MIAMI (AP) — Skip Schumaker has been a candidate to take over as manager of the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets for the past few years, only to see those clubs pick someone else.
The Miami Marlins didn’t let him get away.
Schumaker was hired by the Marlins on Tuesday to become the 16th manager in franchise history after what the team described as “a thorough process.”
“As we continue to grow as an organization, we felt it was important to find someone who had been part of a winning culture,” Marlins general manager Kim Ng said. “Having been a member of two Championship teams, along with his reputation for tenacity and making the most of his ability, Skip will be a tremendous example to our players. His leadership style, teaching skills and attention to detail made him the obvious choice as the club’s new manager.
Schumaker — who played for World Series-winning clubs in St. Louis in 2006 and 2011 — comes to Miami from the Cardinals, with whom he has spent this season as a bench coach. Schumaker had served as San Diego’s first base coach and associate manager from 2018 to 2021, then joined the Cardinals’ staff.
“Skip has a long list of distinguished accomplishments as a player and coach that showcase the remarkable individual that he is as well as the high level of credibility and leadership that he will bring to the shelter and the organization. Marlins,” said Marlins owner Bruce Sherman. . “He has incredible passion and a winning spirit that will lead the way for the Marlins franchise.”
Schumaker, 42, succeeds Don Mattingly, who led the Marlins for seven seasons. Mattingly went 443-587 with Miami, winning the NL Manager of the Year award after leading the Marlins to the pandemic-shortened 2020 season playoffs.
Mattingly’s contract expired at the end of that season, and he and the Marlins front office agreed it would be best if the two sides did not reach a new deal.
The Marlins went 69-93 this season, the 12th time they have finished with a losing record in the last 13 years. The exception was 2020, when they went 31-29.
The Marlins’ 2022 season started with a bit of a shock: In February, Hall of Famer Derek Jeter — who had been the CEO of Miami, the first black person in baseball history to hold that role with a franchise — announced a surprise departure after 4 1/2 mostly unsuccessful years that fell short of his success as a New York Yankees player.
Now Mattingly, like Jeter, a former Yankees captain, is leaving and Schumaker is taking over to lead Miami’s next rebuilding effort. Schumaker inherits a club that has a Cy Young Award hopeful in All-Star ace Sandy Alcantara (14-9, 2.28 this season in an MLB-best 228 2/3 innings). But the Marlins struggled a lot at home plate — their .230 team average ranked 27th out of 30 MLB clubs, and the team was 28th in runs scored.
“I’m very excited and grateful that Bruce, Kim and the Marlins organization have given me the opportunity to manage a very talented team,” Schumaker said. “Delivering a winning and enduring culture in hopes of getting into the playoffs is the next step for this organization and South Florida – and I can’t wait to get started.”
The Marlins are the second team to change managers since the end of the regular season. Texas hired veteran Bruce Bochy as skipper last week, and there are now two openings left – Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox.
NL champion Philadelphia Phillies have made something of a managerial change, taking the interim tag away from Rob Thomson. The move came two days after the Phillies swept St. Louis 2-0 in a wildcard series, which ended with Schumaker saying goodbye to the Cardinals. Additionally, Toronto reached a three-year deal with John Schneider, who had served as the Blue Jays’ interim manager.
Schumaker played in the majors for 11 seasons, mostly with the Cardinals, and now gets his first managerial opportunity with Miami — which shares a spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla., with St. Louis.
Schumaker started for the Cardinals team that won the 2011 World Series. The California native batted .278 in 1,149 games while playing mostly second base and outfield. He retired in March 2016 while at camp with the Padres on a minor league contract.
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