The St. Louis Cardinals have been surprisingly successful this season, and are in the mix for an NL Wild Card spot at the All-Star Break. Given the organization's commitment to building around its young core, this is a development few pundits saw coming. Heck, the Cards early success even has manager Oli Marmol – who some fans wanted fired after last season – in the running for NL Manager of the Year. Suffice to say, Marmol is not going anywhere.
However, that will not stop the chatter. If there is anything Cardinals fans love, it is the idea of a fan favorite coming home to lead his team to glory. Marmol does not have the same cache as, say, Albert Pujols or Yadier Molina. Both Cardinals legends have managed elsewhere, particularly in the World Baseball Classic and the Mexican Winter League, to rave reviews.
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Albert Pujols could be the most realistic Oli Marmol replacement
Pujols in particular has interest in managing in MLB one day.
"I feel that I can offer so much to players and to teams," Pujols said. "And it's about growing and helping. It's not about me. It's about helping others, and having that passion. I have that love and that passion for the game. This was my job, this was my life. For me, that's why I want to do it. If the opportunity comes, why not?"
Pujols and Molina are not alone in their interest. Skip Schumaker, a former Cardinals fan favorite, managed the Marlins successfully for years. He's now a member of the White Sox organization. On Sunday night, another former Cardinal made a ploy to join the coaching ranks in Matt Holliday.
Why Matt Holliday could join the Rockies organization
When Holliday's son Ethan was drafted by the Colorado Rockies with the fourth-overall pick, Matt was asked if he'd consider coaching his kid.
"I have a lot of friends that are still there," Holliday said, after he was asked whether he had any interest in a role as a coach or in the front office. "I'm happy to be as involved or in the background as they would like for me to be."
Holliday would have a long way to go from Rockies special assistant to the dugout, but Colorado is such a mess they'd be willing to try anything to win. This is the same team that fired Bud Black earlier this season, and could still break the MLB record for most losses in a season. If Holliday joins the organization in any way – and his son can product like his father – he'll have a lot of sway in the room.
What that does mean is the likelihood of Holliday ever replacing Marmol is slim to none. If Holliday were interested in coaching, he'd want to stay in Colorado, which is probably where he belongs.