The Matheny Manifesto

I encourage anyone, regardless of your like/dislike for the Cards or baseball in general, to pick up a copy of the book. If you value old school ideology and enjoy first-hand accounts of players that have made it to the highest level you will certainly enjoy it. It's a quick read and has tons of anecdotes for coaches, leaders, and just people in general to learn from. There is an emphasis on youth sports as well and has some no-nonsense advice for parents and coaches alike. Highly suggest it to anyone with kids in the "travel ball" world.

He also discusses his faith at length. However, he doesn't do it in a "holier than thou" sense. He simply doesn't shy away from his beliefs and displays many of the characteristics that society has lost over the years.

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Mike Matheny was just forty-one, without professional managerial experience and looking for a next step after a successful career as a Major League catcher, when he succeeded the legendary Tony La Russa as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012. While Matheny has enjoyed immediate success, leading the Cards to the postseason three times in his first three years, people have noticed something else about his life, something not measured in day-to-day results. Instead, it’s based on a frankly worded letter he wrote to the parents of a Little League team he coached, a cry for change that became an Internet sensation and eventually a “manifesto.”

The tough-love philosophy Matheny expressed in the letter contained his throwback beliefs that authority should be respected, discipline and hard work rewarded, spiritual faith cultivated, family made a priority, and humility considered a virtue. In The Matheny Manifesto, he builds on his original letter by first diagnosing the problem at the heart of youth sports-hint: it starts with parents and coaches-and then by offering a hopeful path forward. Along the way, he uses stories from his small-town childhood as well as his career as a player, coach, and manager to explore eight keys to success: leadership, confidence, teamwork, faith, class, character, toughness, and humility.

From “The Coach Is Always Right, Even When He’s Wrong” to “Let Your Catcher Call the Game,” Matheny’s old-school advice might not always be popular or politically correct, but it works. His entertaining and deeply inspirational book will not only resonate with parents, coaches, and athletes, it will also be a powerful reminder, from one of the most successful new managers in the game, of what sports can teach us all about winning on the field and in life

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TL;DR: Pick up a copy of this book. You'll most likely enjoy it.