Last night the Miami Marlins named St. Louis Cardinals bench coach Skip Schumaker to be their new manager.
Schumaker, 42, will succeed Don Mattingly who parted ways with the Marlins after seven seasons at the helm. During Mattingly's tenure, the Marlins reached the post-season once during the COVID shortened 2020 season.
The Marlins picked Schumaker over perpetual bridesmaids Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro who are the bench coaches for the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively. Former New York Mets manager and current New York Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas was also in the mix.
Schumaker played in MLB from 2005 through 2015 as an outfielder and second baseman primarily with the Cardinals where he earned World Series rings in 2006 and 2011. In 2018, Schumaker was hired by the San Diego Padres to be the team's first base coach. In 2020, following the hiring of Jayce Tingler as manager, Schumaker was given the title of associate manager. Schumaker rejoined the Cardinals organization prior to this season.
The Marlins decision to hire Schumaker has been well received earning praise from ace pitcher (and possible NL Cy Young Award winner) Sandy Alcantara and outfielder Jazz Chisholm. Still, the Marlins will have their work cut out for them. Then again a NL East team has represented the Senior Circuit in the World Series three out of the past four years. Could the Marlins be the next NL East team to make the World Series? If they do then baseball fans in Miami will skip for joy.
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