Mike Shildt Says He Has 'A Broken Heart' After Cardinals Firing: 'It Still Hurts'

Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt was caught by surprise when the team fired him in October. But even now months later and after he was hired as interim third base coach of the San Diego Padres, Shildt admitted that he is still not over it.

"I have a broken heart," Shildt told USA Today's Bob Nightengale after a spring training game. "It still hurts. It hurts bad. When it first happened, I broke down. I was inconsolable. I got better as time went on. Then I got down here, put on the Padres uniform, and it hit me."

Shildt's firing came as a shock after he led the Cardinals to a third consecutive playoff appearance. St. Louis had won a franchise-record 17 straight games in September to reach the National League Wild Card Game, where it lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The late-season performance earned Shildt a nomination for NL Manager of the Year. He finished third in the voting behind winner Gabe Kapler of the San Francisco Giants and Craig Counsel of the Milwaukee Brewers.

At the time of Shildt's firing, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak cited "philosophical differences" as the reasoning behind the move without further explaining those differences.

Shildt's career began as a scout and manager in the Cardinals' minor league system. After working his way up the organization over the course of 18 years, it's understandable that he was hurt by his dismissal.

"I just never thought I would not be a Cardinal. It left me shattered. But time heals, to some degree," Shildt said. "It’s just that I love those guys with all of my heart, and it hurts knowing I can’t be with them."

Shildt's job with the Padres is set to end in a few weeks when Matt Williams returns from hip-replacement surgery. He will serve as San Diego's player development consultant when Williams comes back.