The Cardinals promoted a new farm director and filled key open positions following a minor league season of improvement on the field.
Though he is not the headline of either my number 19 or 20 stories of the year for the St. Louis Cardinals, team vice president Jeff Luhnow is a common thread between the two.
After a winter in which the Cardinals farm system was ranked at or near the bottom of several prominent national prospect watchers’ lists due a perceived dearth of high-ceiling talent, the summer of 2010 brought solid team play up and down the organization.
Five of the Cardinals’ seven US-based affiliates made the post-season, with one league champion crowned, the Appalachian League’s Johnson City Cardinals.
Yet almost to a man, staffers remind anyone within earshot that their primary mission is player development, one of three leadership roles Luhnow previously held. The Cardinals felt that asking one man to manage the entire minor league system, lead scouting – a hands-on role, as well as run the draft, was asking too much.
On September 16, John Vuch, a member of the organization since the late 1970s, was promoted to farm director. He now oversees all aspects of player development under the direction of Luhnow. Vuch, formerly director of minor league operations, is well-prepared for the job. He is assisted by long-time MLB executive Gary LaRocque who serves as senior advisor to player development, reporting to Mozeliak.
Vuch’s first hires include a pair of internal promotions, filling key jobs that had been vacant in recent years.
Two-time George Kissell Award winner for player development excellence, former Cardinals bullpen coach and minor league manager Mark DeJohn was named minor league field coordinator. In addition to hands-on coaching, DeJohn’s new mission includes supervision of all the Cardinals minor league teams during the season as well as running minor league spring training and extended spring training plus the fall instructional league, if held. The field coordinator job had been open the past three years since the departure of Jim Riggleman following the 2007 season.
Derrick May has taken the role of roving hitting coordinator after serving as the hitting coach of Double-A Springfield for the past four years, and the two before that with Palm Beach (A-Advanced). Dan Radison, now on the major league staff of Riggleman’s Washington Nationals, last held the Cardinals hitting coordinator assignment. The job was unfilled during the 2010 season.
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The jury is still out on whether these changes will make a difference to our farm system. It has to improve for the future of the organization. That is, after TLR is gone.
Based on what I recall reading about Vuch, he seems very good. He probably was in effect running minor league operations already, such that Mo confirmed this with a deserved promotion. Being Vuch’s supervisor would be like being the Maytag repair guy, not a lot to do.
The Cards do need to give thought to landing a good share of high upside amateur talent. Walt Jocketty boldly showed the way by outbidding far richer teams to sign LHP Chapman. The Cards won the bidding on Wagner Mateo, but had bad luck on his hidden eye injury. It behooves the team to be very aggressive in identifying and wooing high potential talent. Its a full time job and Luhnow can now focus on it.
[...] Marty Mason’s firing 19. New farm director and minor league improvement 18. 17. 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. [...]
Derrick May is the best hitting guy the cards have in the organization. He is able to work with different hitting styles and has the ability to help players make corrections no matter what style they use in hitting. Thats what a REAL hitting coach does.
Yes, there is no doubt that the Cardinals have tried to recreate the wheel when it comes to drafting players. Over analyzing players to the point of ridiculousness. They seem to appear like they are going to draft guys who most scouts wouldn’t draft and feel like they are smarter for doing so. They should take a page out of the Braves scouting handbook and draft or sign high upside arms.
You continue to draft the safe college guys and what you get is a bunch of relievers and AAAA players.
What is the current thinking on Zack Cox? Is he going to be worth the $3M they are paying him?
RCW-haven`t the Cards drafted Shelby Miller A HS guy,Wilson HS kid didn`t sign,Colby HS kid Zack Cox a solid college hitter Jon Jay solid college bat,Molina HS kid, Cards have been taking more risks lately IMO.The poor drafts earlier in this decade really hurt (The Shaun Boyds.Justin Popes etc;).IMO the Cards are gambling a bit more than they used to.
The Miller signing was excellent BW, as was the Jenkins. Wilson as well was a good choice, but drafting them is all fine and dandy but you’ve got to go over slot and sign them. And considering you have 50 rounds of picks you sure can’t seem to find a whole lot of high end players BW. But I will give Jeff kudo’s on last years draft class. There were some high upside guys in there.
That is whats needed in order to be able to support you Big League club with impact guys not just fillers.
A great friend of mine is the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas and he raves about Zack and his hitting. But the feeling I get is will end up playing LF. Not sure he can stick at an infield position other than 1B.
Jenkins was signed but Wilson was not.
Too bad about Cox and the infield. I thought he might be our 3B answer.
Crdswmn-there still hope for Cox at 3B.If Todd Zeile can do it why not Cox? Who knows?
RCW- What about Tyrell Jenkins RHP another young arm .