Skip Shumaker is already linked to nightmarish landing spot for Cardinals fans

When Skip Schumaker had the club option removed from his contract before the 2024 season, it was abundantly clear that the upcoming season would be his last with the Miami Marlins. That their season went as poorly as could be expected just a year earlier, following a shocking postseason exit, only made it more obvious that Schumaker was going. The only question was where he would end up.

The Chicago White Sox were always a possibility, but would Schumaker really want to join what is probably the worst team in MLB history? Another team that was linked pretty heavily to Schumaker was a team he himself played for, the St. Louis Cardinals. They would have to fire Oli Marmol first, but the Cardinals would be a good fit for a proven MLB manager.

After the Cincinnati Reds fired coach David Bell on Sunday, they now appear to be an interesting option.

In fact, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Reds already have Schumaker on their radar as a possible replacement. If that isn't a nightmare for Cardinals fans, then it's hard to see what else could be.

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If the Cardinals were to lose Schumaker, whether to keep Marmol or hire someone else, they would at least like to see the 2023 NL Manager of the Year not playing in their division. Teams like the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers have solid benches in Craig Counsell and Pat Murphy, respectively, but the Reds currently don't have a manager, and they're a team that could do some serious damage with Schumaker.

Yes, the 2024 season didn't go the way Cincinnati envisioned. If they don't finish the year on a five-game winning streak, they'll finish below .500, just one year after looking like legitimate postseason contenders. Still, they've had as much bad luck as any team in the National League.

Matt McLain, one of their best players last season, hasn't played a single game in 2024, missing the year due to injury. Jeimer Candelario, their big free agency signing last offseason, has missed a lot of time due to injury. Noelvi Marte, a top talent, was caught using performance-enhancing drugs and has missed a large portion of this season.

As for the pitchers, virtually everyone who started a game for the Reds missed some time due to injury. Their bullpen wasn't as banged up, but still struggled. Alexis Diaz, in particular, took a step back after an All-Star year in 2023.

It felt like everything was going wrong for the 2024 Reds, but as of this writing, they're still just five games under .500 and have a positive run differential. A positive run differential suggests this Reds team is better than its record suggests. They have an extremely young and exciting core led by electrifying stars like Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene who can put together monster years, and also a strong supporting cast with guys like Spencer Steer and Nick Lodolo who can provide major sparks.

The 2024 season didn't go as planned, but with better health and a better bullpen, this Reds team could have been a threat even without Schumaker. With Schumaker, a manager who led an undermanned Marlins team to the postseason, the sky's the limit.

This Reds team has a lot more talent than the 2023 Marlins, and yet Schumaker led them to the postseason. The idea of ​​Schumaker joining a talented and young team in the NL Central may not be particularly exciting for Cardinals fans.