Look, I am sure Mike Matheny is a good solid baseball guy.
I have no doubt that he has the chops to become a big league manager.
And as a former St. Louis Cardinal, he played 5 years under LaRussa, won 3 Gold Gloves and played for the 2000, 2001, 2001 and 2004 playoff teams.
But call me crazy, shouldn't the Defending World Series Champs be managed by someone with managerial experience?
Is Matheny going to be the manager at the All Star Game?
He was a minor league instructor. He wasn't even on the coaching staff! (Jose Oquendo, anyone?)
"Hey, you might be a good managerial candidate. You should get your feet wet."
"Great. Do you mean with the Batavia Muckdogs? Or the Memphis Redbirds?"
"No, we were think of The Defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. That's a good place to get started."
Since 1981, the Cardinals have been managed by Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre and Tony LaRussa.
Whitey is in the Hall of Fame. Joe and Tony are working on their speeches.
Red Schoendienst managed for a few games in 1990. He's in the Hall of Fame.
Mike Jorgensen was an interim manager in 1995 when they were waiting for LaRussa to become available.
But for the last 30 years, save for Jorgensen keeping the seat warm, the Cardinals managerial post was filled by experienced man who will be in the Hall of Fame.
Now they are giving it to someone who has as much managerial experience as Lisa Kudrow.
He might turn out to be great.
Maybe the Cardinals know something I don't.
But call me crazy, but the first line up card you fill out should NOT be the Defending World Champs.
And this is the second high profile franchise to fill their managerial post with someone with NO experience. (Hello Robin Ventura and the White Sox!)
And somewhere Chris Chambliss is saying "I can't even get an interview!"
Terrible move, Cards go <.500 next year, bank it.
ReplyDeleteWho knows? Teams fighting over so few managers...
ReplyDeleteYou'd think they would go with someone with... I don't know... COACHING experience
ReplyDeleteMatheny is so much more than a good solid baseball guy. He may fail, but if he is anything like the manager many suspect he will be the Cardinals will be fortunate. It's a risk worth taking.
ReplyDeleteHey, Joe Girardi didn't have any experience either, and he won NL Manager of the Year in his first season. Matheny, like Girardi, was a catcher and good catchers make their career on being the quarterback of the diamond. A lot good managers are former catchers. Mike Scioscia and Joe Torre come to mind. Varitek's going to be a manager some day soon, too. I think this is a ballsy yet totally justified move by the Cardinals.
ReplyDeleteJoe Girardi was on the Yankees coaching staff before he became the Marlins manager
ReplyDelete