Joe Maddon says his dream is to play the Cubs in the World Series ‘and beat them’

It didn’t take very long — and no one thought it would — for former Cubs manager Joe Maddon to get a new managing gig. He was hired by the Los Angeles Angels, the organization with which he started and spent 31 years as a player and coach, to manage them for the next four seasons.

Thursday afternoon, Maddon held an introductory news conference. The venue was quite different from the one at which he had been introduced as Cubs manager five years ago. Wrigley Field was under construction at the time, so Maddon met Chicago media at the Cubby Bear at Clark & Addison. At the end of that presser, Maddon memorably offered to buy everyone present a beer.

The Angels news conference was held outdoors at Angels Stadium on a sunny Southern California afternoon. Maddon was asked most of the usual questions you’d think of at a managerial news conference. He talked about many of the same things we heard from him here for five years, including “being true to yourself” and repeating his mantra: “Never let the pressure exceed the pleasure.”

The session went on for about 45 minutes, and the very last question asked was: “So what happened in Chicago?”

Here’s what Maddon said in reply [VIDEO].

This is why we love Joe Maddon and always will. His methods and leadership were a huge part of bringing the World Series championship to Chicago. I hope he’s right, that the Angels and Cubs meet in the World Series while he’s managing there — but of course, I would want the Cubs to win it. That’d be something, wouldn’t it? Joe Maddon managing against one of his key former players in the World Series?

We can dream. All the best to Joe in his new position as Angels manager.

And a reminder that Joe and the Angels will be at Sloan Park in Mesa for a spring training game against the Cubs Monday, March 2, 2020.