Inside The Cardinals

Retired Cardinals Postseason Hero Lands Coaching Job In Padres Farm System

The former St. Louis slugger isn't finished with baseball
Nate Hagerty|
Oct 12, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams comes out for a curtain call after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the 8th inning in game two of the 2014 NLCS playoff baseball game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams comes out for a curtain call after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the 8th inning in game two of the 2014 NLCS playoff baseball game at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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St. Louis CardinalsSan Diego Padres

The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most respected organizations in Major League Baseball after years of producing homegrown stars and winning championships.

Even after retiring from the game as a player, several former Cardinals fan favorites have gone on to dominate in coaching roles. For instance, 2011 World Series champion Skip Schumaker won National League Manager of the Year in his first year with the Miami Marlins in 2023.

Another former Cardinals fan favorite follows a similar path after landing a coaching job with the National League West-foe San Diego Padres in his first official offseason as a retired player.

"Less than four months after he returned to St. Louis and signed a one-day contract to retire as a Cardinal, Matt Adams has his first coaching role," St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reported Friday night. "On Friday, the former Cardinals first baseman was named bench coach for the El Paso Chihuahuas, the San Diego Padres' Triple-A club."

Adams, also known as "Big City", batted .266 with 148 extra-base hits including 59 home runs, 226 RBIs and a .760 OPS throughout seven seasons with the Cardinals.

The 36-year-old is best remembered in St. Louis for his incredible performance during the 2014 NL Divisional Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

During game four of the 2014 NLDS versus the Dodgers, Adams blasted a three-run home run off of three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw in the bottom of the 7th inning, making Busch Stadium erupt. The Cardinals went on to win the game 3-2, sealing the series three games to one.

The last time Adams played in the big leagues was with the Colorado Rockies in 2021. Since stepping away from MLB, he has spent the past few years playing in various independent leagues.

Perhaps Big City could return to the organization that drafted him (Cardinals) in a coaching role someday. For now, he'll get his start with the NL West-rival Padres.

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Nate Hagerty
NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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