Kansas City Royals: 3 reasons Mike Matheny should be next Royals manager

Matheny had tremendous shoes to fill taking over for Tony La Russa.

Cardinal fans are not used to prolonged losing which is more pressure. Matheny never oversaw a team that played under .500 ball. Even the year he was let go by St. Louis, he still had a winning record.

An important trait for the next skipper of the Kansas City Royals is to have a leader who is used to winning. During a five-year run as a player with the Cardinals between 2000-2004, he was part of a team that went to the playoffs four times and made it to the World Series.

As a manager, Matheny’s winning percentage is 55 percent and his teams made the playoffs four times including a National League pennant in 2013. A 100-win season in 2015 led to Matheny finishing second in the NL Manager of the Year award voting.

Matheny can bring the confidence of playing for a winner and leading a winner to the clubhouse. This will be a valuable tool for the players on the current roster who have been through two very dark seasons. He will connect with the young players coming up through the minors that have experienced championship success as well.

One trait that is hard to replicate in a clubhouse is a winning attitude.  Matheny has the track record to earn the respect of the Royal players who are focused on getting back in the playoff hunt.