At long last, the Cubs on Monday announced the hiring of Joe Maddon as the team's 54th manager. At the Cubby Bear bar in Chicago (Wrigley Field is of course under construction at the moment), Maddon was introduced to the media ... 

No. 70 it is!

"I believe in the people here, the players here," Maddon said of his decision to join the Cubs. "Everything philosophically seemed right."

As for Maddon's expectations, there's this ...

“For me, I’m going to be talking playoffs next year. … We’re going to set our marks high. So I’m going to talk playoffs, and I’m going to talk World Series. This year. I promise you. And I’m going to believe it. And I’m going to see how all this is going to play out. It’s within our future, there’s no question about that. I don’t know exactly when that’s going to happen, but in my mind’s eye, we’re going to the playoffs next year. That’s how I’m going to approach next season.”

To be fair, Maddon couched those words in terms of setting the proper expectations for a struggling franchise, but if nothing else he's not short on confidence.

Speaking of confidence, the Cubs signed Maddon to a five-year contract that will run through the 2019 season. While the team didn't announce the financial terms of the deal, it's widely believed to be worth around $25 million total. 

Maddon, 60, owns a .517 career winning percentage (781-729), which includes not only his nine seasons with the Rays but also brief interim stints with the Angels in 1996 and 1999. On Maddon's watch, the Rays won two division titles, made the playoffs four times and claimed the pennant in 2008. 

In Chicago, Maddon replaces Rick Renteria, who went 73-89 in his only season on the job. 

Oh, and here's how Maddon, the native of Hazleton, Pa., ended his first press conference as Cubs skipper ... 

In conclusion, don't be surprised if we start seeing much more of this ...