Mike Shildt has worked in a hybrid coaching/player development job for the Padres this season, monitoring the organization’s farm system while occasionally joining the MLB dugout when other coaches are unavailable. It’s a less visible role than his previous position as Cardinals manager, a job he held for three-plus seasons before being fired after the 2021 campaign.
After some time away from the managerial office, Shildt expressed a desire to return to that role in a recent chat with Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I’ve won my whole life. I’m more convinced now that I’m ready to manage again and win,” the 53-year-old told Hummel. Shildt conceded he’s “not sure what the market looks like” but added he feels he “more than (deserves) the opportunity to do it.”
As Shildt alluded, the Cardinals had no small amount of success under his watch. St. Louis went 252-199 (55.9% winning percentage) during his tenure, making the postseason in two of his three full seasons. He was named the National League’s Manager of the Year in 2019, and his dismissal registered as a shock after the Cards had reeled off a 17-game win streak down the stretch to land a Wild Card spot. Nevertheless, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak pointed to “philosophical differences” between Shildt and the front office as the reason for going in another direction.
Within days of the manager’s dismissal, reports emerged that Shildt had bristled at the front office’s attempts to more rigorously incorporate analytics into in-game decisions. Katie Woo of the Athletic wrote at the time that the front office’s quiet 2021 trade deadline also “played a role in the growing disconnect” between the front office and the skipper.
In his recent conversation with Hummel, Shildt largely passed on the opportunity to revisit the end of his Cardinals tenure. He conceded the firing is still painful but said he’s “getting beyond it and ready to get back into the fray with the right opportunity.” He declined to elaborate further on the reported disconnect between himself and organizational higher-ups, stating only that “a combination of things happened. … The past is the past. It’s time to move on.”
Shildt will presumably remain in his role with the Friars for at least the rest of this season, but his name figures to be on the radar during next winter’s managerial hunts. He’d reportedly been set to interview in San Diego’s own managerial search last offseason, but Shildt tells Hummel he declined that opportunity.
The Friars eventually poached Bob Melvin from the A’s, a hiring with which they’re surely thrilled after opening the season 41-24. The Cardinals are no doubt happy with how things played out themselves. St. Louis promoted bench coach Oli Marmol and is off to a 37-28 start. The teams hold small leads in their respective divisions entering play Friday.
No
Ya I’d manage a big league club given the opportunity as well
The Angels will hire him, its a no brainer
@LFGmets
I think the Angels might be the best fit for Shildt. Someone who pushes back against the front office would probably be more successful in Anaheim.
Why? Part of the reason maddon was let go is the same reason Schildt was let go. I don’t see the match.
Joe Maddon literally went to the Angels for an early retirement. Maddon stopped giving it his all after the Cubs won the world series. Kinda sad that a potential Hall of Fame manager would do that, no integrity
@LFGMets – really? He just mailed it in? Does integrity mean making baseless accusations?
@cookie
Angels have an inexperienced GM and a meddling owner. They could use a strong presence in the managers spot. Especially with so many stars and an unimpressive record. There’s no excuse for losing with that roster even with the lack of TOR pitching .
Ohtani, Thor and Detmers aren’t “legit” TOR arms?
Who wants a renegade manager when analytics rule the roost? Well, there’s always the White Stockings, I guess…
Buck Showalter sees the humor in your post.
Buck Showalter sees everything.
And he’s not amused.
Mike absolutely embraced analytics. And he had success in STL. Finished 3rd in the Manager of the Year race the year he was released and the team had a ton of injuries. His management really helped the team last year.
Oh Shildt , again?
There are probably many managerial opportunities in the minors, right?
I tend to think the ego problem existed in the front office, not in the dugout. I think that because the front office’s explanation didn’t jibe with what the players said:
‘Yadier Molina did speak to reporters in Puerto Rico yesterday, saying the news “took me by surprise…We had very good communication. We went to the playoffs three times in four years. Maybe there was some problem between him and the management. I can’t give you reasons, but from what I know inside the clubhouse, there wasn’t any kind of problem.”’
When the GM says there were communication problems and the guys in uniform say there weren’t, I’m inclined to go with the players’ take.
Sounded to me like the front office wanted to manage the club from the front office and play puppeteer with a manager whose winning record spoke for itself. I’m all for incorporating analytics, but nothing on paper can tell how the players are feeling and performing on a given day. The manager in the dugout is in a better position to know those things and to manage accordingly. Besides, a club that goes on a 17-game winning streak in September isn’t a club in disarray.
So let’s say your the boss, and you have a mid level manager under you who won’t manage the team, in the way you want him to do?
Do you let that mid level manager do what ever he wants?
It was Shidlts job to apply what the FO wanted to do. It was Shildts job to figure out how to get the players on board and make it work.
Shildt was a solid manager, but part of holding that job in baseball today means the FO has a say in how the team is handled on a day to day basis and how the information the FO gives to the players & coaches to assist in players performance.
Mo felt strong enough that the situation was untenable with Shildt, Mo has a longer track record of success then Shildt at ML level. DeWitt was ok with it.. Move on.
I have a mid-level manager today who doesn’t run his department the way I would run it. He is more successful at it than I was when I had no mid-level managers or than the last two guys before him that did things my way. So I let him run it his way until his methods are not working.
Mo had a .500 record of getting the team to the playoffs before Shildt.
Shildt had a 1.000 record guiding the team to the playoffs.
This season the Cardinals have had the 2nd fewest player days on the IL at 291 Will Marmol get the boot when the injuries start coming and his team falters?
There is an article about SHILDT. So we are discussing SHILDT.
Sure, Jan.
This take doesn’t jive if the team is winning and the players are on board and don’t quit on the guy. The FO can be upset and let the guy go cuz he didnt listen, but production is based on wins, last I checked. If the front office types want to head to the dugout and manage their way, have at it, but I don’t think the players would respond kindly to it. 90%+ of these guys are routine oriented and what the analytics say disrupts the entire routine, day in and day out. Players are still human and numbers only go so far until you actually play that days game. Managers in the dugout know this, the people up top know this too, but seem to think it’s way too easy to jerk players around as far as lineups, splits etc and still get the same results the analytics call for…
The problem is that a lot of these front office guys are Ivy League “educated” and think unduly high of themselves. Truly smart people are not like that at all. But every “important” job comes with a certain amount of self promotion. So you tend to wind up with “leaders” who think highly of themselves. Confidence is one thing but ego is another. But, baseball is essentially a blue collar occupation. We fans like the lunch pail guys who play hard and do what it takes to win. If that doesn’t match up with the analytics, then those guys are left out off the team. However, the analytics will never tell the whole story, they will only inch closer to the truth. And even then, there’s chance involved.so you’ll never know beforehand. What you need is front office guys who don’t think they’re smarter than managers. Because they’re not, it’s just a different type of intelligence.
The team never ever quit on Shildt. That should tell anyone a lot about him.
North Augusta High might need a new baseball coach
Shildt sealed his fate when he brought in Reyes in the wild card game. Plus, his old school approach didn’t align with the front office in terms of analytics and the new path they were attempting to set forth. He’s not a bad manager, but he made many questionable decisions with the bullpen during his tenure in Stl.
No one on field move doomed Shildt.
From all appearances this was because Shildt failed to work with FO.
Every manager in baseball, even the best, makes “questionable decisions” once in a while. It goes with the territory. The manager tries to do what he thinks gives his team the best chance to win. It doesn’t always work out.
How do you know it wasn’t the other way around? Maybe the analytics said Reyes was the right choice, but Shildt got pissed off when he knew the better option. Front office guys who have no baseball playing or managing experience need to stick to payroll and trades. Let the manager manage.
While I do agree with your take, Marmols bullpen and his bullpen moves have cost the Cardinals a few games already this year. I feel like this stuff happens. Blown saves happen, but the wild card game was inexcusable. Always liked Shildt hope he manages again somewhere and he learned from his mistakes
I am also looking for a managerial opportunity in the MLB!My resume includes MULTIPLE mvp seasons in MLB THE SHOWas well as mvp baseball and high heat!
high heat was a great game! haven’t thought about that in a grip
I am also looking for a managerial opportunity in the MLB!My resume includes MULTIPLE mvp seasons in MLB THE SHOWas well as mvp baseball and high heat!
He’s a good manager, hope he lands with someone good
If Topper doesn’t work out, I’d still love to see Shildt on Philly.
I’m happy with who we got, and I think Rob deserves a shot next year, but to your point, I wouldn’t mind Shildt.
I still don’t get why he was fired. He definitely deserves a shot somewhere.
He was GREAT with the Cards. Letting him go was a mistake.
The Royals, White Sox or Angels would be lucky to have him. He’s a true baseball man and great manager.
Good luck, Schildty!
Shildthead will only wind up getting a job because someone else turned it down. He’s a bumbling redneck buffoon who is terrible for an organization’s mouth piece. Even kids would avoid going to a Mike Shildt summer camp. He belongs working at an Auto Zone or a fried chicken fast food place. All he did was itch his head a lot and loudly drink water. He’s ruined everything
That’s all he did?
Managerial record 252–199
Winning % .559
Not terrible over 3 and a half seasons.
252 wins is easy when you play the pirates and reds every year.
Well, that’s not his fault that the pirates and reds aren’t competitive organizations. Really, MLB should make these organizations sell after a decade or more of garbage time.
JimmyForum likes to troll.
The Reds had a .512 WP in 2021, and the Cardinals had an 11-8 record against the division-leading Brewers, who had the third-best record in the NL and were tied for the fourth-best record in the majors.
You are the reason they created the mute button. Buh bye.
Yet you still decided to respond instead of just hitting mute. Interesting.
Bumbling redneck…. seems your siping on some very strong hateraid and used only opinions instead of facts in your argument which facts easily break down like acid
For the record, I’m also interested in any managerial opportunities.
I trust he is better inside the dugout than what he was when he was just outside the Giants dugout earlier this year. The limited evidence I’ve come across suggests “arrogant”.
Imagine he won’t have a hard time finding a job. Was shocked they fired him after he came in 3rd for NL Manager of the Year (and won it back in 2019).