For the past two seasons, Mike Shildt led the San Diego Padres to the postseason, but in October he suddenly stepped away from his job. In November, he joined the Orioles as the team’s upper-level field coordinator.
The 57-year-old Shildt also managed the St. Louis Cardinals for four seasons. In his four seasons of managing in the majors, Shildt won at least 90 games.
In this conversation, which was edited for brevity, Shildt talks about his long history with the Orioles, and what he’ll doing now.
Question: How did this new position come about?
Shildt: “I got a call from Matt Blood [Orioles vice president for player and staff development]. He called and said: “You mentioned you wanted to get back into the teaching aspect of the game. Would you be interested in talking to the organization to see if it’s a fit?’
“I said, ‘absolutely, I would be more than willing to do that.’ And so it, started the process.”
Question: At the same time, the Orioles were looking for a manager. Was that ever a consideration?
Shildt: “Not at all. At this stage of my life, I’m not looking. Never say never moving forward, but when I left I was really sincere about wanting to get into the teaching again and work with players and mentor staff. It was not on my radar, and it was not on their radar, either. It was not mentioned at all. They’ve got the right guy.”
Question: You’ve seemingly done everything there is to do in the game, and the Orioles didn’t have someone with your type of experience. Did that give you pause?
Shildt: “I’m excited about having somebody with some real baseball experience and multiple baseball experiences. I’ve done almost everything in the game at almost every level, including the amateur level. Am I surprised? It’s a great organization. They want to be a very complete organization, and I just want to help complement what the Orioles are doing.”
Question: What are you going to do be doing?
Shildt: “It will continue to evolve. I’ll go to big league camp. I’ll stay in big league camp as long as they need me. My primary responsibility in camp will be whatever [manager Craig Albernaz] and [bench coach] Donnie Ecker need, and all the coaches need. From an instructional standpoint, cutoffs and relays, bunt plays, things related to the fundamentals.
Question: What will you do during the season?
Shildt: “Once the season starts, I’ll spend six days per month at Norfolk, Chesapeake and Frederick. I’ll do that every month throughout the season, and then we’ll see whatever else they need me to do, and I’ll be there for them.”
Question: You have a very long history with the Orioles’ organization and specifically with Cal Ripken Jr. When did you start working for their Charlotte affiliate?
Shildt: “I had the most amazing childhood, unbelievably blessed. I started when I was 8 years old, and my mom, Lib, was the administrative assistant to the general manager, Frances Crockett. I started off for $5 a game chasing foul balls. Then I was a clubhouse attendant on both sides, including the umpire’s room, so shining shoes, washing uniforms, bat boy.
“In 1980, Cal was there, and he played every game. Showed up every day at home for early work, was always the first one in the clubhouse and the last one to leave. Once I figured out Cal’s schedule, you just gravitate towards it. You just knew he was different. I always timed it when I’d always have his shoes done, and then I was always finishing when I knew he was going to come in, the other shoes, so I could just be near him.
“In 1983, they’re going to open up the playoffs against the White Sox, and my mom drops me off, calls the front office in Baltimore, says Mike’s going to come in to watch [batting practice], and I’m sitting in the stands and John Shelby comes over to me and goes, ‘come on to the clubhouse, the guys are going to say hello.
“Cal is near the front door of the clubhouse, and he’s doing a radio interview. I’m not going to bother him. He puts his big paw and stops me, gives me the sign, like, ‘hey, wait a minute.’ Finishes his radio interview, ‘Hey Mike, good to see you. How you been? Hey, let me introduce you to our radio guy, Jon Miller.”
Question: Were you sure it was the right decision to leave managing?
Shildt: “I never felt like I needed to manage to define me as a person, first and foremost, and the identity of who I am and what I am about, and secondarily, I don’t need to have managed to get enjoyment and fulfillment and be able to serve, which is what managers and coaches do for the players in the organization.
“When I looked up during the course of the season and realized it was taking a real toll on me, and I was spending every day with Luis Arraez at first base and then we traded for O’Hearn and got Ryan over, and ‘man this is the best part of my day, getting on the field and working with the player.’
“I knew what I was walking away from. It’s a sacred position that I value and respect highly and am grateful for and I was able to have done it, and leave a situation better than I found them and, yes, it was a little bit of a leap of faith, but I know thyself and I was comfortable with what I was looking to do with where I am with my life at the moment, and I felt like I would get the opportunity, and the phone would ring.
“You never know in life, and I made the decision, and the phone did ring quite a bit, and thankfully the Orioles called, and it’s validated 100 percent with the quality people, quality organization. Heck, I talked to Cal this morning. It feels absolutely right. I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had, super excited about the opportunity I’m going to have in Baltimore, and the people I’m going to be able to do it with. I couldn’t be more ecstatic.”
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.