Mike Shildt
Shildt with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019
San Diego Padres – No. 8
Manager
Born: (1968-08-09) August 9, 1968 (age 55)
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Career statistics
Managerial record252–199
Winning %.559
Teams
As manager

As coach

Career highlights and awards

Michael Timothy Shildt (born August 9, 1968) is an American professional baseball manager and coach who is the manager of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously managed and coached for the St. Louis Cardinals.

After serving as a scout and manager for the Cardinals in Minor League Baseball, Shildt served as the first-base coach for the Cardinals in 2017 and was named the club's manager in 2018 after the dismissal of Mike Matheny. The 2019 Cardinals advanced to the National League (NL) Championship Series and Shildt was named NL Manager of the Year. The 2020 and 2021 seasons ended in losses at the NL Wild Card Game. The Cardinals fired Shildt after the 2021 season. He coached the Padres in 2022 and 2023 and was named the manager of the Padres on November 21, 2023.

Early career

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Shildt played high school baseball at Olympic High School and college baseball for University of North Carolina (UNC) Asheville Bulldogs.[1] After his playing career ended, Shildt became a coach at West Charlotte High School where he helped bring the baseball team their first winning season in 20 years.[2][1] After leaving the high school, Shildt was hired by UNC Charlotte to become an assistant coach for the Charlotte 49ers baseball team.[1][2] He held the position for five years.[1] During the off-season he owned a baseball training facility in North Carolina, becoming a full-time baseball instructor to area youths.[1]

Professional career

Minor leagues

Shildt started his Major League Baseball career as an associate scout with the league for three seasons.[1] He moved on to the St. Louis Cardinals organization, working as the area scout for North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.[1] On a recommendation from future Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak, Shildt began his minor league coaching career as a part-time coach. Shildt was sent to the Cardinals' Single-A affiliate in the New York–Penn League. He was a part-time coach during 2004 and 2005, while continuing his scouting duties.[1] He was promoted to a full-time coaching position in 2006, and kept coaching with the single A affiliate until the 2007 season.[1] In 2008, Shildt coordinated the Cardinals' minor league spring training workout camp.[3] Afterwards he became the hitting coach for the Johnson City Cardinals for the 2008 season.[3]

Shildt was promoted to manage Johnson City in 2009, where he finished with a 37–30 record.[4] In his second season, Johnson City posted a 42–24 win–loss record, and after defeating its two playoff opponents, won the Appalachian League championship.[5] For his effort, Shildt was named St. Louis Cardinals Minor League Manager of the Year by Scout.com.[5] He was also named the Appalachian League Manager of the Year.[5] Among the players he helped improve during the season include Appalachian League's Pitcher of the Year Ryan Copeland, and batting average champion Phil Cerreto.[5] After Johnson City's season ended, Shildt was invited to spend some time on the St. Louis Cardinals roster in order to gain experience.[5] After the season, Shildt was awarded the Appalachian League Manager of the Year award, and the George Kissell Award for his "excellence in player development" by the St. Louis Cardinals organization.[6]

Johnson City repeated as league champions in 2011 under Shildt.[7] It was the first time that Johnson City clinched two consecutive league championships since 1975–1976.[7] Shildt managed the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AA Texas League for three seasons. Shildt guided Springfield to its first Texas League championship before being recognized as Baseball America's Team of the Year in 2012. He then spent two seasons as the manager for the Memphis Redbirds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[citation needed]

St. Louis Cardinals

Shildt was again promoted in 2017, this time to the MLB team, as the quality control coach. After a rough start to the 2017 season, third base coach Chris Maloney was reassigned in the organization, and Shildt became the full-time Cardinals third base coach for the rest of the 2017 season. When José Oquendo was brought back for the 2018 season to be the Cardinals' third base coach, Shildt became the team's bench coach for the 2018 season.[8]

On July 14, 2018, Shildt was made interim manager of the Cardinals following the firing of Mike Matheny.[9] He became only the eighth man to manage a Major League Baseball team despite not having ever played professional baseball at any level.[10] On July 15, 2018, he collected his first major league managerial win in a 6–4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted on August 28, 2018, that the team would remove the interim tag from Shildt's title and name him the club's permanent manager, awarding him a three-year contract.[11][12] Shildt won his 100th game as Cardinals manager with a 6–2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 9, 2019, his 51st birthday. Following a 3–2 win over the Chicago Cubs on September 22, 2019, the Cardinals clinched a playoff berth for the first time in Shildt's career as manager, and the first for the team since 2015. He was named the National League Manager of the Year.[13] The Cardinals reached the playoffs in a shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season, losing in the Wild Card series.[14] During the 2021 season, the Cardinals won 17 games in a row, the longest winning streak in franchise history.[15] They clinched the second Wild Card spot, but lost in the National League Wild Card Game on a two out, two-run, walk-off home run given up by Alex Reyes in the bottom of the ninth inning.[16]

On October 14, 2021, the Cardinals announced Shildt would not return in the 2022 season having been dismissed due to "philosophical differences".[17][18][19] He was nominated for National League Manager of the Year following the season's end, and came in third as the award was won by San Francisco Giants Manager Gabe Kapler.[20][21]

San Diego Padres

After leaving the Cardinals, Shildt worked with the MLB in a consultant capacity.[22] On January 26, 2022, Shildt was hired by the San Diego Padres to serve in a player development role.[23] However, he began the season as the Padres' interim third base coach after Matt Williams had hip surgery during spring training.[24]

On November 21, 2023, Shildt was named manager of the Padres after former manager Bob Melvin was hired by the San Francisco Giants.[25][26]

Managerial record

Shildt won three consecutive league championships in the minors from 2010 to 2012.[27]

Shildt's .559 career winning percentage makes him the 6th winningest manager in baseball since 1947, for managers who have managed at least 450 games.[28]

Shildt's Cardinals' 17-game winning streak in 2021 (during last month of the season) was the longest winning streak in the NL since 1935 and set a Cardinals franchise record while securing the Cardinals place in the playoffs.  The Cardinals prior record of 14-games won in a row had been the franchise record since 1935 and prior to the streak in 2021, the Cardinals had not won more than 10 games in a row since 2001.[29]

2019 NL Manager of the Year in his first full season as a manager.[30]

Shildt teams were known for exceptional defense and baserunning, two metrics that correlate strongly to winning baseball games.  

Shildt's Cardinals never dealt with any on or off field player issues.[34]

As of games played on October 3, 2021.
Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
STL 2018 69 41 28 .594 3rd in NL Central – – –
STL 2019 162 91 71 .562 1st in NL Central 3 6 .333 Lost NLCS (WAS)
STL 2020 58 30 28 .517 2nd in NL Central 1 2 .333 Lost NLWC (SD)
STL 2021 162 90 72 .556 2nd in NL Central 0 1 .000 Lost NLWC (LAD)
Total Ref.:[35] |Total 451 252 199 .559 4 9 .308

Personal life

Shildt married Michelle Seagrave in March 2020.[36] He is a Christian.[37]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Walton, Brian (August 21, 2007). "Who is Mike Shildt & Why StL Fans Should Care". Scout.com. Fox Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Focus On". Charlotte Observer. August 1, 1996. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Kerrick, Shawn (June 17, 2008). "Johnson City Cardinals 2008 Preseason Report". TheCardinalNation.com. Fox Sports. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  4. ^ "2009 Johnson City Cardinals season". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 14, 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e Walton, Brian (November 5, 2010). "The Cardinal Nation minor league Manager of the Year". Cardinalnation.com. Fox Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  6. ^ Walton, Brian (March 13, 2011). "Mike Shildt Wins Cards George' Kissell Award". Cardinalnation.com. Fox Sports. Retrieved April 12, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Avento, Joe. "Cards keep winning big under Shildt". timesnews.net. Kingsport Publishing Corporation. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  8. ^ "Cardinals name Mike Shildt bench coach, Jose Oquendo third base coach". October 23, 2017.
  9. ^ "Cardinals (47-46) ax Matheny in seventh season". July 15, 2018.
  10. ^ Verducci, Tom. "Nine Innings: The Cardinals' Turnaround Behind Mike Shildt, Fixing Suspensions and Sorting the NL West". Sports Illustrated.
  11. ^ "Bob Nightengale on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  12. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Cardinals set to drop interim tag, make Shildt manager". stltoday.com. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  13. ^ Axisa, Mike. "MLB awards: Cardinals' Mike Shildt wins NL Manager of the Year in first full season". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "Cards defy odds to clinch postseason berth". MLB.com.
  15. ^ "Where does the Cardinals' 17-game winning streak rank in baseball history?". September 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "Cards' season ends after tight Wild Card fight". MLB.com.
  17. ^ "Mike Shildt fired as St. Louis Cardinals manager over 'philosophical differences'". ESPN.com. October 14, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  18. ^ Silver, Zachary (October 14, 2021). "Shildt out as Cardinals manager". MLB.com. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  19. ^ Goold, Derrick (October 14, 2021). "Cardinals fire manager Shildt due to 'philosophical differences'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  20. ^ "Gabe Kapler wins NL Manager of the Year after leading Giants to 107 victories – BBWAA". Bbwaa.com. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  21. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Shildt ranks top-three for votes for NL Manager of the Year; Cardinals outfielder Carlson cracks ROY top three". stltoday.com.
  22. ^ "Mike Shildt hired by MLB for role in on-field operations".
  23. ^ "Padres add former Cardinals manager Mike Shildt to player development staff".
  24. ^ "Padres Roster & Staff". Padres.com. September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  25. ^ Cassavell, AJ (November 21, 2023). "Padres name Mike Shildt as manager with 2-year contract". MLB.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  26. ^ Passan, Jeff (November 21, 2023). "Padres hire Mike Shildt as new manager on 2-year deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  27. ^ Eddy, Matt (November 12, 2019). "Top 15 Most Accomplished Minor League Franchises Of The 2010s". College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  28. ^ "Where does Mike Shildt rank in the history of Cardinals managers?". ksdk.com. October 14, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  29. ^ "Revisting Mike Shildt's comments on his Cardinals departure". FOX 2. June 7, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  30. ^ "Shildt takes home NL Manager of Year Award". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  31. ^ "Season Records | St. Louis Cardinals". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  32. ^ "How Cards' infield D went from worst to first". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  33. ^ "Cards first team to win 5 -- FIVE!! -- GGs". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  34. ^ "Inside the Cardinals' turnaround behind Mike Shildt". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  35. ^ "Mike Shildt". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  36. ^ https://www.ksdk.com/article/features/st-louis-cardinals-manager-mike-shildt-gets-married/63-6955f08f-d474-4f30-86bc-9f4b7540b5a4
  37. ^ Kruse, Ethan (August 11, 2020). "Mike Shildt - Love and Grow". His Huddle. Retrieved February 6, 2022.

External links

St. Louis Cardinals managers
San Diego Padres managers
National League Manager of the Year Award
San Diego Padres current roster
Major League Baseball first base and third base coaches by team
Major League Baseball team managers
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