The St. Louis Cardinals dropped a bombshell on Thursday afternoon, parting ways with manager Mike Shildt because of what was called “a philosophical difference.”
Jon Heyman of MLB Network called it the “surprise firing of the season” and many were shaking their heads after Shildt, who still had a year left on his contract and had led the Cardinals to three consecutive postseason berths, was suddenly out of a job.
So what does this mean for the St. Louis Cardinals?
Here are 3 questions we have in the wake of the St. Louis Cardinals and Mike Shildt parting ways
What was the difference in philosophy?
Shildt certainly put together wins in St. Louis, but a 252-199 record wasn’t enough to keep his job, according to St. Louis president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.
Mozeliak: "I felt the team was managed well. ... This is not a reflection simply on wins and losses. It really was more at a higher level, where we saw the team going."
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 14, 2021
So what was the difference in philosophy? Cardinals fans have criticized him at times for his management of the bullpen, and the 2021 St. Louis season came to a crashing end in Los Angeles as Alex Reyes served up a two-run walk-off home run to Chris Taylor as the Dodgers earned a 3-1 Wild Card Game win.
It wasn’t the first time that Reyes had given up game-winning homers as he had fallen out of the closer’s spot in St. Louis. Did Shildt trusting Reyes in big situations eventually wear thin in the front office?
Who is up next in St. Louis?
Bob Nightengale of USA Today and others reported that the Cardinals had “several internal managerial candidates” to replace Shildt. Mike Maddux has been the pitching coach for St. Louis for four seasons and is a name to keep in mind.
Also…
Oliver Marmol and Stubby Clapp, both on the #STLCards coaching staff this season, are expected to be considered for the club's managerial vacancy. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 14, 2021
What does this do for Nolan Arenado and that opt-out?
Nolan Arenado, acquired in a trade this offseason from the Colorado Rockies, inked a contract when he came to St. Louis that included an opt-out clause for after this season. Arenado, however, proclaimed before the postseason that he would not be exercising that opt-out and would stay with the Cardinals.
“I will be coming back. That was always the plan. I’m absolutely coming back. I feel like this year has been special in a lot of senses,” Arenado told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
While it’s highly unlikely that Arenado will change his mind, it’s certainly something to consider if there is a change in the culture in the Cardinals clubhouse. However, with an internal candidate likely to be hired, it’s also likely that the St. Louis ways of things that Arenado fell in love with in 2021 will remain in place.