Baseball fans on social media were quick to weigh in on the Cardinals' seemingly abrupt firing of manager Mike Shildt on Thursday, after a successful run of three-plus years.
Shildt, 53, was let go with one year remaining on a three-year extension he signed after the 2019 season, when he was named National League Manager of the Year.
The Cardinals cited the proverbial "philosophical differences" as reason for the move.
Though Shildt's style wasn't to every fan's liking, there's no denying his success in three full seasons as Cardinals manager, including two postseason appearances. His overall career winning percentage is an impressive .559.
This season, the Cardinals languished in mediocrity until well into the second half, before finishing with 90 wins on the strength of a dreamlike 17-game winning streak in September.
Despite a tough loss to the 106-win Dodgers in the Wild Card game, most assumed Shildt had shored up his position with the incredible finish -- but then came Thursday's news.
Here's what baseball journalists and fans were saying on Twitter:
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