Mike Matheny facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Matheny
Matheny with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013
Catcher / Manager
Born: (1970-09-22) September 22, 1970 (age 54) Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 7, 1994, for the Milwaukee Brewers
Last appearance
May 31, 2006, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
Batting average	.239
Home runs	67
Runs batted in	443
Managerial record	756–693
Winning %	.522
Teams
As player Milwaukee Brewers (1994–1998) Toronto Blue Jays (1999) St. Louis Cardinals (2000–2004) San Francisco Giants (2005–2006) As manager St. Louis Cardinals (2012–2018) Kansas City Royals (2020–2022)
Career highlights and awards
4× Gold Glove Award (2000, 2003–2005)

Mike Matheny (born September 22, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player. He also used to be a manager for two Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. These teams were the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals.

Matheny played as a catcher for 13 seasons in MLB. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants. After his playing career, he managed the Cardinals for seven seasons. He was known as one of the best defensive players of his time. He won four Rawlings Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding. As a manager, his teams won one National League (NL) pennant and three NL Central division titles.

Matheny grew up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. The Brewers picked him in the 1991 MLB draft after he played at the University of Michigan. He started his MLB career with the Milwaukee Brewers on April 7, 1994. He set major league records for catchers. He played 252 games in a row without making an error. He also handled 1,565 chances without an error. In 2005, he set a Giants team record for catcher's fielding percentage at .999.

Matheny played in two World Series with the Cardinals. He was a player in 2004 and a manager in 2013. He stopped playing in 2006 because of concussion symptoms. Since then, he has worked to prevent concussions and make catching safer. After playing, Matheny coached Little League Baseball. The Cardinals hired him to manage in 2011, even though he had no professional coaching experience. He became the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to the playoffs in his first four seasons.

Early Life and College Baseball

Mike Matheny grew up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This town is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. He went to Reynoldsburg High School. There, he was the captain of both the baseball and football teams.

He received a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Michigan. Major league scouts noticed his strong defense and throwing skills. The Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in 1988. However, Matheny decided to go to college instead of signing a professional contract right away. He felt he wasn't ready for professional baseball yet.

In 1990, Matheny played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers. He was named an all-star in that league.

Playing Career (1991–2006)

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Milwaukee Brewers chose Matheny in the eighth round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft. He spent three years playing in the minor league system. He made his first appearance in the major leagues with the Brewers on April 7, 1994. He was 23 years old. He became their main catcher the next season.

In 1998, Matheny was hit in the face by a pitch during a game. He walked off the field with blood in his mouth. After that season, the Brewers let him become a free agent. The Toronto Blue Jays then signed him for the 1999 season. He was a backup catcher for them. After one season, Toronto released him. He then signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in December 1999.

Time with the St. Louis Cardinals

Matheny barely made the Cardinals team after spring training in 2000. But he soon became their starting catcher. He had his best batting average at .261. He also played amazing defense. His fielding percentage was .993. He threw out 53% of players trying to steal bases. This was much higher than the league average.

Matheny helped the Cardinals win the National League Central Division title. He also won his first Gold Glove award. After the season, the Cardinals signed him to a three-year contract. In 2003 and 2004, Matheny won more Gold Gloves with the Cardinals. His defense helped St. Louis reach the playoffs in four of his five years there. They even won the National League pennant in 2004.

From 2002 to 2004, Matheny played 252 games without making an error. This set a new Major League record for catchers. He also set another record in 2004. He handled 1,565 chances without an error. During his time with the Cardinals, he caught 611 games. He made only 14 errors. His .997 fielding percentage is the best for any Cardinals catcher. He became a free agent after the 2004 World Series. This was partly because a new catcher, Yadier Molina, was ready to play.

Playing for the San Francisco Giants

Matheny playing for the San Francisco Giants in 2006.

Matheny signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants in December 2004. In 2005, he hit a career-high 13 home runs. He also had 34 doubles and 59 runs batted in (RBIs). He continued his excellent defense. He had a team-record .999 fielding percentage. He led National League catchers in double plays and assists. He also caught 39 base-stealers. This earned him his fourth Gold Glove. He also won the Willie Mac Award that year. This award is for spirit and leadership on the Giants team.

On May 31, 2006, Matheny was placed on the disabled list. This happened after several foul balls hit his mask. He suffered a serious concussion. In July, the Giants announced he would not return for the rest of the season. His career was in doubt because of ongoing post-concussion syndrome.

Retirement and Career Stats

On February 1, 2007, Matheny announced he was retiring from Major League Baseball. He was 35 years old. This was due to his ongoing concussion symptoms.

In his 13-year career, Matheny played in 1,305 games. He had 925 hits in 3,877 at-bats. His career batting average was .239. He hit 67 home runs and had 443 RBIs. He led National League catchers twice in fielding percentage. His career fielding percentage was .994. This ranks tenth all-time among Major League catchers. He also led National League catchers twice in caught stealing.

Managerial Career (2012–2022)

Managing the St. Louis Cardinals

Matheny as manager of the Cardinals in June 2012.

On November 14, 2011, the St. Louis Cardinals announced Matheny as their new manager. This was after Tony La Russa retired. Matheny became the youngest manager in the major leagues. His only prior coaching experience was in Little League Baseball.

First Season as Manager

On April 4, 2012, Matheny won his first game as a manager. The Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins. His first season was a success. The Cardinals finished with an 88–74 record. They won the National League wild-card game. This allowed them to play in the playoffs. The Giants later defeated the Cardinals in the NLCS.

Winning Division Titles

On February 14, 2013, the Cardinals kept Matheny for the 2014 season. In 2013, he led the team to a 97–65 record. This was the best record in the National League. They also won his first National League Central division title. The Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs. This earned them his first NL pennant. However, the Boston Red Sox defeated the Cardinals in the World Series.

Matheny presents the Cardinals lineup card on May 12, 2014.

The Cardinals won the NL Central division title again in 2014. This was their second title in a row. They also made their third straight playoff appearance with Matheny as manager. They beat the Dodgers in the playoffs for the second year. But the Giants eliminated the Cardinals in the NLCS.

In 2015, the Cardinals had an amazing start to the season. They won 19 of their first 25 games. On May 17, 2015, Matheny earned his 300th win as a manager. In September, the Cardinals were the first team to make the playoffs. Matheny became the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to the postseason in his first four full seasons. The Cardinals won 100 games in 2015. This was their third straight NL Central division title. However, the Cubs defeated the Cardinals in the NLDS.

Later Years with Cardinals

On May 27, 2016, Matheny got his 400th career win. In 2016, his contract was extended until 2022. On May 1, 2018, Matheny managed his 1,000th game for the Cardinals. He was only the fourth manager to do this for the team. He was fired by the Cardinals on July 14, 2018. His record with the Cardinals was 591 wins and 474 losses.

Managing the Kansas City Royals

On October 31, 2019, Matheny was hired as manager of the Kansas City Royals. This was after their previous manager, Ned Yost, retired. The Royals kept Matheny through the 2023 season. However, on October 5, 2022, the Royals announced that Matheny would not return as manager for the 2023 season.

Managerial Record

Awards and Accomplishments

Key Accomplishments

• First manager in MLB history to lead a team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons (2012–15).
• Had a 100-win season as a manager (2015).
• Set an MLB record for catchers with 252 consecutive games without an error (2002–04).
• One of only three catchers in MLB history to have a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in at least 100 games (2003).
• Had three straight seasons (2003–05) with a fielding percentage of .999 or higher.
• Set a San Francisco Giants single-season record for catcher's fielding percentage (.999 in 2005).
• Managed 1,000 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Awards Won

• 2× Baseball America Toolbox Awards for best manager (2nd place in 2014, 2nd place in 2015).
• Darryl Kile Good Guy Award (2003).
• Major League Baseball All-Star manager (2014).
• Missouri Athletic Club Sports Personality of the Year (2015).
• 6× National League Central division title winner (2000, 2002, 2004 as player; 2013, 2014, 2015 as manager).
• 2× National League pennant winner (2004 as player; 2013 as manager).
• 4× Rawlings Gold Glove Award at catcher (2000, 2003–05).
• Willie Mac Award (2005).

Personal Life and Community Work

Matheny's wife, Kristen, played field hockey at the University of Michigan. They have five children together. Their oldest son, Tate, played college baseball and was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. Their daughter, Katie, played ice hockey at Ohio State. Two of their younger sons, Luke and Blaise, have also played college baseball. Matheny studied sports management and communications in college. He also focused on Spanish.

Matheny often writes on his blog about leadership and improving youth sports. He is a devoted Christian. He sometimes includes Bible verses when he signs autographs.

Community Work

Matheny started a charity called Catch-22. The name comes from his playing position (catcher) and uniform number (22). This group donated tickets for Cardinals games from 2002 to 2004. In 2005, Matheny opened the Catch-22 Miracle Field in Chesterfield, Missouri. This special field has a flat, soft rubber surface. It helps children with different physical and mental challenges play baseball.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a catcher leaders
• List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
• St. Louis Cardinals award winners and league leaders