Royals manager Mike Matheny believes a former Cardinals coach resurrected his career
Pregame interviews with a Major League Baseball manager can go in some strange directions during the course of a sixth-month season, and that is one way to explain why Royals skipper Mike Matheny was talking about Christmas cards in July.
The subject arose during the Royals’ last home stand, and Matheny was saying how his team was trying to win games, not increase a Christmas card list.
With the White Sox in town, Star sports columnist Vahe Gregorian asked if Chicago manager Tony La Russa was on the list.
Matheny chuckled and said, “He is, but he’s been there a long time.”
That kindled a memory, as Matheny said he was still friends with White Sox coaches Shelley Duncan and Joe McEwing.
In fact, it was Shelley Duncan’s father, Dave, who helped Matheny’s playing career survive in 2000.
“You don’t necessarily take them off the Christmas card list after you stop wearing the same colors, but I was telling Shelley this: my career, I’d been released twice in two years before, but (former Cardinals pitching coach) Dave Duncan was the one that really took a shot to give me a chance,” Matheny said.
The Blue Jays and Brewers had each parted ways with Matheny before he signed with St. Louis when La Russa was managing the Cardinals.
That first spring training apparently wasn’t going well for Matheny, who would go on to win four Gold Glove awards at catcher from 2000-06. He also appeared in the postseason three times, including the 2004 World Series.
“I should have been released when I went to spring training for the first time over there,” Matheny said. “And Dave Duncan saw something. I was pretty sure I was done. ... Little did I know I had pretty much a full career or established a career after that.
“One man saw something that nobody else did including Tony (who) will deny it, but I remember I felt very much the Tony was going to release me. But Dave Duncan saw something that he liked and next thing you know, I’m catching opening day. Next thing you know, we’re going to the postseason. And so, I’m forever indebted. So people like that I don’t take off my Christmas card list.”
The Royals open a three-game series against the Cardinals on Friday in St. Louis.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 11:21 AM.
