San Diego Padres need to call Mike Shildt
The St. Louis Cardinals dropped a bombshell on Thursday when they announced that manager Mike Shildt would not be returning. Even the nebulous reason given of philosophical differences moving forward seemed questionable at best, especially after Shildt was able to guide the Cardinals into the Wild Card Game.
But Shildt should not be out of a job for long. Several teams are going to be looking for new managers, including teams with postseason aspirations. One of those teams, the San Diego Padres, should be on the phone immediately.
San Diego Padres need to get Mike Shildt on phone ASAP
Shlidt was the rare form of baseball lifer. He never played in the minors, instead beginning his time as a scout and minor league coach in the early 2000s. He worked his way up the ladder, getting his first managerial chance with the Johnson City Cardinals in the Appalachian League back in 2009.
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From there, he worked his way up the organizational managerial chart. Shildt spent three more years in Double-A and two years in Triple-A before finally joining the major league coaching staff. Then, once Mike Matheny was fired, Shlidt was given his chance at the major league level.
All he did was win. Shildt had two seasons where he won 90 or more games, and posted a 252-199 record in the majors. He did not have a losing season in any of those seasons, as the Cardinals went quietly about their jobs and continued to reach the postseason.
That experience, and ability to guide a team to the postseason, no matter how dire the odds may seem, will certainly draw plenty of attention on the open market. For a team such as the Padres, who have such lofty goals, getting an experienced manager who can handle superstar personalities and the expectations of reaching the postseason will make a difference. There is no reason why Shildt’s phone should not be ringing with a call from A.J. Preller right now.
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The San Diego Padres need a veteran manager who can lead the team to the postseason. One of those has landed in their laps with Mike Shildt.