maddon is introduced during a news conference on Monday as the Cubs' next manager, the expectations on the North Side are rising faster than the left-field video board. But not nearly as fast as the what-to-expect factor from the noted communicator, humanitarian, innovator and two-time manager of the year.

'What to expect? Expect the unexpected,' said Cubs outfielder Justin Ruggiano, who played for Maddon with the Rays early in his career.

'And usually it works out, mainly because of the fact he's able to keep his clubhouse happy and loose.'

Such as the time Maddon became the first American League manager in 107 years to walk a batter with the bases loaded - with a 7-3 lead and Josh Hamilton batting in the ninth for the Texas Rangers during the Rays' pennant-winning 2008 season.

'Everyone's first instinct was, 'What are we doing?' '' said Ruggiano, who watched from left field as it played out. 'But then, 'Oh, it's a great move.' ''

One pitching change later, Marlon Byrd struck out to end the game.

'I can assure you that you can expect a pretty loose clubhouse and a brilliant mind managing,' Ruggiano said.

Five-man infields. Intentional walks without first base open. Liberal use of ­defensive shifts. Endless lineup possibilities. Wheels-in-motion style - on the bases and above the shoulders.

'He's an intelligent guy. He's an extremely intelligent guy,' said Fuld, a former Stanford player. 'And he uses that on the field.'

Along with pythons and penguins in the clubhouse. And birds on his shoulder during media interviews. And costume themes for travel days. And batting orders based on '80s songs (8-6-7-5-3-0-9, plus the catcher and second baseman).

'The baseball world has a pretty good idea what he's all about,' Fuld said. 'What that entails is just a very loose, laid-back environment, which will play well in Chicago, given that Chicago's a pressure-filled market.'

Fuld figures Maddon might have some critics within such a large fan base and high-scrutiny media.

'Joe has the personality he's going to easily deal with it,' said Cubs reliever Wesley Wright, who played for Maddon in 2013. 'He's one of the few managers that can actually take pressure off players.'

'He's one of the most unflappable guys I've ever met,' Fuld said. 'I don't anticipate him changing at all.

'If anything, it's needed in the big markets. Couple that with a small clubhouse and there can be some tension build up.'

But zoo animals and Merengue bands?

'I don' t know if there's enough room for that at Wrigley,' Fuld said. 'He's going to have to get creative.'

Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com

Twitter: @GDubCub

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