Mike Matheny Respected Will Clark but Not Kenny Lofton

Mike Matheny always knew what to do when he was a player. He will know what to do as the St. Louis Cardinals manager.

The Cardinals acquired Will Clark at the July 31, 2000 trading deadline. For most of his career, Clark wore No. 22, but catcher Mike Matheny was 22. No problem.

Matheny offered uniform No. 22 to Clark, who could have probably received it if he had asked for it. The new Cardinals manager had worn the number for seven seasons, but team unity trumped personal preference. The team that Matheny inherited knows that quite well. Ask the Texas Rangers or the Philadelphia Phillies.

When Clark was told that Matheny had worn 22 for so long, he decided that it belonged to the catcher. Matheny thought differently.

Out of respect for Clark and to welcome his new teammate, Matheny requested No. 44 and asked Clark to wear his old 22.

"It's just a number," Matheny said. "I don't see the big deal."

Matheny hit well over .300 and had a 12-game hitting streak after giving Clark his number. The 36-year-old first baseman batted .345 with the Cards, with 12 home runs. The Redbirds won the Central Division, finishing 10 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds.

Two years later, Matheny was catching the first game of the NLCS against the San Francisco Giants.

Kenny Lofton hit a home run off Matt Morris and admired his handiwork before starting his trot around the bases.

When Lofton cavorted to the plate in the fifth inning for his next plate appearance, Mike Crudale, who had just replaced Morris on the mound, fired the first pitch. It was headed straight for Lofton's head.

Lofton went berserk. He screamed at Mike Matheny that the pitch was intentional. Matheny remained silent, which spoke volumes. The catcher knew that Lofton was aware of his actions and that he had been in baseball long enough to not be surprised.

Crudale had thrown a "purpose" pitch.

In 2002, admiring home runs was not as accepted as, sadly, it is today.

Matheny knows how the game is supposed to be played. The 2011 Cardinals under Tony La Russa knew how the game is supposed to be played.

You don't show up your opponent. You respect the opposition and expect the same from them.

No one knows how the Cardinals will fare in 2012.

Were they a solid team that jelled the last two months of the season or were they a team that got hot for an extended period of time at just the right time?

No one can replace Tony La Russa. John Moziliak, Bill DeWitt, the Cardinals players and most of all, Matheny know that, but in Mike Matheny, the Cardinals have a winner.

Reference

Deveney, Sean. "Last Man UP." The Sporting News 25 Sept. 2000: 8. General OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2011.

Jones, Todd. "Sick to my stomach. (The Closer)." The Sporting News 21 Oct. 2002: 45. General OneFile. Web. 14 Nov. 2011.