Matheny Shares His Side

(Busch Stadium) Following the comments on social media and then in the clubhouse from Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny took to his usual pregame spot in the dugout and shared his thoughts on the situation.

“Actually, I never said he was tired,” began Matheny. “Conversation happened exactly as how it happened out here, it happened inside with him. It was very clear. I think it just got misspoken in translation–the fact that, yeah, I watched him on the bases and it looked like something was bothering him. Like what took him out of the game, he took himself out against the Cubs. Knowing that that ankle and also he’s got a knee that’s been barking–tired never came out of my mouth. Somehow I think it was interpreted and someone said it was insinuated–I think it needs to be kept to what was said.

“I’ll continue to say that there are days, just like I’ve told you guys from Day 1 when you’ve asked about how much I’m playing him, he’s a player that I’m going to continue to keep in the conversation. There’s days when something just doesn’t look right and I’ll talk to him and we’ll get through it one way or another. This is not the first time where he didn’t agree with me. And that’s my job, to figure out days when we have to get somebody a day, whether they like it or not. Unfortunate part about my job, is there’s a whole bunch of guys in there that want to be in there more or differently than they are and we’ve got to roll with that every single day. I’ve got to make tough decisions sometimes. When I see something that I believe we need to act on, we’re going to do it if it’s what’s best for the club and what’s best for the individual.”

The manager was asked if it bothered him that Molina went public instead of addressing the issue privately.

“No, we had it addressed too,” said Matheny. “I went to him the night before last and said here’s what we’re doing. Know he wasn’t happy, but. Not very often does it gets outside the clubhouse doors, so that is what makes it different but once again, I want guys who want to play. If they didn’t, I wouldn’t want them in there. Obviously, there’s certain ways we want to go about it.”

Matheny echoed Molina’s earlier comments that the two of them had yet to speak today.

“We talk all the time–this isn’t like a lack of communication,” said Matheny. “Very clear where each of us stands. Everything has been said. We both know, very clear–sometimes you’re not going to agree. My job’s not necessarily to make everybody happy, only because you can’t do it. We try to respect everybody, be as open as we can but when it comes down to it got decisions to make. That’s what I do. Sometimes you’re going to get support and sometimes not so much. We all have to adjust accordingly. When things like this come up–you know what, opportunity. Opportunity for us to get it sorted out and let this not become a distraction for what we’re trying to do moving forward and that’s exactly how we’re going to handle it.”

While the post on Instagram may not have been anticipated, there was some expectation things were headed in this direction.

“We even had some conversations last night, I mean this wasn’t a secret,” said Matheny. “I wasn’t surprised this morning. Kind of saw it coming. I saw it coming back in Chicago. I get it. I get it.”

After his phone began “blowing up” this morning after Molina’s post, Matheny discussed the situation with others in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

“Okay, here’s what we have–how are we going to handle this?,” he explained. “A lot of you were asking why have you not talked to him so far today, some of this just has to be flushed out. Guys need to go and talk to people, get their feelings and their thoughts heard. We’ve addressed this stuff. You’ve got to realize how much time we’re together. We have plenty of opportunities to address whatever situation comes about and we do. In the meanwhile, guys gotta find out what they’re thinking and what they want to do with it moving forward.”

Unlike the during the media session with Molina, where the topic of Carson Kelly was raised, Matheny brought the topic up on his own.

“I was very clear the day, actually Yadi was the very first to know that we were bringing Carson (Kelly) up and I know that that all plays in to this where you’re playing time is going to look a little different,” he said. “I think part of that is understanding that we’d love for him to be strong at the end of the year. I believe we can make some adjustments and get this kid a great opportunity to help us win and maybe potentially even help him in his career–those are conversations we had on the plane even before Carson knew he was coming. Just to have those things out in the open. Once again, I told Yadi I didn’t think he looked tired. I check. Told him at great length how great I thought he was playing–and he is. Hope he continues to play like he has been. But again, we have to make decisions that we feel are going to be best for our club night by night. Sometimes we’re going to get support, sometimes we’re not.”

“I get it,” said Matheny, who recalled writing and submitting a goal of catching 162 games to Phil Garner when he played for him in Milwaukee. “I know Yadi, in particular, wants to catch 174 but it isn’t going to happen. It’s just not. And the likelihood of that moving forward too, as players do age and we have other talented people that can help us do what they need to do, I think it’s more of that situation and us being willing to make a decision to help a guy and hope it can stretch out how good he can be for this season, and for next, and following, and following. Just trying to do what’s right for everybody.”

There is also one key point Matheny was clear to emphasize.

“Carson’s going to get some time and it might look a little bit different than how it was with Eric Fryer, but Yadi’s our catcher,” he said. “There’s no confusing this. If (Carson) gets one out of the five, or 1 day, 1.5 a week–that’s basically what every other catcher in the league’s doing…what (Yadi) does is special. I mean, special. I love watching him and have since the first I saw him and looking forward to continue to watch him. But there’s times we have to stick and move, we have to adjust, and the dynamics we have on our club right now are going to make that look a little bit different, but still he’s our catcher. Carson’s going to continue to be able to improve by getting opportunities that might be a little different than what we’ve seen in the past.”

And similar to Molina, Matheny stands by his actions.

“Yesterday, if I had to do it again it’d be the exact same lineup doing the exact same thing,” he said. “That was the right thing to do. So, that’s how you get through this. You guys are tired of me saying it, but what do you do? You do the next right thing. Regardless if it’s popular or not. If you can do that, it’s a little easier to sleep at night and that’s what we’re going to do as we continue forward.”

Later in the media session, Matheny revisited the Chicago game in question and reminded that he called timeout to be sure that Yadi was okay after the catcher limped into second base. That began the decision to have Kelly catch, especially since it would be for Weaver. He also drew a comparison between Molina and Adam Wainwright.

“I know how they’re wired, especially how he’s wired,” said Matheny. “You don’t take yourself out. Had this conversation with Waino, how hard that was for him to admit the fact that he was hurt. It’s counterintuitive for guys that have been raised in the generation to grind. Some of our older players, that’s where they get as much gratification from this game as anything else is the grind. I would be mad too if I trained so hard that I knew my goal was to not look tired and somebody who’s making decisions says I’m tired. I’d take offense to that. The only thing that bothers me to that is that it was never said and unfortunately, somebody took some liberties to mix up injuries with tired. It’s unfortunate. This would’ve probably come to a head anyhow, but it’s unfortunate that it came through that way.”

photo credit: Jasen Vinlove, Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports