Agent Alan Nero said that Joe Maddon, the World Series-winning manager of the Cubs in 2016, had other suitors but wanted to return to the Angels.Getty Images
Octagon Baseball managing director Alan Nero negotiated client Joe Maddon’s deal to become manager of the Los Angeles Angels at the same time he was fielding marketing and speaking offers for his other manager client, Dave Martinez of the Washington Nationals.
“We’re getting tons and tons of offers,” Nero said of Martinez, who led the wild card Nationals to an unexpected appearance in the World Series. Offers included becoming a spokesperson or accepting speaking engagements from corporations, although Nero would not identify the companies.
The problem for MLB team managers, though, is time.
“There are 162 regular games, 30 spring training games, like 20 playoff games, so they don’t have a whole lot of time,” Nero said. “We will turn down most things. It has to be something [Martinez] really wants to do and logistically makes sense.”
Nero talked to SBJ late last month while driving to the airport after appearing at the Angels’ news conference introducing Maddon as the manager. For Maddon, it was a homecoming, as he served as bench coach and interim manager for the team from 1994 to 2005.
Nationals skipper Dave Martinez has become a hot prospect after his team’s unexpected World Series run.Getty Images
Maddon, who led the Chicago Cubs to a World Series title in 2016, had lots of interest after the Cubs chose not to extend his contract, Nero said.
“Judiciously, I would say at least three, if not more,” Nero said, when asked how many teams wanted to talk about signing Maddon. “But it became obvious he wanted to go back to the Angels, so he didn’t interview with anybody else. In good faith, he refused all the other inquiries.”
Maddon still has a house in Southern California, and his wife is from the area. He signed a three-year deal with the Angels to manage the team.
Martinez, meanwhile, has one year left on his contract. Nero said he hadn’t talked to the Nationals about an extension but he’s “99 percent sure” he will get one.
Nero has represented Maddon for more than 10 years with independent baseball agent Tommy Tanzer. He represented Martinez all of his career, since he was a player in the mid-1980s. When Martinez retired from playing, Maddon, who was then the manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, hired him and made him his bench coach. Maddon took Martinez with him to the Cubs before Martinez became the manager of the Nationals in 2018. “He was mentored by Joe,” Nero said of Martinez.
It’s been a busy few weeks for Nero, who has been an agent for 39 years, as well as an exciting one. Asked if it’s one of the more rewarding times in his career, Nero said, “The answer to your question is ‘Yes.’”
■ CAA LANDS DAVIS LOVE III CBS DEAL: Creative Artists Agency has signed World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love III for broadcasting work and negotiated his deal to become a full-time golf analyst at CBS Sports.
Agents Tom Young, Matt Kramer and David Koonin represent Love at CAA. He is also represented by Lagardère Sports, which handles his playing career, endorsements and all other areas.
Davis has not retired from golf and will continue to play next year. He was playing last week at the PGA Tour Bermuda Championship.
At CBS Sports, Love will provide analysis for The Masters, the PGA Championship and other PGA Tour events. Love, who is a 21-time PGA Tour winner and a two-time Ryder Cup captain, will begin his new broadcasting duties in January at the Farmers Insurance Open, where CBS begins its 2020 season of golf coverage.
■ OCTAGON SIGNS A’s SLUGGER: Octagon Baseball has signed Oakland Athletics center fielder Ramón Laureano for representation. Laureano is represented by Octagon Baseball agents Ulises Cabrera and Brian Mejia. He first reached the majors last year and this year he hit 24 home runs to help the A’s reach the playoffs for the second straight year.
