Evaluating the 4 strongest St. Louis Cardinals managerial candidates

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Who will be the next St. Louis Cardinals manager?

As we all know by now, the St. Louis Cardinals made a stunning-jaw-dropping-fall-out-of-your-chair move on Thursday by firing manager Mike Shildt. No one, absolutely no one, saw this coming. Even the most committed Shildt critics were taken aback.

Immediately names from inside and outside the Cardinals started to surface. Names mentioned inside the Cardinal organization included Oliver Marmel, Stubby Clapp, Jose Oquendo and Yadier Molina. Outside the organization included names former Cardinals such as Skip Schumaker, Mark McGwire and Matt Holliday. Even former Giants skipper Bruce Bochy’s name has surfaced.

My fellow contributors here at Redbird Rants, Robert Murray, Miranda Remaklus, and J.T. Buchheit have all posted their opinions on the next Cardinals skipper. Everyone has an opinion, including me.

I’ve posted this on Twitter and Facebook, I believe the next Cardinals manager will come from one of the internal options. There are two primary reasons for this:

1) All the coaches were retained. If the Cardinals were going to hire from outside the organization, I don’t think they would keep all these guys. In other words they would’ve started cleaning house.

2)Additionally, no self respecting manager from outside the organization would agree to come unless they could bring in some of their own coaches. Especially hitting and pitching coaches. Could you imagine Bruce Bochy agreeing to come to St. Louis and not have a say in the coaching staff? Even Skip Schumaker would want some input on this staff.

Now let’s look at the most obvious internal candidates to be the next Cardinals skipper.

Oliver Marmol

If anyone on the current Cardinals coaching staff looks like they have been groomed to be a skipper, it’s Marmol.

Since being drafted by the Cardinals in 2007, Oliver Marmol has spent his career with the organization. First as player, then a minor league hitting coach, next as the manager of the Johnson City Cardinals, and later the Palm Beach Cardinals.

He was promoted to the major-league club to become the first base coach in 2017 and by 2019, was the bench coach. The 35-year old Marmol has coached and managed young prospects such as Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and Alex Reyes during their early years.

If Marmol was picked to be the next manager, it might make the transition from the poplar Mike Shildt easier for the players. Marmol is thought to be highly respected in the Cardinals clubhouse.

John Mozeliak (right) before a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Stubby Clapp

Stubby Clapp, the Cardinals current first base coach since 2019, has the resume to be a big league skipper. Like Marmol, he has extensive experience coaching and managing in the minor leagues. Unlike Marmol, he has experience coaching and managing in organizations outside of the Cardinals, such as Houston and Toronto.

Because of his playing days in AAA Memphis and his short run with the Cardinals in 2001, Clapp would certainly be a fan favorite if he got the job. In fact, he is the first player in Memphis Redbird history to have his number retired. As manager of the Redbirds, he led them to two PCL Championships.

Among the players he has coached in the minors are Tommy Edman, Tyler O’Neil, Paul DeJong, and Harrison Bader. It’s believed, like Marmol, that Clapp is highly respected inside the Cardinal clubhouse. Again, hiring Stubby Clapp would make the transition from Shildt easier on the players.

Jose Oquendo

The 58-year-old Jose Oquendo has the extensive experience throughout the Cardinal organization which would make him an appealing candidate. He is also a highly respected coach and instructor.

Qquendo has been with the Cardinals organization in 1985. First as a popular utility player, then later as a minor league coach, manager, and finally a third base coach.

Oquendo was long thought to be the heir apparent to Tony La Russa. But when La Russa retired after the 2011 season, Mike Matheny was named manager. Nevertheless, Oquendo stayed on as third base coach until 2015. He eventually joined the front office as an assistant to the General Manager and became an infield instructor for minor league players in the Cardinals Jupiter. Florida facility.

Now, it is now generally believed the Cardinals would look toward someone currently on the big league coaching staff. Also, it’s believed Oquendo may not be interested in returning to the Cardinals dugout and would prefer to stay in Florida as a minor league instructor.

Yadier Molina

Yadier Molina will one day be a coach and a manager somewhere. He’s highly respected among his peers, in the Cardinal clubhouse, and throughout baseball. But he won’t be a player-manager for the Cardinals in 2022, or maybe ever.

If president of baseball operations John Mozeliak did pick Molina to be the player-manager for the Cardinals, it would be one bold move. But Mozeliak has already made one bold move in October, he fired Mike Shildt. I don’t expect another bold move this soon.

Mozeliak is probably saving his next bold move for a free-agent signing or trade as we get deeper in the offseason. Historically, Mo just doesn’t make too many bold moves in one year.

Besides, promoting Molina to player-manager could create additional ‘philosophical differences’. He is a strong personality and would, in my opinion, challenge the front office more than they are comfortable with.

I just don’t think Molina would be a good fit for this organization as a manager.

Mike Shildt (8) out of the game during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

So who will be the next manager?

In my opinion, it comes down to Oliver Marmol or Stubby Clapp. In fact, I believe they are the only two choices John Mozeliak and the Cardinals are seriously considering.

Between the two, I believe Oliver Marmol will be the next manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. To me, from what I’m reading from folks like Rick Hummel of the Post Dispatch, Katie Woo of The Athletic, and Dayn Perry of CBSsports.com, Marmol is the guy. He seems to make everyone’s list.

Let me say this, I have advocated on social media, that maybe some fresh blood in this organization is needed. Bringing in a manager from outside the current coaching staff could be a positive boost.

Next. 5 free agents the St. Louis Cardinals should keep in 2022. dark

But it’s not going happen. The next manager was in the dugout this year, and it’s likely to be Oliver Marmol.

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