The Easiest Decision Mo Will Ever Have to Make

There are several valid picks for who should be the next manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.  There is only one truly correct pick, though.  I'll get to that in a moment.  But the easiest decision John Mozeliak will ever have to make is to pass on Jose Oquendo.

When you're a big deal, and the St. Louis Cardinals are a big deal (they have to be considered a top five managerial job in baseball), you don't have to make weak picks like hiring from within.  Weak because it generally doesn't work.  You remember when Notre Dame hired from within by hiring Bob Davie to replace Lou Holtz?  Or when Bill Stewart replaced Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia?  Does it work?

But let's be fair to Oquendo and just view his resume on its individual merits.  He was a mediocre player (as have many managers).  And now he exists as a base coach.  Bench coaches often get hired, or pitching coaches, but what special expertise does one get from being a third base coach?  And how does it translate to being a Major League manager?

Basically, here is my verdict on Jose Oquendo: He could end up good.  But he's a gamble.  Let the Nationals hire him.  The Cardinals can afford to hire somebody with an actual track record.  The whole notion that Albert Pujols will leave unless the Cardinals hire Jose Oquendo is utterly absurd--what MLB manager would have more of a rapport with Pujols than anyone the Cardinals hire?

But anyway, the easiest decision John Mozeliak can ever make is to hire Joe Maddon.  Maddon, with a huge cast of nobodies and castoffs, consistently wins.  In Tampa Bay.  And he grew up a Cardinals fan.  And unlike LaRussa (and Oquendo), he's a fan-friendly charmer.  This doesn't really matter as much as the record, but it's nice I suppose.  Terry Francona is an acceptable pick, but do we really want the guy who let his players drink beer in the clubhouse during games manage a team whose president verbally thanked Budweiser as their victory parade?  Either way, though, the Cardinals pick a manager worthy of the pedistil.

Let's abandon this insane notion that we need to get a Cardinal for life.  Maddon may not be a "true" Cardinal, but you could not possibly have been less of a Cardinal than Tony Larussa.  Screw sentimentality.

And here is my 100% guarantee: If Joe Maddon is hired as manager, and Albert Pujols reacts by signing elsewhere, and we don't sign anyone exceptional (but still get Wainwright back), we will end next year with a better record than this year.  Craig can play right and Berkman can play first.  Don't deprive the Cardinals of the best manager in baseball because of the fickle nature of somebody who may not come back anyway.