St. Louis Cardinals: Chris Maloney removed as third base coach

This afternoon the St. Louis Cardinals made a move that they hope will improve the overall play of the club, and in turn result in more wins for the team.

In a move that may shock Cardinal fans, Chris Maloney has been let go as third base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and will be reassigned in the organization. The move comes after a tenuous stretch that saw the Cardinals struggle to produce runs and win games. After an embarrassing seven game losing streak John Mozeliak decided it was time to make a move.

Chris Maloney was hired as the first base coach for the Cardinals in 2011. He then switched to the other side of the diamond when Jose Oquendo had to step away from the team due to hip surgery in 2016. So far this year, Maloney has been subject to fire after making a handful of questionable calls to send guys home, where they were subsequently tagged out, costing the team a chance at valuable runs.

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The move is a surprising one; this front office has never been in a position to remove a position coach midseason. Replacing Maloney will be Mike Schildt. With the lack of success this team has seen at the plate and the amount of money that has been invested in the lineup a change was needed. Mike Schildt will have a large task ahead of him, trying to get this team’s bats to the place they are supposed to be.

Maloney may be the scapegoats of a team that has struggled in all facets of the game, but this team needed a change. Being only a handful of games out of first place in a weak division allows the Cardinals to believe they still have a chance at a playoff run. This move will hopefully provide a spark to the team and lineup that has been underwhelming to date.

Next: Offending offense

Also joining the big league coaching staff are Mark Budaska and Pop Warner. These moves are being made in hopes to improve the teams overall play. Hopefully this is the first of a few moves Mozeliak will be making in an attempt to improve this team and its chances at the postseason.