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)

Michael Scott Matheny (born September 22, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 13 seasons. Mike was a catcher for teams like the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. A catcher is the player who squats behind home plate to receive pitches.

After his playing career, Matheny became a manager. He led the St. Louis Cardinals for seven seasons. He also managed the Kansas City Royals. Mike was known as one of the best defensive players of his time. He won four Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding. As a manager, his Cardinals teams won one National League (NL) pennant and three division titles.

Matheny was chosen by the Brewers in the 1991 MLB draft. He started playing in MLB on April 7, 1994. He set records for catchers by playing many games without making an error. He played 252 games and handled 1,565 chances without an error. He is one of only three catchers in MLB history to have an error-free season with at least 100 games. In 2005, he set a Giants team record for a catcher's fielding percentage at .999.

Mike Matheny played in two World Series as a player and managed in one. He retired from playing in 2006 because of concussion symptoms. Since then, he has spoken out about preventing concussions and making catcher safety better. After playing, he coached Little League Baseball. The Cardinals hired him to manage in 2011, even though he had no professional coaching experience. He led the Cardinals to the playoffs in his first four seasons. This was a first for any MLB manager.

Early Life and College Baseball

Mike Matheny grew up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. He went to Reynoldsburg High School, where he was captain of both the baseball and football teams. He received a scholarship to play baseball at the University of Michigan.

Major league scouts noticed Matheny's strong defensive and throwing skills in high school. The Toronto Blue Jays drafted him in 1988. They tried hard to convince him to sign with them. However, Matheny felt he wasn't ready for professional baseball yet. He decided to go to college instead. He called the Blue Jays from his dorm room to tell them his decision right before his first class.

At the University of Michigan, Matheny was a co-captain of the Wolverines baseball team. He also played in a college summer league called the Cape Cod Baseball League in 1990. He was named an all-star in that league.

Playing Career (1991–2006)

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Mike Matheny in 1991. He spent three years playing in the minor leagues, which are lower-level professional baseball teams. He made his first appearance in Major League Baseball with the Brewers on April 7, 1994, when he was 23 years old. He became their main catcher the next season.

In 1998, during a game, Matheny was hit in the face by a pitch. He walked off the field with blood in his mouth. After that season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. The Toronto Blue Jays signed him in December 1998 for the 1999 season. He was a backup catcher for them. After that season, Toronto let him go.

Success with the St. Louis Cardinals

Matheny joined the St. Louis Cardinals in December 1999. He barely made the team at first, but he soon became their starting catcher in 2000. He had his best hitting year with a .261 batting average. He was also amazing at defense. He had a .993 fielding percentage, which means he made very few errors. He also threw out 53% of players trying to steal bases, which was much higher than the league average.

Matheny helped the Cardinals win their division title in 2000. He also won his first Gold Glove award that year. After the season, the Cardinals signed him to a new contract. In 2002, after his teammate Darryl Kile passed away, Matheny became an important leader. He helped the team get through a tough time and reach the playoffs. He won more Gold Gloves with the Cardinals in 2003 and 2004.

His great defense helped St. Louis reach the playoffs in four of his five years with the team. They even won the National League pennant in 2004, which meant they played in the World Series. Between 2002 and 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 by handling 1,565 chances without an error. He left the Cardinals after the 2004 World Series.

Time with the San Francisco Giants

Mike Matheny signed with the San Francisco Giants in December 2004. In 2005, he hit more home runs than ever before, with 13. He also had 34 doubles and 59 runs batted in (RBIs). He continued to be an excellent defensive player. He set a team record with a .999 fielding percentage. He also led National League catchers in double plays, assists, and throwing out base-stealers. He earned his fourth Gold Glove award that year. He also won the Willie Mac Award, given to a Giants player for their spirit and leadership.

On May 31, 2006, Matheny was put on the disabled list. He had a serious concussion after several foul balls hit his mask. In July, the Giants announced he would not play for the rest of the season. His career was uncertain. He continued to have problems from the concussion.

Retirement from Playing

On February 1, 2007, Mike Matheny announced he was retiring from Major League Baseball. He was 35 years old. He retired because of ongoing symptoms from his concussion.

In his 13-year career, Matheny played in 1,305 games. He had a .239 career batting average, 67 home runs, and 443 RBIs. He was known for his excellent defense. He led National League catchers in fielding percentage twice. His career fielding percentage of .994 was much better than the league average. He also led National League catchers twice in throwing out base runners.

Managerial Career

Leading the St. Louis Cardinals

Matheny as manager of the Cardinals in June 2012.

In January 2008, Matheny returned to the St. Louis Cardinals as a special advisor. On November 14, 2011, the Cardinals announced he would be their new manager. He took over after Tony La Russa retired. Matheny was the youngest manager in Major League Baseball at the time. Before this, his only coaching experience was in Little League Baseball.

First Seasons as Manager

On April 4, 2012, Matheny won his first game as a manager. The Cardinals finished the 2012 season with a good record. They won the Wild Card game to make the playoffs. However, the San Francisco Giants defeated them in the NLCS.

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

In 2013, Matheny led the Cardinals to an even better season. They had the best record in the National League and won their first division title under him. The Cardinals defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs. This led them to the World Series, where they lost to the Boston Red Sox. In November 2013, the Cardinals extended Matheny's contract through 2017.

Matheny was the National League manager in the 2014 All-Star Game. The Cardinals won their division title again in 2014. This was their second straight division title and third straight playoff appearance with Matheny as manager. They beat the Dodgers in the playoffs again. But, just like in 2012, the San Francisco Giants eliminated the Cardinals in the NLCS. The Giants then went on to win the World Series.

Later Seasons with the Cardinals

In 2015, the Cardinals had an amazing start to the season. They had the best record in MLB after 25 games. On May 17, 2015, Matheny earned his 300th win as a manager. In August 2015, other managers and coaches in the National League voted Matheny as the second-best manager. On September 19, the Cardinals were the first team to make the playoffs. Matheny became the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons.

The Cardinals won 100 games in 2015, which was a first for Matheny as manager. They also won their third straight division title. However, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cardinals in the playoffs that year. Matheny finished second in the voting for the National League Manager of the Year Award.

On May 27, 2016, Matheny got his 400th career win. His contract was extended to 2022. On May 1, 2018, Matheny managed his 1,000th game for the Cardinals. He was only the fourth person to do so. However, the Cardinals fired him on July 14, 2018. This happened after the team had not made the playoffs for the two previous years. His record with the Cardinals was 591 wins and 474 losses.

Managing the Kansas City Royals

On October 31, 2019, Matheny was hired as the manager of the Kansas City Royals. He had been a special advisor for the Royals before this. The Royals kept Matheny through the 2023 season. However, on October 5, 2022, the Royals fired Matheny. He did not have a winning season with the Royals. His best year with them was 2021, with 74 wins.

Managerial Record Summary

Awards and Achievements

Mike Matheny has achieved many great things in baseball:

Accomplishments

• He was the first manager in MLB history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first four seasons (2012–2015).
• He had a 100-win season as a manager in 2015.
• He set an MLB record for catchers by playing 252 games in a row without an error (from 2002–2004).
• He is one of only three catchers in MLB history to have a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in at least 100 games (in 2003).
• He had three straight seasons (2003–2005) with a fielding percentage of .999 or higher, with one or fewer errors, and at least 100 games caught.
• He set a San Francisco Giants team record for a catcher's fielding percentage (.999 in 2005).
• He managed 1,000 games for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Awards

• 4-time Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner as a catcher (2000, 2003–2005).
• 2-time National League pennant winner (2004, 2013).
• 6-time National League Central division title winner (2000, 2002, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015).
• Major League Baseball All-Star (2014, as manager).
• Willie Mac Award (2005).
• Darryl Kile Good Guy Award (2003).
• Missouri Athletic Club Sports Personality of the Year (2015).

Personal Life

Mike Matheny's wife, Kristen, played field hockey at the University of Michigan. They have five children. 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. Mike studied sports management and communications in college.

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

Charity Work

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

Real Estate Ventures

Mike Matheny faced financial difficulties due to some real estate investments. In 2005, he started a partnership to buy land. They made a profit on one deal. However, another large investment lost money, especially around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. This left Matheny with significant debt. He later lost a large house in Wildwood, Missouri, because of these financial issues.

Images for kids

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  Matheny playing for the San Francisco Giants in 2006.