Heartbreaking news: The St Louis Cardinals s’ head coach is suspended after it proved that he had an affair with his key player,s wife
It is growing twilight. The game was over hours ago. The grounds staff is the only ones still inside the stadium, tarping the field.
One man is still wearing his full uniform.
Mike Shildt has been sitting on the San Diego Padres bench for the past ninety minutes. There is nowhere for him to go. He had plenty of time on his hands while he tried to figure out how he had arriver.
In an instant, he is spearheading the St. Louis Cardinals to one of the most spectacular September runs in baseball history, securing a third consecutive postseason berth.
The following, he gets fired without warning, goes to the Padres for an interview regarding a managing opening, and ends up joining the team as an interim third base coach and player development consultant.
He’s still working on getting over his emotional scars and wants to concentrate on the here and now, but he understands that for the time being, the past still defines who he is.
“I’m heartbroken,” Shildt admits to USA TODAY Sports. “It aches still.” It aches a lot. I cried when it first happened. I couldn’t be happy. With time, I became better. Then it hit me when I came down here and put on the Padres uniform.
