How would you describe Mike Matheny’s time with the St. Louis Cardinals?
Unfortunately tonight’s loss to the Reds really sums it up.
It started off well. The team shows some promise, then suddenly collapses without much chance of a rebound.
The Cardinals held a 2-0 lead after five innings of solid pitching from Jack Flaherty. Then the storms came in. Call it “fate” or a sign, but things certainly changed once the rains lifted.
At the end of the game, the Cardinals had used 8 pitchers to get through 9 innings and a 2-0 lead ended with an 8-2 loss at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds.
Then suddenly, it was as if the Cardinals front office channeled their inner Johnny Nash saying “I can see clearly now… The rain is gone.
The Manager, Hitting Coach, and Assistant Hitting Coach were relieved of their duties.
It was a move many fans have longed for quite some time. Some would go as far to say they’ve wanted this since the day Matheny was hired. But the timing of this move may have been the most shocking part of all.
In my head, Matheny had this season to get it figured out. But with another playoff seemingly out of reach, the Cardinals made a choice, for better or worse.
As I touched on in my Open Letter to Mike Matheny, the worst thing the Cardinals could do was to do nothing. And this certainly shakes things up. Does this mean the Cardinals will suddenly turn the corner? Not necessarily. Could they theoretically play even worse? It’s possible. But change needed to happen, in order to move forward.
I like Mike Matheny. I do think with time he could become a good manager whether it be at the Major or Minor League Level. He has done a lot for this organization as both a player and manager. I truly do wish him, Mabry, and Mueller the best. It’s clear that none of them wanted this team to struggle, but this is a business, and the Cardinals want success.
Good luck to you Mike. Good luck to you John. Good luck to you Bill. Good luck to you Cardinals.
Thanks for Reading.
Aaron M.
