The Cardinals began interviewing for Tony La Russa's replacement Thursday with two managerial candidates with Cardinals bloodlines coming through the doors at Busch Stadium, and there are at least two more interviews scheduled for today.
Class AAA Memphis manager Chris Maloney and former Cardinals' utility infielder Joe McEwing had formal, in-person interviews Thursday, according to Cardinals sources with knowledge of the search. Both met with chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak as well as other members of the front office. Maloney said his interview took about 2½ hours.
"It is like we talked about in there how this is a great opportunity for somebody," Maloney said. "To come into a situation that is tremendous because of the way we played, the way the season went, the way the team competed and went about things — whoever gets the job is stepping into a great situation."
The Cardinals will have a face-to-face interview with Terry Francona possibly today. Francona, who guided the Boston Red Sox to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007, will be in St. Louis for an interview, WEEI in Boston reported. He has been confirmed by sources as a candidate for the job.
In Chicago on Thursday, new Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein told reporters that he remained in contact with Francona, the manager he had during his tenure with the Red Sox. Epstein described "ongoing discussions" with Francona but added that he didn't know if Francona was the ideal fit for the Cubs at this time. The Cubs also reportedly have pursued Texas pitching coach Mike Maddux, and Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin is set to be the first to get a formal interview, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Epstein spoke encouragingly about Francona landing a job with someone, even if it is with the Cardinals.
"If that's the right fit for him, then I'd be happy for him, and he'd make them better," Epstein told Chicago media. "And he'd try to find a way to beat us and we'd go out, try to find a way to beat him. I certainly want what's best for him, and that's potentially a great fit for him. I'm sure he's at the top of (the Cardinals') list."
The Cardinals have interviews scheduled for third-base coach Jose Oquendo and former catcher Mike Matheny, who is now a special assistant to the general manager. The club has received permission to speak with Hall of Fame second baseman and Philadelphia Class AAA manager Ryne Sandberg, the Post-Dispatch reported Thursday.
Maloney, 50, has been manager of the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in Memphis the past five seasons. His teams played for the Pacific Coast League championship in 2009 and 2010, winning the title in 2009. Seventeen of Maloney's 20 seasons as a minor-league coach have been in the Cardinals organization. He received the organization's highest award for minor-league instructors, the George Kissell Award, in 2006 and 2009.
Though most recently with the Chicago White Sox organization, McEwing has deep roots with the Cardinals. McEwing was drafted by the Cardinals in the 28th round of the 1992 draft and debuted at the major-league level in 1998. A year later, McEwing finished fifth in the voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award. He hit .275 with 65 runs scored in 152 games in 1999, and he appeared at seven different positions.
McEwing, 39, has spent the past three seasons as a minor-league manager for the White Sox, first with the Class A Winston-Salem affiliate in 2009 and '10 and then with Class AAA Charlotte. Less than two weeks ago he was hired as the third-base coach for new manager Robin Ventura's staff on the South Side.
Three of baseball's iconic franchises are searching for new managers at the same time, with the Red Sox joining the Cubs and Cardinals in the hunt.
The Cubs have stated that they are searching for a new manager with experience as a coach or manager at the major-league level. Mozeliak put no such prerequisites in place for the Cardinals' next manager.
"I thought we had a real good dialogue," Maloney said a few hours after his interview. "Definitely a plus in my favor is knowledge of the organization. I've worked with most of the players on the way up, and it was a real gratifying feeling to watch players we had in Memphis contribute in the World Series. I think knowledge of the team is one thing, but so too is knowing how they like to run things, how to do things the 'Cardinal way.'"
