Insider: Three potential candidates if Cardinals fire manager

The St. Louis Cardinals may have some intriguing options if they ultimately decide to move on from manager Oliver Marmol.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Thursday that three very well-known names could be candidates for Cardinals manager if the team opts to fire Marmol. Heyman mentions that the most obvious candidate is current Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, a former champion player for the Cardinals. However, Heyman also lists two other highly compelling possibilities — St. Louis greats Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols. Molina is said to be interested in managing (provided that his family gives him the O.K.), and Pujols is also interested, Heyman adds.

Schumaker, 44, would indeed be the most qualified option of the three. He is the reigning NL Manager of the Year after leading Miami to a surprise playoff berth last season. But the Marlins are an MLB-worst 13-32 this season, and Schumaker, who can become a free agent after the year, is facing rumors of a likely departure from Miami.

As for Molina, 41, and Pujols, 44, they are two of the most beloved figures in Cardinals franchise history. Though neither has any experience yet coaching at the MLB level, Molina recently returned to St. Louis in a front-office role, and Pujols just landed a manager gig in a different baseball league.

It is entirely possible that the Cardinals decide to move on from Marmol, who won 93 games and a division title in his first year as manager but has struggled badly ever since (with St. Louis at a lackluster 18-25 this season). Schumaker might be the dream replacement for the Cardinals, but the fans would likely be pleased with any of those three former players stepping into the manager job.