JUPITER, Fla. — It was three, maybe four weeks into the shortened spring training when Oliver Marmol experienced the sensation so many first-time managers do.
A simple question from a player about whether he could head to the back fields for some additional at-bats or shift his schedule to play in a specific game, something simple, and the Cardinals’ rookie manager paused before answering.
“My first instinct is, ‘Let me call … myself?’” he said. “It wasn’t even a big deal. They asked if they could do something and my thought was, ‘Let me ask.’ No, I’m not asking anyone.