Mike Matheny Retires
This is actually relatively old news at this point, having been announced last Thursday, but former Cardinal catcher Mike Matheny retired from baseball after 13 seasons. All of us here at MWSF(which of course is just me) want to wish him well in his future endeavors, and I decided there's no better time than to discuss the catcher's achievements than now.
Matheny was a very fierce competitor who from previous interviews and seasons worked very hard in Spring Training and the off-season trying to improve his anemic batting average. While in St. Louis, he worked several off-seasons with 2005 MVP Albert Pujols, working on improving his stroke, even considering becoming a switch-hitter fairly late in his career to try to improve upon his career .239 average.
His best season came in 2005, his first season with the Giants, when he only batted .242, but hit 13 home runs and drove in 59 runs(both career highs) and posted an OPS of .701(also a career high). That year was also the last of his four gold gloves(others in 2000, 2003 and 2004, all with St. Louis). Other career highs include his .261 batting average in St. Louis in 2000, his first season with the Cardinals, and his strong 2003 season where he had a career high .320 on-base and played in 141 games.
His career highs, offensively, are not impressive, but they don't really fully depict what Matheny meant to his teammates and especially to his pitchers.
From the above linked article on ESPN.com: "As my catcher and as a person he just meant so much to me," said Giants pitcher Matt Morris, who also threw to Matheny in St. Louis. "On the field he taught me how to be a professional. Off the field he taught me to be a man and a respectful person. He's going to be sorely missed by everybody."
This appeared to be how many pitchers viewed him, as well as his former manager with the Cardinals Tony La Russa, who at one point questioned out loud that, had Mike Matheny been healthy to catch for Rick Ankiel in that 2000 NLDS, whether Ankiel would be the star pitcher that everyone in St. Louis envisioned he would be.
His work with Yadier Molina has turned Molina into one of the best defensive catchers in the majors as well, so by that coaching job, I honestly hope to see Matheny in a Cardinal uniform as a coach someday.
He seems, by all accounts, including the account of my wife, who had the opportunity to meet him in the St. Louis clubhouse after my brother-in-law took a batting practice ball to the head during pre-game one time, to be a wonderful person and a clubhouse leader. My wife has been completely in awe of Matheny since that day, far before I ever met her.
Mike Matheny--Not that you're reading this, but I'll talk directly to you anyway--have a wonderful life away from baseball, and we hope to see you back sometime as a coach. You'd make an excellent one.
Matheny was a very fierce competitor who from previous interviews and seasons worked very hard in Spring Training and the off-season trying to improve his anemic batting average. While in St. Louis, he worked several off-seasons with 2005 MVP Albert Pujols, working on improving his stroke, even considering becoming a switch-hitter fairly late in his career to try to improve upon his career .239 average.
His best season came in 2005, his first season with the Giants, when he only batted .242, but hit 13 home runs and drove in 59 runs(both career highs) and posted an OPS of .701(also a career high). That year was also the last of his four gold gloves(others in 2000, 2003 and 2004, all with St. Louis). Other career highs include his .261 batting average in St. Louis in 2000, his first season with the Cardinals, and his strong 2003 season where he had a career high .320 on-base and played in 141 games.
His career highs, offensively, are not impressive, but they don't really fully depict what Matheny meant to his teammates and especially to his pitchers.
From the above linked article on ESPN.com: "As my catcher and as a person he just meant so much to me," said Giants pitcher Matt Morris, who also threw to Matheny in St. Louis. "On the field he taught me how to be a professional. Off the field he taught me to be a man and a respectful person. He's going to be sorely missed by everybody."
This appeared to be how many pitchers viewed him, as well as his former manager with the Cardinals Tony La Russa, who at one point questioned out loud that, had Mike Matheny been healthy to catch for Rick Ankiel in that 2000 NLDS, whether Ankiel would be the star pitcher that everyone in St. Louis envisioned he would be.
His work with Yadier Molina has turned Molina into one of the best defensive catchers in the majors as well, so by that coaching job, I honestly hope to see Matheny in a Cardinal uniform as a coach someday.
He seems, by all accounts, including the account of my wife, who had the opportunity to meet him in the St. Louis clubhouse after my brother-in-law took a batting practice ball to the head during pre-game one time, to be a wonderful person and a clubhouse leader. My wife has been completely in awe of Matheny since that day, far before I ever met her.
Mike Matheny--Not that you're reading this, but I'll talk directly to you anyway--have a wonderful life away from baseball, and we hope to see you back sometime as a coach. You'd make an excellent one.
Labels: Cardinals, Matheny, Yadier Molina
posted by Matt at 8:36 AM
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