Yadier Molina's recent managerial experience should send a message to Oli Marmol

Following a surprising postseason appearance in 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals made the shocking decision to fire manager Mike Schildt over 'philosophical differences'. Schildt's replacement was bench coach Oli Marmol whose tenure as Cardinals manager has been rocky, to say the least.

Record-wise, the Cardinals should have more success than they have under Marmol. The 2022 season saw them get knocked out of the postseason in the Wild Card round despite having home field advantage by the eventual NL Champion Phillies, and then this past season was an unmitigated disaster with the Red Birds winning just 71 games, their lowest win total in a full season since 1990.

Marmol feuding with players like Tyler O'Neill hasn't helped things either. All of these issues make his seat arguably the hottest in the majors. With a franchise icon waiting in the wings now getting managerial experience, the seat only gets hotter.

Yadier Molina's recent managerial experience only makes Oli Marmol's seat as Cardinals manager hotter

Molina spent his entire 19-year career with the Cardinals and is one of the best players and leaders in Cardinals history. He took his leadership to the Caribbean Series this winter as manager of Criollos de Caguas and he had nothing but encouraging things to say about his experience.

"“Overall, it was a tournament that gave every one of us a lot of experience,” he said. “Players, owners, GM. I’m really happy with the experience they gave me. Obviously, the results weren’t there. The last two games [losses to Panama and Curaçao] simply weren’t our best games."

- Yadier Molina

With his experience as a manager over (for now), Molina will turn his attention back to the Cardinals as he accepted a position earlier this offseason as a special assistant to president of baseball operations John Mozeliak.

While Molina is working in the front office now, his future could very well be in the dugout. Chances are, there's only one team Yadi will want to manage. If things don't get any better with Marmol in St. Louis, his chance to manage the Cardinals might come sooner than later, and his experience this winter might play a role in that.