ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Joe Maddon is managing just fine in his first summer without pro baseball in 47 years.
Sure, he will miss being at Tropicana Field with the Angels this week, visiting old friends from his 2006-14 tenure leading the Rays, catching up with other bay area buddies, grabbing lunch or a late dinner at the Ava restaurant in South Tampa that he co-owns.
But Maddon made it clear in a phone conversation Friday night that he does not miss the game — or at least not the analytics-driven, front office-run version it has become in most places — and would have to find an “absolutely correct” situation to manage again.
