Mike Matheny is new Cardinals manager

[UKFlounder]

per twitter, Scott Miller of CBS Sports

ScottMCBSSports Scott Miller
Mike Matheny new manager of St. Louis Cardinals. Done deal. Club has announced it

http://scott-miller.blogs.cbssports....70335/33290327

[757690]

I really like this move for the Cardinals. Catch-22 was considered a team leader when he played, and many people believed he would be an MLB manager someday. My Cardinal friends were all rooting for him. I'd wish him good luck, if he was named the manager of any team other than the Cards.

[MattyHo4Life]

This is the best news I've heard so far this off-season.

[Always Red]

This reeks of "keep Dave Duncan on board" to me.

Cheap, young, no experience. But tight with Duncan.

[MattyHo4Life]

Originally Posted by Always Red

This reeks of "keep Dave Duncan on board" to me.

Cheap, young, no experience. But tight with Duncan.

Well...if they were going to make a move to keep someone on board, then Oquendo probably would have been the choice since he is Pujols' friend.

[MikeThierry]

The Cards are taking a huge gamble not hiring someone with any coaching experience. I guess it could be a good move but I'm luke warm on the move. He is a smart baseball guy and a well respected player from his time with the Cards so that could be a plus. The team is also a good team so its not like he is going to struggle through a rebuilding franchise like many first time managers do. Still, time will tell on this. I'll give him the benefit of doubt but still puzzled why Francona didn't get the job.

This reeks of "keep Dave Duncan on board" to me.

Duncan had a year left on his contract so I don't see how this is an issue that you bring up.

[757690]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

The Cards are taking a huge gamble not hiring someone with any coaching experience. I guess it could be a good move but I'm luke warm on the move. He is a smart baseball guy and a well respected player from his time with the Cards so that could be a plus. The team is also a good team so its not like he is going to struggle through a rebuilding franchise like many first time managers do. Still, time will tell on this. I'll give him the benefit of doubt but still puzzled why Francona didn't get the job.



Duncan had a year left on his contract so I don't see how this is an issue that you bring up.

One year contracts don't mean much for pitching coaches. I think if Francona was named manager, he would want to bring in his own guys for the whole staff.

[RedsManRick]

So, does Oquendo stay around? Gotta be tough for him after putting in his dues for so long with the organizaiton.

I've read that Pujols' relationship with Oquendo was a big factor in his staying in St. Louis.

[MikeThierry]

Originally Posted by RedsManRick

So, does Oquendo stay around? Gotta be tough for him after putting in his dues for so long with the organizaiton.

I've read that Pujols' relationship with Oquendo was a big factor in his staying in St. Louis.

Matheny and Pujols were pretty good friends as well. In fact, just a couple of weeks after this season was finished, Pujols went to the DR to help Matheny do some stuff with a youth baseball team or something.

One year contracts don't mean much for pitching coaches. I think if Francona was named manager, he would want to bring in his own guys for the whole staff.

Reading different reports, he wasn't really married to a pitching coach. Besides, why would he not want Duncan's services? If a coach is coming in and wanting to replace arguably the best pitching coach in the history of the game, that alone would have been grounds not to hire him.

[MikeThierry]

The other positive thing, if you are a Reds fan, is that you won't have to see the mind games that TLR put everyone through. Matheny was a well respected person and one of the good guys in the game when he played. I get a sense that the Cards wanted to get away from the uber-micromanaging/psychological mind games management they had for 16 years and move towards a guy that can not only manage on the field but give good PR as well.

[Vottomatic]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

The other positive thing, if you are a Reds fan, is that you won't have to see the mind games that TLR put everyone through. Matheny was a well respected person and one of the good guys in the game when he played. I get a sense that the Cards wanted to get away from the uber-micromanaging/psychological mind games management they had for 16 years and move towards a guy that can not only manage on the field but give good PR as well.

What mind games? TLR outsmarted himself most of the time.

One of the luckier managers of my lifetime. I really can't remember him ever managing a team that wasn't stacked with talent. He had good teams and IMHO, often times undermined them.

Overrated is my opinion of TLR. Obviously I'll be in the minority.

His teams were stacked with talent.

[757690]

Originally Posted by Vottomatic

What mind games? TLR outsmarted himself most of the time.

One of the luckier managers of my lifetime. I really can't remember him ever managing a team that wasn't stacked with talent. He had good teams and IMHO, often times undermined them.

Overrated is my opinion of TLR. Obviously I'll be in the minority.

His teams were stacked with talent.

That's a very overlooked point.

I seriously doubt LaRussa would have ever agreed to manage the Cubs, or the Rays like Sweet Lou did, or the Cubs and Reds like Dusty did, or the Marlins, Rockies, and Tigers like Leyland did.

[Hoosier Red]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

The other positive thing, if you are a Reds fan, is that you won't have to see the mind games that TLR put everyone through. Matheny was a well respected person and one of the good guys in the game when he played. I get a sense that the Cards wanted to get away from the uber-micromanaging/psychological mind games management they had for 16 years and move towards a guy that can not only manage on the field but give good PR as well.

I think it's a double edged sword in bringing in a complete rookie manager.

On one hand, it's not brain surgery, and with a veteran team, it's not like he should need to crack the whip. A lot of players will probably be more relaxed with a guy like Matheney than they were when Larussa managed.

On the other hand, with Larussa, at least the Cards players knew they would be in it to win it. If they are able to perhaps take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere AND if Matheney perhaps goofs up something that Tony never would have overlooked, it might be hard for the players to truly respect him.

One thing I always respected about Larussa is that he micro managed, but his players were usually pretty smart themselves. Sometimes with a micro manager, the players aren't as active in trying to take advantage of a weakness they see, but rather let the manager do everything for them. The baserunning trick the Cardinals often employ of having a guy round third far enough to draw a throw, but still get back and allowing a guy on first to coast into second is an example of this.

[757690]

Originally Posted by MikeThierry

Reading different reports, he wasn't really married to a pitching coach. Besides, why would he not want Duncan's services? If a coach is coming in and wanting to replace arguably the best pitching coach in the history of the game, that alone would have been grounds not to hire him.

If the Cards wanted Francona and he wanted to bring in a new staff including a new pitching coach, and that was the reason why he wasn't hired, the Cardinals are the dumbest organization I have ever experienced, and I experienced both the Dick Wagner and Dan O'Brien Reds era's.

[kaldaniels]

I hope he brings a culture change to the STL clubhouse. And of course I say that as a Reds fan. As a Cards fan, Tony L did produce results, you gotta admit.