“The night is darkest just before the dawn. And I promise you, the dawn is coming.” – John Mozeliak
Or was that Harvey Dent?
Regardless, the dawn is here Cardinals Nation. Mike Matheny left the Cardinals in a very dark spot at the time of his firing. The Cardinals were 47-46 and had just lost 8-2 to the Cincinnati Reds. If things stayed the same, the Cardinals were going to miss the playoffs for the third season in a row.
“Because he’s the hero St. Louis deserves, but not the one it needs right now…and so we’ll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he’s not a hero. He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector…a dark knight.” – St. Louis Media on Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak
Some in St. Louis might not agree with the above, but Mozeliak and crew have done an exceptional job once again making moves to help right the ship this season. Whatever Matheny was doing behind closed doors wasn’t working. Matt Adams commented on it after leaving St. Louis. Randall Grichuk did as well. This was a problem that went on for far too long. Firing Mike Matheny, John Mabry, and Bill Mueller mid-season was an unorthodox move for an organization that has historically hesitated to make a move of this nature. Unorthodox as it might have been, the Cardinals at that point of the season did not resemble a team that Cardinals fans expect to see night in and night out. Defensive lapses, the inability to put the ball in play/strikeouts, and late game bullpen malfunctions plagued the team much like the previous two seasons.
Enter Mike Shildt. How can a manager without any professional playing experience lead a team of professional players? It’s simple, because he’s a manager. He’s a selfless leader that has cut his teeth right along side the players he’s leading at the MLB level now. Players know their roles now and know that if they are in a slump that they’re going to have an opportunity to get out of it. No more closed doors. Team meetings before games are common practice. Keyword, TEAM.
Revamping the bullpen is something that should not be overlooked, and the changes definitely appear to be working. Some will argue if the pitchers from Memphis would’ve been called up when Matheny was manager that the team’s bullpen issues would’ve went away much sooner. That’s possible, but I find it unlikely that they would’ve experienced the same success purely because Matheny on multiple occasions said it wasn’t his job to develop players. In my opinion, the first time he said that should’ve been his last day on the job. Good leaders help develop their teams to be the best they can be. Mike Shildt gets it.
Since taking over for Matheny, Shildt is 28-13. The Cardinals are now 2nd in the NL Central, lead the wildcard race, and have the 2nd best record in the NL overall. For some in the St. Louis media, that isn’t enough. The focus this week seems to have switched from winning their 10th consecutive series to the attendance on a midweek series. Someone always must be negative, especially when things are going so well for a team that struggled so mightily for most of the season. It’s time for Cardinals Nation to ignore the naysayers and enjoy the ride. The final month of this season is going to be fun to watch, and October baseball is going to be back in St. Louis this year. Our window is just beginning to open, and the future is bright. Enjoy it!
