An unusually high number of coaching changes were executed across the Cardinals minor league system following a 2009 season in which there were several notable occurrences.
The organization’s three Class A clubs each won fewer games than the year prior, missed the post-season and a number of the emerging prospects did not advance as well as hoped.
Perhaps it was just coincidence that the Cardinals’ three Class A managers were replaced for 2010. The contracts of Quad Cities’ Steve Dillard and Palm Beach’s Tom Spencer were not renewed and Batavia manager Mark DeJohn is moving into an organizational role in 2010 as the senior roving field instructor.
In addition, during the summer, major league pitching coach Dave Duncan publicly aired some internal dirty laundry with comments critical of how the minor league instructional staff prepares their pitchers for the major leagues.
Maybe it is just business as usual, a normal position rotation, that seven of the nine minor league pitching coaches will be new in their jobs for 2010 along with four of the nine hitting coaches. Maybe not. All seven of the newly-assigned pitching coaches already worked in the organization as did two of the four hitting coaches.
Several of the jobs remain open, including the Palm Beach manager and the Quad Cities and Gulf Coast League hitting coaches’ positions. The Venezuelan Summer League skipper position is also unfilled.
2010 minor league coaching assignments, St. Louis Cardinals (changes in bold)
| Manager | Pitching Coach | Hitting Coach | Trainer | |
| Mem | Chris Maloney | Derek Lilliquist | Mark Budaska | Chris Conroy |
| Spr | Ron Warner | Dennis Martinez | Derrick May | Jay Pierson |
| PB | TBD | Bryan Eversgerd | Jeff Albert | B. Puchalski |
| QC | Johnny Rodriguez | Tim Leveque | TBD | M. Kuwazuru |
| Bat | Dann Bilardello | Arthur Adams | Joe Kruzel | Eric Bauer |
| JC | Mike Shildt | Doug White | Ramon Ortiz | Mike Petrarca |
| GCL | Steve Turco | Henderson Lugo | TBD | Tim Steinhaus |
| DSL | Claudio Almonte | Bill Villanueva | Rene Rojas | |
| VSL | TBD | Dernier Orozco | Jesus Laya | |
| Sr. Roving Instr. | Mark DeJohn | |||
| Jupiter Pitch Coord | Blaise Ilsley | |||
| Not renewed mgrs. | Tom Spencer | |||
| Steve Dillard |
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Brian, I know you did a couple of articles on this but I dont remember if there was specific evidence that the number of changes was significantly more than usual. Can you refresh my menory?
In the managerial ranks, the Cards had averaged 2.4 changes per year since Luhnow took over in 2005. This year was three. However, what is most different here is that two managers were released. They had only let one go in total back to 2006.
For pitching coaches, there is always some churn, but this year is high with five. In the Luhnow years prior to now, they have averaged 1.8 moves.
The above numbers are for the top six levels only to be consistent.
It seems like 7 pitching coaches swapped assignments within the system. Its unclear the reasons or “net” effect. The Cards seem to be encouraging people to move around more and this may confer benefits. Steve Turco used to scout, now is managing young men; maybe this will be a good experience in case he chooses in future to resume more scouting.
The Quad Cities team seemed flat, though this may owe to the players assigned. I do not have opinions about Mr. Dillard, since I do not know him.
Brian likes Mark DeJohn. It could be said Mr. DeJohn has been given more responsibilities, in addition to different ones, but its hard to say.
I expect the changes to end up being for the best in due course. No change is not necessarily good. It seems like the Cards like their upper level managers in Maloney and Warner, still like their pitching coaches, and are working on finding some new formulas for the two full season A level teams.
Brian, so people like me don’t have to bother you with stupid questions, you might want to link in the article to posts you’ve already written on the subject during the year. (or I guess I could stop being lazy and search via the key word links).
Not a dumb question at all, CC. While I have written extensively about the past records of clubs and have built a spreadsheet of both team records and managerial records and assignments back to at least 1966, I do not recall writing specifically about YTY turnover until this fall.
Here are several thoughts.
1) Keyword search. You already mentioned that and the search engine on this site is pretty good.
2) Here is the link to one of the more recent articles in my minors series. At the bottom are links to the earlier stories in the series.
3) Special tab. Based on this, I have added a new tab under “Lists” at the top of the page to make it easier to find the minor league history content. It is entitled “Minors/Coaches Records”. That takes you to a page with links to all the player/team “best ofs”.
The Cards could have gradually added a few more Spanish speaking minor league managers and coaches since 2004. Dennis Martinez, a Nicaraguan who threw a ton of innings in the majors, is pitching coach at AA. Quad Cities, where the movie Sugar was partly filmed, has Johnny Rodriguez as manager. Johnson City has Henderson Lugo as hitting coach.
Given the stronger commitment to Latin America, it makes sense to have more staff who speak Spanish.
Brian has written some articles endeavoring to diagnose seeming declines in the Cards minor league pipeline. He and I sometimes are not in full agreement about causes.
The recent trade of Brett Wallace from the Athletics to the Blue Jays for a corner OF prospect Taylor who the Blue Jays just picked up in the Holladay deal may provide a nice illustration. In 2007, the Cards invested their 5th round draft selection in a Cal Poly pitcher Tom Eager. The ML scouting bureau had him projected as about a 3rd rounder, but teams make choices based on bonuses and on their own evaluations. Teams backed off Eager and he fell to the 5th round. With the very next choice, the Phillies went for Taylor, a powerful corner OF out of Stanford U, whose college hitting had seemed disappointing. However, he had high physical ceiling, owing to physique. In the minors, Taylor has done well, Eager has been a journeyman.
This is similar to 2001, when the Cards drafted a little southpaw in round 4, while the Phillies nabbed Ryan Howard in round 5. Howard had impressive size, but was seen as a toolsy, but underperformer as a college junior.
In 2006, the Cards went for LHP Brad Furnish, and vaulted him several rounds from his ML scouting bureau grade, while another team went a few hundred thousand over a slot bonus to sign Oklahoma high school southpaw Brett Anderson, who pitched for Oakland last summer.
In 2009, the Cards themselves went well over slot in signing their top choice, Shelby Miller. Thats a good thing to do sometimes.
Earlier this year, the hottest prospect the Cards had was Wallace, who got traded toward Matt Holliday. Now Wallace is himself traded for Taylor, who the Cards could have taken instead of Eager. This illustrates how scouting and draft day decisions are important and how it is important to draft for high upside potential.
Long haul view remains to be seen but at this point in time anyway, it seems Mo may have sold high on Wallace. He lost some value just by being projected as a first baseman now.
“Long haul view remains to be seen but at this point in time anyway, it seems Mo may have sold high on Wallace. He lost some value just by being projected as a first baseman now.”
That may depend on how Taylor works out!
My subliminal point is that people matter (ie, individual players and decisions by teams and scouts).
As a business enterprise, the Cards can improve by giving more draft priority to physical potential. LHP Bray versus 1B Ryan Howard is an example why this is a good idea. RHP Eager versus OF Taylor is another.
We do not yet know where 2008 4th rounder RHP Gorgen will crest. Or 5th rounder 3b/2B Jaime Garcia. They are guys who went to good college programs but may not have a lot of potential to improve in the years ahead. In contrast, Boggs a 5th rounder in 2005 was not very effective as a reliever in college, but had the arm strength to develop, as he has. In the balance between athleticism and collegiate statistics, the Cards need to tilt a little more toward innate athleticism and long term potential.
Shouldn’t there be a bunch of cigar chomping old geezers who got downsized in the rush to modernize with stats wonks. Wasn’t it Toronto that’s hiring some of them back.
Actually, the Cards are not new to liking college players with history (stats); it goes back a long time.
What’s nice about the examples of Ryan Howard and Taylor are they were toolsy underproducing college players, as was Mitch Boggs. What they have in common is they were toolsy (have high physical ceiling or potential).
In 2009, the Cards did a good job to gamble a 6th rounder on a athletic juco OF Hill, son of Olympic stars. He may not pan out, but at least has strong tools.
I’d say Kelly is a better example than Hill. Great arm, lousy stats. In fact, I think there are many examples of the Cardinals taking the upside, less polished guy that just haven’t worked out – Ottavino would be an example (though there is still hope). It is easy to point to the failures but without a comprehensive look they come off as pure anecdotal. McCormack would be another example. Even Tyler Greene. We’ve taken plenty of upside guys over guys with better stats – we just haven’t picked the right one
. Even going back as far as Lambert, we took a guy we thought had a good arm that wasn’t polished yet on the hope we could shine him up – another failure.
Kelly went in the 3d round, high enough where you expect to find strong tools. Ottavino was ranked by MLB for the late 2nd round, but the Cards moved him up a round based on tools, and I like that. McCormick threw 96+ and started for three years at Baylor; he tumbled a little to the supplemental round, but I have no objection to his draft rank. I am fine with Tyler Greene; he played well at GA Tech and has tools. I am fine on Gary Daley at the end of the 3rd round, because he has the arm.
I am instead referring to a specific type of player like 5’10″ Gorgen or Jaime Curtis or Tom Eager. Gorgen was great at Cal-Irvine, but was he maxed out? Eager was fine at Cal Poly, but what does this buy us? If we had instead drafted the underperforming Taylor, who Uncle Buck wanted right at the time of the draft, we would have landed someone who just got traded for Brett Wallace, one for one.
In 2009, the Cards invested in Jackson and Hill in rounds 5 and 6. I like them. Jackson can field smoothly at SS. Hill is athletic. They could rise and if they dont, no big deal.
As soon as Curtis was announced in 2008, I thought his ceiling is righ-swinger in a 2B platoon. That seems like a far long-shot, with little upside, for the 5th round.
To sum up, there are about 3 draft selections since 2005 that seem odd decisions. Brad Furnish got elevated a couple of rounds by the Cards in 2006 and selected before (IIRC) Brett Anderson. In retrospect, that one seems iffy.
In 2008, Gorgen in the 4th and Curtis in the 5th seem questionable, at the time. Gorgen did a good job in 2009 at Palm Beach, so its not like he’s crummy. He got promoted to AA and hit around a bit, but that happens to a lot of guys. Then he went out to Arizona and got a hit too, also not unexpected. He’s doing ok, but I suspect some other teams would not select a 5’10″ pitcher. The Cards may be more permissive in relation to size requirements than some other organizations.
Curtis played poorly in 90 games for Palm Beach, but did rebound at Quad Cities, so perhaps he can build on that.
That was a crummy summation, since it omitted Eager with whom this rant began. Furnish (2) and Eager (5) in 2006, Gorgen (4) and Curtis (5) in 2008, do not seem aggressive, high ceiling draft choices. The Cards can look back, learn lessons and improve in future.
I’m also sure I remember a certain someone praising the Cards in the past (on another board) for having the courage to draft short pitchers.
In general, this certain someone dislikes 6 ft or shorter righthanded pitchers. Jess Todd turned out fine. Tom Gordon was just 5’9″ but had a great curve. Pedro Martinez is simply great. However, I would not draft Gorgen or in 2009 RHP McCully (rd 9). Its all right with me if they turn out well.
Jaron Madison signed on with the Pads. I’m Generally aware he was asst scouting director brought in by Luhnow at the same time as Brent Strom. (IIRC) I hadn’t realized he had left/been asked to leave?? (I’m sure it was covered but I missed it I guess) Anybody able to provide a bit of backstory /context/tie-in on this, would be appreciated.
Mr. Madison was recruited from the Padres to the Cards by Mr. Luhnow. He spent two years as Luhnow’s deputy. He has now gotten a promotion to be scouting director of the Padres and recruited back to San Diego after his two years with StL. The new GM of the Padres is Jed Hoyer and I think he brought a talent guy with him from Boston. They must respect Madison and the job the Cards have been doing, so recruited him away. Teams compete with one another over executives, not just players.
Seems odd, the Cards lowest level teams (and players) didn’t set the world on fire in 09. Perhaps the Cards choice of replacement will tell something.
bb, in case you missed it, I posted the Padres’ press release on Madison’s hiring at The Cardinal Nation on Friday.