4:08pm: The three-year term on Shildt’s contract includes the current season, as Shildt’s new contract runs through the 2020 campaign, per Jen Langosch of MLB.com (on Twitter). The Cardinals have formally announced that Shildt has shed the “interim” label on his title and is now the full-time manager.
2:35pm: The Cardinals will make official today what had increasingly become obvious: interim manager Mike Shildt is going to stay in the job beyond the present season. He’s slated to receive a three-year contract in addition to having the interim label removed. Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter) and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link) had the news.
Since taking the helm of a club that was sitting just one game over .500 just past the season’s halfway point, Shildt has guided the Cards to a 26-12 record. The club is now firmly back in contention. Of course, numerous roster moves came along with the firing of Mike Matheny, and it’s always hard to allocate praise and blame for managerial performance, but the organization obviously had cause to be pleased with the early returns on the new skipper.
Shildt opened the year as the Cards’ bench coach, which in and of itself represented a remarkable rise in the game. He never played professionally and was first came to the St. Louis organization as a scout. Shildt rose steadily from there, ultimately becoming a manager in the lower minors and climbing the ranks to run the team’s top affiliate. He came to the MLB staff in 2017 as a quality control and then third base coach.
The Cardinals know Shildt well and are clearly impressed with his work to this point, though it’s nonetheless a bit surprising to see them remove the “interim” label from Shildt after just 38 games. Typically, even when organization have hired an interim manager on a full-time basis, he’s but one of many candidates amid a larger search at season’s end. That won’t be the case with Shildt, who has already overwhelmingly captured the hearts of many Cardinals fans and drawn praise from both his players and fellow coaches.
Good for him. He seems to be doing a good job and the team is obviously responding to him quite well.
Earned it!!!
That means Angels for Girardi.
He’s not going to LA
Negative, try checking into Girardi’s background.
I did. He’s a midwest guy… that’s why I had Cardinals #1… This took them out of Girardi.
Angels are a good team (on paper), and there’s always the Eppler factor. Still waiting for an actual reason, from either of you.
He’s a Chicago area native, grew up rooting for the Cubs, and graduated from North Western. More than likely he’ll wait it out till Maddon is gone, and takeover his dream job.
Maddon broke a 108 year curse though.
Probably buys him as much job-security as Bochy’s 3 rings. (Agree; a prospective Cubs’ opening, would be Girardi’s #1 choice)
You ask alot of Cubs fans and they’ll tell you they wouldn’t be sorry to see Maddon go. Plus they see Theo as the real reason that curse was broken.
Just like Maddon grew up a cardinals fan…Maddon was hoping Shildt wouldn’t have taken over so he could have slid into his dream job
Lol you’re a funny little guy
So what?!? Sources close to Girardi have said he would LOVE to have had the Cardinals job. Do you really think the Cubs are going to fire Maddon to hire Girardi? Ridiculous! Your prospective poll of Cubs fans means jack squat, they have no real sway on the FO. I mean, his bold prediction that Girardi is destined for the Angels job isn’t really based on anything but an open manager job and an unemployed manager but just because you disagree doesn’t mean you get to shoe horn something even more unlikely into the conversation.
I love the 4 down votes on this just b/c they don’t want to hear how Maddon was a Cardinals fan. But he also has a WS ring from his time in Anaheim so maybe he will take the Angels job.
He’s from East Peoria, IL. Not from Chicago.
Please provide the your sources on both. Oh he said when Maddon was gone, and didn’t say fired.
What is it with you guys that care about down votes? By the way rights don’t count on the internet…
No. His Dream job was the Cardinals managerial position. Check the facts. He also grew up a Cardinals fan, not Cubs.
No
“His Dream job was the Cardinals managerial position.”
I’d think any MLB job paying him multiple millions of dollars would qualify as close enough to his “Dream” job. The idea that grownups make decisions using the same factors an eight year old would employ is silly.
chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/84655866-1…
“Cubs’ Joe Maddon on growing up a Cardinals fan”
There ya go … straight from the Chicago Tribune
google.com/amp/s/www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/joe-…
“Joe Girardi wants to manage Cardinals”
… just like I said. sources close to Girardi
So get on Steven Woodchins case then … he said 1st that an unemployed manager … not one who currently has a job like Maddon … would just sit around and wait for his dream job with the Chicago Cubs.
The Cardinals fan clearly isn’t suggesting that a man would/should/could pass up a paying job to wait for a dream job like the Cubs fan is. Just that it might have been his 1st choice if it had been available.
I don’t give a $#!+ about down votes! I just loved that so many didn’t have a valid argument to present against his point but nevertheless expressed their worthless opinions with the down vote. It is very telling.
@ Steven Chinwood
Please explain to me how he is a “Chicago area native” when he was born in Peoria, IL, raised in East Peoria, IL and then attended high school in Peoria, IL.
@ redbirdfever3
Thank you for knowing the actual facts, unlike others.
Girardi to Miami maybe? I think he lives in South Florida and with Jeter taking over, might be in the works. I know Mattingly is there but he’s been a chronic disappointment. Angels would be a good spot for him too. So much more chill than NYC.
I think it was a foregone conclusion but somehow I still think it would’ve made more sense to just wait until after the season. I can’t logically explain why.
I think the logical reasoning would be the players would be playing extra hard for this man to have the job completely. Potentially it’s motivation for the remainder of the season if you wait until after the year.
However, I am happy for Shildt. The guy went from a shoe shiner as a kid for the Orioles and everything in-between to being named manager of a big league. Worked hard to get where he is.
Seems like the players respond and respect him and the staff surrounding him.
I was happy with the decision as interim and I’m happy yet again he is the man getting the nod.
If their Manager not having job security is enough to make the players play harder, then they are lacking effort to begin with.
Anyway, rest assured, with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth, the batter isn’t thinking about Shildt when he takes his hack.
Obviously no player is thinking about Shildt when he is hitting hahaha.
So you never under any circumstances have worked harder? Or harder for someone? Good bosses typically get people to work harder. And in sports it’s the same. We had a coach who was an interim coach that we all respected in college. We played even harder because we knew we wanted him to be the guy. We already worked hard but it was added fuel. Nothing to do with lack of effort but completely an added motivator.
Good decision.
Why make him lame duck for the rest of the year when he’s earned the permanent job?
Love him, and the team right now. Small ball and Salsa!
Good for Mr. Schildt! Nice to see someone who’s paid their dues and then some finally get rewarded.
However, as a rival fan, I kinda wish they’d give Matheny another chance now that he’s got some managerial experience under his belt.
guy plays old school style ball. Good for the Cards.
3 year deal for Shilt. Hard to argue against with the turnaround but that may have just bought a one way ticket out of Memphis for Stubby Clapp. I’d guess he’ll start getting (well-earned) interviews for openings this off-season.
Maybe clapp could be hitting coach or bench coach next year, or even first base coach, I feel marmol sucks as a first base coach.
I don’t know how you can be either a good or bad first base coach.
Times the pitches and gives the runners directions on lead offs, and the last 2 years we’ve had alot of runners picked off first, and our stolen base percentage because of said leadoffs suck.
please tell me what a first base coach does that matters?
When I played softball, the 1B coach’s job was to hand the runner a beer before the next pitch.
Tons
Yeah, he sure does. Right behind Oquendo and McGee, jackwagon.
This idea just occurred to me the other day, why not allow teams to add one coach after the minor league season ends. They would know the September call-ups and probably deserve the perks of a month in the Bigs offer. If it became a rule, it would diminish any competitive conflicts. Whatta think?
Lots of times when the Minor league season ends a few will hang out with the major team.
Bench coach is a good idea.
In 2010 when Lou Piniella stepped down as manager of the Cubs to tend to his ailing mother, Mike Quade was named interim manager and finished the season going 24 and 13. He was given a 2 year contract and went 71 and 91 in 2011. For the 2012 season Dale Sveum replaced Quade. So we’ll see how Shilt does.
yeah that’s true. but there have been alot of articles about how he was the catalyst in turning the clubhouse around and the way he does things so I think that reason is just as big as the cardinals record since he took over.
Sure, but Quade led the Cubs to only a 156-140 run differential over those 37 games, a pyth record of 20.5-15.5 and they did this damage against the worst teams in the league (sweep of the last place Nationals, lost 2 of 3 against the first place Reds, etc)
Shildt has the cards with a pyth record over .700, while playing against mostly great teams and a strong part of their schedule.
It’s happened plenty. Jim Tracy and Jack McKeon won managers of the year in their partial first seasons, and then weren’t very productive after that. So it’s not unrealistic that Schildt could fail, but he’s doing every thing you’d want to see, and he shouldn’t be a lame duck the remainder of the year into the playoffs. He’s deserved the opportunity to continue the work.
Ummm… that’s the cubs not cardinals and shildt is no quade. He’s been groomed by Mozeliak for this job for a while now and has had success at all levels managing. He is loved by players and very much fits into the Cardinal way. Totally different scenarios. He was going to be manager all along, but they originally were going to wait out season. But he forced their hand to act now, in a good way.
There it is!!^^^^ THE CARDINAL WAY!!
Like you know a thing about Quade
You are comparing the pre-Epstein Cubs to the Cardinals, it’s not really a fair comparison. The Cubs were completely lost for a long, long time before they brought the brains in
This hardly seems relevant to the Cardinals present situation. Just because once upon a time … 8 years ago … a baseball team had an interim manager who got off to a good start and then faltered the next season means nothing. So yeah we will see how he does … sure … but what happened with completely different guys on a completely different team that wasn’t even competitive in what is already a smaller sample size is not at all pertinent here.
Gotta wonder how much Greg Holland ‘s failure of a year and Mike’s commitment to bringing him back in night after night played into their terrible start
You think Holland would’ve been killing it somewhere else? Nope. That’s mostly on him.
His useage, however, is entirely on Matheny. Holland was clearly rushed into service, and wasn’t ready. Didn’t prevent Matheny from leaning on him, even though there were other options in the bullpen.
Why the rush to do this when the team is doing so well. Don’t mess with success. It’s not like teams will be lined up to hire him as manager. They made the mistake of giving Matheny an extension and that blew up in their face.
Besides wins and losses, the average fan isn’t privy to the clubhouse and it’s culture so I am sure the extension has that in mind.. especially hearing the reports under Matheny.
He looks so much different since he use to play 3rd base for the phillies.
I honestly thought when they fired Matheny that there was no way Shildt would get a fair shot at the permanent job, but the team has played much better for him and every quote I’ve read out of that organization lately indicates that the players like him a lot. Jose Oquendo’s support for Shildt when Oquendo declared that he wasn’t interested in the manager job probably helped a lot too. Good for him, it’s a well earned position.
Easiest decision ever. This team looks so rejuvenated with his leadership. I can’t wait to see what he can do long term here in St. Louis.
What a refreshing change Mr. Shildt is! I started watching more and more Cardinals games about 3 weeks ago. The team is playing real baseball true to their tradition….. Branch Rickey style.
How enjoyable it is to watch a game managed correctly – with the manager always 2-3 innings ahead. The players have been moved into roles and stretched from there. Batters don’t just stand there and swing from the heels, pulling everything into shifts (when they’re not striking out). Pitchers don’t just throw real real like you know honestly with all their might – they actually set-up hitters and pace themselves (Yadi should go into the HOF first ballot unanimous – it restores baseball aficionados faith to watch him and Salvy in KC bring along young pitchers). And not having to listen to the broadcasters talk about this stat and that probability every other pitch……because the manager can think, put his players in positions to succeed, and the only stat the players care about is did they get the win.
And how about Harrison Bader?!?!? Makes game changing plays in the field, at bat, and on the bases (watched him score from second on a high chopper to the 2B the other night….almost beat the runner ahead of him on third to the plate). The unheralded Bader is doing what Bryan Buxton was supposed to do. Shildt put him in CF and left him there. Not enough AB’s for ROY, but very possibly the best rookie in the NL.
And since the broadcasters aren’t talking about probability anymore, it gives Shildt the opportunity to get 110% out of the players every series, game, inning and at-bat.
It gives fans watching and listening to the game – and Cardinals fans may be the most knowledgeable in MLB – the opportunity to enjoy the game, and the artistry of the game. It allows the players to play the game and have fun instead of knowing every little thing they do is being dissected.
Imagine watching a rock concert and having someone talking in your ear during each song about the probability percentage of the guitar players going up or down the neck; the probability percentage of the keyboard player doing chords or runs; the probability percentage of the background singers doing high harmony during the upcoming chorus of the song. And media people showing up the next day documenting how many notes had been played in what registers and how long the notes had been held by each band member. Would fans enjoy the experience? Would band members be enthusiastic about playing the next days concert when a coach comes over with a spreadsheet to review their previous nights performance?
The Cardinals are playing with a non-rehearsed/formulaic joy which the fans and broadcasters see. And they won again last night. Sorry, but watching data-driven teams like the Rays, Cubs, Nationals, etc is no fun….even when the win. It’s like going out for a meal at a nice restaurant where the food has the right mix of each ingredient……but is as tasty and satisfying as eating at any one of dozens of fast-food restaurants.
Can’t wait for the Royals rebuild to take hold. That will be 2 teams I can enjoy on MLB Ticket. Watching the cookie-cutter teams “being creative” is empty calories.
P.S.
Braves may be getting there as well. They have a real baseball person as manager and 2 solid leaders in Markakis and Freeman, but I see some of the young players trying to pad the right stats. Hopefully between Mr. Snitker and their leaders they’ll outgrow that……all a part of the process.
Props for the analogy, as ridiculous as it may sound. I was listening to Dazed and Confused (my annual birthday present to myself, a Led Zeppelin catalogue run). And found myself counting Bonham rolls above replacement (heretofore known as bRAR).
Baseball has always been the most stat driven sport. It’s what makes it at once an art form and something within our grasp. Pouring over box scores, when the only out of market game was the game of the week. It’s how every FO in baseball is driven, why wouldn’t I want to understand a bigger better box score. And how does that make me less appreciate an El Mago tag, Molina’s framing and intangibles. Anymore then John Paul Jones unmistakable opening bass line there. The memories and comparisons. Would I take his consistency over Entwhisle. Bonhams brilliance over Keith Moon’s slugging %.
It’s really, now that I write, a quite apt comparison. Well done sir.
Shildt has been aggressive on the basepaths and is utilizing the speed of guys like Bader and Wong. He has a quick hook with the bullpen when things start to go south. Doesn’t use up 3 pitchers in an inning playing matchups like TLR and Matheny have for so many years. Tries to keep the lineup as consistent as possible..
The Cards are a young team right now, and most everyone from the farm knows and respects Shildt. Good move for the Redbirds.
at first it looked like cardinals extend mike schmidt.
wonder what the pay is. for the value mlb managers are some of the lowest paid, even compared to the nfl, nba and college football.
Glad to see the Cards extend a hall of gamer like Mike Schmidt as manager, just would have been nice to see the Phillies do it first.
Oh.
Huh?
Wha?
Sorry, I meant hall of famer.
Someone is very confused about who the cards manager really is lol
Im a Cubs fan, but I am happy for the guy.. He earned it.
Hmm Girardi to LAA or WSH then? Maybe the Mets fire Mickey and he goes there
WSH? Laughable, with what they pay their managers (significant paycuts) and Dave Martinez averages $1M
Is he classy?
As classy as Mr. Peanut
Happy for him! He’s done an excellent job thus far, hope he keeps it up!
Great move! A baseball lifer that goes from “acting manager” to a 3 year contract! He’s obviously pushed all the right buttons so far and was rewarded for it!
“He never played professionally and was first came to the St. Louis organization . . . “
Sorry, but you know I gotta.
Ok, get rid of “was”. Does that make you feel better??
“Does that make you feel better??”
Not sure why you have a problem with cleaning up writing posted by this site’s writers. When someone points out an obvious error in my work I tend to be appreciative rather than resentful. Anyone who cares about the quality of their work would. Not real concerned about the response from folks who don’t care about the quality of their work. But whatever floats your boat.
Get a life.
Exactly. Some people are a negative WAR like Major Flaw.
It just seems petty. But let’s hear what Jeff Todd has to say and if he appreciates it.
Personally, I wouldn’t correct one’s work unless it is very confusing to me and thus confusing to others.
“Get a life.”
Go scratch.
Holy Shildt.
Hahaha.
Michael Jack Schildt
The guy flat out earned it. He clearly deserves the job so it is hard to argue with … but a lot of these guys weren’t producing before and have been since the shake up. If that is what it took to get this team on track… a massive shake up… I wouldn’t mess with it.
He has really turned the Cards around. Wish the Pirates would have been just as smart and canned Hurdle, maybe their ship would not have sunk to the bottom.
Not hurdles fault, he has no good players to work with besides Marte.
According to who? Cite sources.
He had a real good starting rotation until the GM picked up Archer, ouch.
Let’s save c1234 the effort, as I have seen baseless comments and conjecture by this person many times before.
Before making comments, be somewhat of subject matter expert first. C1234 has no idea what is or is not on the roster and how they grade out and how this impacts Hurdle’s effectiveness.
I know it sucks to be a Pirates fan. Just don’t start crying on a website about it please, ty.
There you go assuming again…..get a clue. Best part? Your baseless comment is still baseless.
Try again.
“He came to the MLB staff in 2017 as a quality control.”
What is quality control in a MLB staff?