ESPN, the Tampa Tribune. Pravda and Cat Fancy are all reporting the Devil Rays will name former Angels coach Joe Maddon (shown above, getting ready to take his clothes off) as their new manager.

More details to follow after the 8pm showing of “Get Rich Or Die Trying”.

(UPDATE : Details culled from the Tampa Tribune’s Scott Carter.

In their extensive six-week search to replace Tampa native Lou Piniella, who stepped down in October after accepting a $2.2-million buyout of the final season of his original four-year contract, the Rays chose Maddon over John McLaren, Piniella’s longtime associate and Tampa Bay’s bench coach the past three seasons.

The offer is believed to be for three years and financial terms have yet to be finalized between the Rays and Maddon’s agent, Alan Nero.

Maddon’s hiring is the latest move by the Rays’ new regime to cut ties with the past and start over completely with a fresh outlook. Maddon, a veteran Angels coach who has spent the past six seasons as Mike Scioscia’s bench coach, is expected to arrive in the Tampa Bay area in the next 24 hours for a Tuesday press conference.

Maddon has built a solid reputation over the years for his baseball acumen and use of computers to analyze players and trends in the game.

Which explains, presumably, why he wasn’t under consideration for the Dodger job. Nor was Mike Schmidt a finalist in Tampa.)