Mike Matheny

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Mike Matheny
IMG 9783 Mike Matheny.jpg
St. Louis Cardinals – No. 22
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1970-09-22) September 22, 1970 (age 42)
Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Batted: Right Threw: Right 
MLB debut
April 7, 1994 for the Milwaukee Brewers
Last MLB appearance
May 31, 2006 for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics
(through May 17, 2013)
Batting average     .239
Home runs     67
Runs batted in     443
Games managed     203
Win–loss record     115–88
Winning %     .567
Teams

As player

As manager
Career highlights and awards
Matheny playing for the San Francisco Giants in 2006.

Michael Scott Matheny (born September 22, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player and the current manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.[1] He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for four different teams during his thirteen-year playing career. Although Matheny was not a prodigious hitter, he was considered one of the best defensive catchers of his era, winning four National League Gold Glove Awards.[2][3] He is one of only three catchers in Major League history to catch at least 100 games in a single season without committing an error.[4]

Contents

Playing career [edit]

Matheny grew up in Ohio and attended the University of Michigan, where he was the co-captain of the Michigan Wolverines baseball team.[5][6] He was drafted in the 8th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, and spent the next three years in their minor league system.[7][8] He made his major league debut with the Brewers on April 7, 1994 at the age of 23, and became their starting catcher early in the 1995 season.[1][9] At the end of the 1998 season, Matheny became eligible for salary arbitration and the Brewers made the decision to grant him free agency on December 21, 1998.[10] He signed a contract to play for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1999 season during which he played as a backup catcher to Darrin Fletcher. After only one season in Toronto, he was released by the Blue Jays and signed to play for the St. Louis Cardinals on December 15, 1999.

Matheny barely made the Cardinals team roster after the spring training session, but went on to earn the starting catcher's role in the 2000 season.[11] He posted a career-high .261 batting average and provided exceptional defense for the Cardinals, with a .993 fielding percentage and throwing out an impressive 53% of would be base stealers while the league average was only 32%.[12] Matheny helped the Cardinals improve from a fourth place finish in 1999 to capturing the National League Central Division title, and claimed his first Gold Glove Award in the process.[13] After the season, the Cardinals rewarded him for his contributions by signing him to a three-year contract worth $9 million.[11]

While playing for the Cardinals, Matheny won three Gold Glove Awards (2000, 2003, 2004) and his defensive contributions helped the team reach the postseason in four of his five years with the team.[2] Between August 1, 2002 and August 4, 2004, Matheny played in 252 games without committing an error, establishing a new Major League record for catchers.[4] He set another Major League record for catchers in 2004 by fielding 1,565 consecutive chances without an error.[4]

Matheny was signed by the San Francisco Giants to a three-year contract on December 13, 2004. He won a Gold Glove Award in his first season for the Giants in 2005. He won the Willie Mac Award in 2005 for spirit and leadership.[14] Matheny went on the disabled list on May 31, 2006 after a series of foul balls caromed off his mask, resulting in a serious concussion. In July, the Giants announced that he would not return for the remainder of the season and that his career status was in doubt. MLB.com's Giants beat writer, Rich Draper, said that Matheny's career was likely over due to his continued struggles with post-concussion syndrome.[15]

Retirement [edit]

On February 1, 2007, Matheny announced his retirement from Major League Baseball because of his on-going symptoms of post-concussion syndrome.[4] Shortly thereafter, Matheny took his first steps in retirement, becoming a baseball mentor for Protégé Sports and filming some catching tips and drills for the Scottsdale-based company.

Career statistics [edit]

In a thirteen-year major league career, Matheny played in 1,305 games, accumulating 925 hits in 3,877 at bats for a .239 career batting average along with 67 home runs, 443 runs batted in and an on base percentage of .293.[1] He led National League catchers twice in fielding percentage and ended his career with a .994 average, which was 4 points above the league average during his playing career.[1] His .994 career fielding percentage ranks tenth all-time among Major League catchers.[16] Matheny also led National League catchers two times in baserunners caught stealing.[1]

Managerial career [edit]

On January 24, 2008, it was reported that Matheny would return to the St. Louis Cardinals organization to act as a special adviser for the first two weeks of spring training. He was announced as the new manager of the St. Louis Cardinals on November 14, 2011. At the time, he became the youngest manager in Major League Baseball.[17]

On April 4, 2012, Matheny won in his managerial debut with the Cardinals against the Miami Marlins in the first game of their new ballpark.[18] On April 24, 2012, Matheny received his first ejection from a game for arguing a pivotal safe/out call by umpire Bill Welke in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.[19]

On February 14, 2013, the Cardinals agreed to picking up his 2014 option. [20]

Personal [edit]

He is married to wife Kristen, a former field hockey player at the University of Michigan. The couple have 5 children: one daughter, Katie, and 4 sons, Michael "Tate", Luke, Jacob and Blaise.

In 2005, Matheny opened a "Catch 22" field in Chesterfield, Missouri. This field has a completely flat surface and is used for disabled children. [21]

Matheny is heavily in debt after several poor real estate transactions. He lost a 17 room house in Missouri and is rumored to be in debt to the tune of more than $4 million, depending on the outcome of lawsuits involving his bad real estate transactions.[22]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Mike Matheny statistics". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  2. ^ a b Vass, George (May 2005). "For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense". Baseball Digest. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  3. ^ "Sports Illustrated Players' Poll: Who is the best defensive catcher in the major leagues?". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  4. ^ a b c d "Giants catcher Mike Matheny announces retirement". mlb.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  5. ^ "Matheny makes the plays". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 30 April 1997. p. 8. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  6. ^ "Mike Matheny". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  7. ^ "1991 Major League Baseball Draft 8th Round". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  8. ^ "Mike Matheny minor league statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  9. ^ "1995 Mike Matheny batting log". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  10. ^ "Bando heading to meetings in search of pitching help". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 11 December 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  11. ^ a b "Matheny Signs 3-Year Extension Worth Around $9 Million". nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  12. ^ "Mike Matheny fielding statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  13. ^ "2000 Gold Glove Award winners". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 4 April 2012. 
  14. ^ "Willie Mac Award Winners". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved 12 January 2012. 
  15. ^ Giants mailbag: Steep price for Zito? MLB.com
  16. ^ "Career Leaders & Records for Fielding Percentage as Catcher". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 3 April 2012. 
  17. ^ Strauss, Joe. "Cards hire Matheny as manager". STLtoday.com. Retrieved November 14, 2011. 
  18. ^ Langosch, Jenifer. "Matheny doesn't have to break sweat in first win". Retrieved April 5, 2012. 
  19. ^ "Cubs win in 10 to end Cards' run of 13 straight winning series". Retrieved April 25, 2012. 
  20. ^ "Cards extend Mozeliak, pick up Matheny's option". MLB.com. February 14, 2013. 
  21. ^ "Matheny loved for his work off the field". KSDK. 
  22. ^ "Matheny lost his dreamhouse faces lawsuit". nbcsports. 

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