When you win two consecutive AL pennants, everyone in your organization, not just your players, becomes a target for other franchises envious of your success. When the Dallas Cowboys won two consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1990's, their two coordinators -- Norv Turner and Dave Wanstedt -- suddenly became the two hottest names in the NFL coaching carousel.
Similarly, Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux will soon be interviewed by the Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox for their open managerial positions.
Maddux became the pitching coach in 2009, helping to orchestrate an organizational pitching policy instituted by team president Nolan Ryan that put less of an emphasis on pitch counts.
Texas' pitching has steadily improved in Maddux's tenure in Arlington, with the 2011 regular season being his most notable accomplishment. The three young starters at the back of the rotation -- Alexi Ogando, Derek Holland and Matt Harrison -- all had ERA's under 4.00 in the notoriously hitter-friendly Ballpark in Arlington and threw over 160 innings without a serious injury.
"It's come upon our family and me quickly," he wrote in a text message to reporters, as he is currently recovering from laryngitis. "Just last week we were in the World Series, and managing another club was not on the game plan. Pitching and defense are considered the foundation of a winning team. The better you pitch and catch, the better the chance of winning. With that being said, I guess being a pitching coach is a level away from managing."
While Maddux is still under contract with the Rangers next season as a pitching coach, it's a long-standing policy within the organization that personnel are free to leave for a better job in baseball.