Mike Matheny agrees to contract extension with Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that they have signed manager Mike Matheny to a three year contract extension, that will keep him as the manager through the 2017 season. Matheny 43, had been in his last season of this current deal which was an option from his original deal. He never managed in any baseball level before becoming the Cardinals manager after Tony La Russa retired in 2011. In Matheny's first season as manager, he led the Cardinals to the 2012 NLCS. But, that team lost in the seven games to the San Francisco Giants. And in 2013, the Cardinals lost starting pitcher Chris Carpenter for the season, along with closer Jason Motte, and starting shortstop Rafael Furcal all due to injuries. They had to use twenty rookies in 2013, and were able to win 97 games (their most wins since the 2005 Cardinals, when they won 100 games). Matheny's 2013 Cardinals, were only two wins shy from winning the franchises 12th World Series title.

Matheny became the first Cardinals manager to lead them to lots of success in his first two seasons as their manager. His managing record is 185-139, with a winning percentage of .571. There's no word on how much money Matheny's new deal will pay him.

It's a win-win for both sides, Matheny seems to have learned a lot as a manager. And he seems like he learned a lot about managing when he was a player in the MLB playing under Tony La Russa, Phil Garner, Jim Fregosi, and Felipe Alou. Players seem to enjoy having Matheny as their manager, and he does a great job with rookies. I think a lot of that is because he's a former player himself.

When, Matheny first joined the Cardinals as their manager, I wasn't sure on what to think of it and wondered if the Cardinals were making the right hire. The Cardinals have proved people wrong, including myself who weren't sure about it or who thought it would be a bad move. I think a lot of that was because he had never managed anywhere before.

Kudos to the Cardinals for hiring Matheny and giving him a chance. Hopefully
soon the 12th World Series title will be going down Market Street.