Why did franchise favorite Matt Holliday resign as St. Louis Cardinals bench coach?

Entering the 2023 season, the St. Louis Cardinals will need to move on from several club legends, the most recent being Matt Holliday. The former All-Star and World Series champion resigned from his base coaching job with the club, stating a desire to spend more time with his family as the reason behind the decision.

"I was really looking forward to having Matt Holliday around again this season. But I totally understand him not wanting to miss out on what his kids are doing. #STLCards" - Jim Hayes

Holliday joins Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina as Cardinals legends who will no longer be a part of the St. Louis organization this season. Both Pujols and Molina retired from the MLB after a combined 41 seasons in the Majors, 31 of which were spent with the Cardinals.

Holliday originally joined the Cardinals coaching staff in November 2022 but decided the fit was not for him. The former All-Star cited his desire to spend more time with family as the reason, which makes sense after spending a lifetime in the MLB.

Throughout his 15-year career in the MLB, Matt Holliday won the 2011 World Series with St. Louis, was elected to seven All-Star teams, and was a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He finished his career with a .299 batting average with 316 home runs, 1220 RBIs, and 108 stolen bases.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Holliday in the seventh round of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Stillwater High School in Oklahoma. He spent six seasons with the Colorado Rockies before being traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2009 for pitchers Huston Street and Greg Smith and outfielder Carlos González.

"Fun fact the Rockies got Carlos Gonzalez and Huston Street in the Matt Holliday trade. In the Nolan Arenado trade....they did not." - Ryan Freemyer

He eventually made his way to St. Louis following another 2009 trade when the A's traded Holliday to the St. Louis Cardinals for prospects Brett Wallace, Clayton Mortensen, and Shane Peterson. Holliday would thrive with the Cardinals, being named an All-Star four times and winning the World Series.

Matt Holliday's son is following in his footsteps

The 2022 Draft will be forever etched in history as the first draft to have the top two picks be the sons of former MLB players. With the first overall pick, the Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday, son of former MLB star Matt Holliday.

Second overall was Druw Jones, son of former MLB outfielder Andruw Jones, who was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks to become an essential piece of their future.