The Texas Rangers hired a special assistant to the GM on Tuesday. No big splash, right?
Wrong.
Hiring Greg Maddux away from the Chicago Cubs means so much more than giving Jon Daniels an assistant.
Greg Maddux is a four-time Cy Young Award winner and his 355 career wins makes him a sure-fire Hall of Famer of the first-ballot variety.
Another Greg Maddux fact: He was born in the same San Angelo hospital as Red Fever blogger Adam Boedeker, which I'm sure he brags about all the time.
He's the brother of Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, who wasn't nearly the pitcher Greg was but has been a hell of a pitching coach for years now.
Greg Maddux will now join Rangers owner/president Nolan Ryan as a pitching godfather for the team, both of which will have their handprint on the Rangers pitching staff.
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Ryan has often been credited for transforming the Rangers pitching staff in a macro sort of way, while Mike Maddux has been credited with the day-to-day operation of the staff on a micro level.
Greg Maddux gives the Rangers another Nolan Ryan, and it's already been confirmed that he will be in uniform in spring training working with the pitchers. What a valuable commodity to have.
Greg Maddux made his career on precision and control. He was never overpowering and worked in a Cliff Lee sort of way. Imagine what some work with him could do for guys like Neftali Feliz, Matt Harrison and Derek Holland? The results could be great.
