Hired to Be Fired

The time honored baseball expression that "managers are hired to be fired" surfaced again Saturday night with word that the Cardinals had parted company with Mike Matheny.

Apparently, there's only so much good will amassed from four playoff appearances in his first six seasons, including winning the 2013 National League pennant. The former big league catcher even made history: the first manager ever to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons.

But his 2018 Redbirds never got on track. Unlike typical Cardinals clubs, this model was erratic on defense; combined with Mike's difficulties relating to his younger players, St. Louis ownership felt it was time for a change.

Oddly, instead of waiting for the All Star break, Matheny was let go Saturday night, giving interim replacement Mike Shildt a day to give his players some different marching orders as most head for a four-day hiatus.

With the Cards at 47-46 and just 6-1/2 games behind the arch-rival Cubs, there's still a chance to contend before the season is considered "lost."

The last time St. Louis changed managers in mid-season was 1995 when Joe Torre walked the plank after failing to lead the franchise to the playoffs in his six seasons. Of course, just months later, the Yankees brought him to New York for a managerial run that landed him in Cooperstown.

The rumor mill is buzzing that Joe Girardi, who played and coached under Torre and succeeded him in New York, is in line for Matheny's job. There's a certain irony to that.
(This image of Matheny is from the April 1st game against the Mets in New York.)

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