Survey says: Joe Maddon should get a contract extension... but not yet

Welcome to SB Nation FanPulse, a survey of fans across MLB. Each week, we send 30 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Cubs fans, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.

This week, we asked whether FanPulse members thought Cubs manager Joe Maddon should get a contract extension now, an extension after the 2019 season is over, or shouldn’t be extended at all.

The overwhelming majority of you thought an extension should happen, but most said “not right away”:

Specifically, that’s 35.71 percent voting “now,” 53.57 percent voting “after the season” and 10.71 percent saying Joe shouldn’t be extended.

It’s been my contention this season that most of the issues with the 2019 Cubs are with the front office. Joe is only playing the guys the FO gave him. One of the ways the FO could make that statement is by giving Maddon an extension now. That would put trust in the manager and send the players a message that they need to play better.

But that’s just me. We’ll see what happens as the second half goes forward.

In general, FanPulse members continue to give Maddon a good approval rating. He got 76 percent in the latest survey, down just one percent from last week’s 77 percent approval. As for the general confidence in the team’s performance:

At 41 percent confidence, that’s the lowest level of the entire season. I guess I can’t blame the survey members for that, but the Cubs are still in first place and under Maddon, they have always been a good second-half team. Let’s hope this weekend goes well and that confidence level goes up next week.

FanPulse members across the league were also asked which of these pitchers potentially available by trade would they give up the most for:

The Cubs don’t really need a starting pitcher so for Cubs fans this was mostly a thought exercise. Trevor Bauer might have the biggest upside of this group, but my personal choice would be Madison Bumgarner, due to his extensive postseason experience. That’s what you want during a pennant race and the playoffs. The others don’t really have that; Bauer has been in postseasons, but he doesn’t have Bumgarner’s resume.

Remember, you can still sign up to be part of FanPulse via the link at the top of this post.