Joe Maddon goes SoxandPhils

Rays manager Joe Maddon was all over SoxandPhils news this week.

First, he's a big Jacoby Ellsbury fan, offering a different prediction on our speedster:

"I could see this guy, he's going to get beyond just being speed," Maddon said yesterday before the Rays edged the Sox, 11-9, at City of Palms Park. "He could hit 20-plus home runs this year."

Maddon has based that prediction on his perception that Ellsbury "looks bigger and stronger," although Ellsbury said he gained only 3 pounds since last season.

Funny, on Sunday, Nick Cafardo noted that "the No. 2 jersey makes Jacoby Ellsbury look smaller."

Meanwhile, Terry Francona tried to approach Ellsbury the way that Lou Brown handled things when Willie Mays Hays started swinging for the fences in Major League:

"We don't have any intentions of telling Jake to be anything different than what he is," Francona said. "Over the course of him getting bigger, getting stronger, getting more mature, knowing the league, he probably will hit some more home runs. But I think when you tell guys what they have to do, it doesn't work very often." ...

And Maddon didn't just face his division rivals this week. He had a rematch of the 2008 World Series, and he suddenly became a Charlie Manuel interpreter (although Christine thinks he was making this stuff up). Here is his version of why the Rays were allowed to use a DH when playing the Phillies:

"So Charlie conceded, or acquiesced, to doing it and I appreciate that very much. We requested it and Charlie said cool. I don't know if Charlie actually said 'cool,' but Charlie said 'yes.' Actually, I think 'righteous' is what he said."

Righteous, dude.