Anatomy of a Deal Gone Bad

The Maddux Fiasco
Part V: Who Lost Maddux? Not Himes
a baseballyarn verdict 		  Part I                             Part II
Part III
Part IV                             Part V
The Player
Greg Maddux
We at baseballyarn believe that. . .

  • Maddux did want to remain in Chicago
  • Himes did want to sign Maddux

    But we're not sure what Boras and Cook wanted!
    • The Agent
    Scott Boras
    The Baseball Exec
    Larry Himes
    The Corporate Exec
    Stanton Cook
    We think it's too easy to blame Himes! For one thing, we don't even know if he had that much authority!
  • Whenever the Cubs presented a particular offer, we wonder. . .
  • Was it from Himes, Cook, or some official of lesser stature?
  • Did Himes have authority to offer more money on his own?
  • Or did he have to clear it with Stanton Cook first?
  • Somehow we think that Cook made the ultimate decision. . .
  • As for Stanton Cook-- at age 65, he had already been . . .
  • . . . the Chief Executive Officer of a great American corporation!
  • Do you think he was afraid of a ballplayer?
  • Do you think he was intimidated by the player's 40-year-old agent?
  • And do you think he'd let himself be overridden by his 40-year-old GM?
    • We also think that you cannot discount the money and greed factors!
  • If you've been offered more money than any other pitcher in history. . .
  • Isn't that enough? And then if they offer you still more. . .
  • Isn't that enough? Why the need to push for more?
  • It wouldn't be greed, would it?
  • No, of course not!
  • Critics of the Cubs use words like puny, paltry, pathetic, measly. . .
  • . . . to describe the $500,000 a year the Cubs added to their original offer
  • That's just petty cash to these financial geniuses on the sidelines!
  • You want to scold them: "Do you think money grows on trees??!!"
  • A half-million bucks should be treated with respect, with prudence!
  • Critics of Himes think him stupid
  • for not knowing that Maddux won the CY YOUNG AWARD. . .
  • . . . in 1993, 1994, and 1995!
  • It's common knowledge to them!
  • Trouble is, in the fall of 1992, Maddux had not yet won them!
  • Gut feeling: We believe Boras misjudged the market. . .
  • . . . got less than expected, but was able to get enough. . .
  • . . . from Atlanta to justify the deal and preserve his reputation!
  • We therefore blame Boras, not Himes, for the loss of Maddux
  • But we admit that we could be totally and completely wrong!
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