The St Louis Cardinals are in the throws of a rebuild. Franchise legends Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, and Yadier Molina have all retired, leaving the team without a true identity. Pujols has caught the coaching bug, saying that he wants to become a Major League manager. His Cardinals teammate Molina says that he is also looking to become a manager and he would even consider coaching the Cubs.
“I have the passion right now for coaching and teaching,” Molina told The Athletic's Katie Woo. “I would love to have that experience and think I can have that soon, but like I said I’m concentrating on my family. That’s the hard part for me to make a decision about managing.”
Molina said that he is partial to the Cardinals organization but would take a job anywhere. Like literally, anywhere. “But this is baseball, right?” Molina continued. “If we decide as a family, if I have a chance to manage, I can manage anywhere. … I’d manage the Chicago Cubs, if they want.”
The Cubs have the most expensive manager in the league, with Craig Counsell entering his second season in the Windy City. But Molina has a long way to go before becoming an MLB manager.
Could the Cardinals bring back some legends for this rebuild?
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Yadier Molina already works for the Cardinals as a special assistant to President John Mozeliak. But in his interview with Woo, he says he has not been present around the organization. He recently moved his family from Puerto Rico to Texas and is prioritizing his son's high school baseball career. But he does want to stay in the game and eventually become an MLB manager.
Pujols and Molina could both be great managers but disaster awaits all-time legends who become skippers. Ted Williams had a rough ride with the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers and Pete Rose had moderate success with the Reds. Molina played the position that led to the most successful manager, catcher.
If Pujols does become an MLB manager, he would be the first player to ever manage a game and have 700 career homers. Molina won't have a stat like that, but he would be among the best players to ever manage for a team. Could the Cardinals get both of them on their coaching staff to start their managing career? The franchise could use an excuse to get fans to the ballpark and numbers 4 and 5 in the dugout can only help.
