Still, that work all flows through Marmol at its nexus, the highest ranking on-field individual in the organization. Cardinal alums Ryan Ludwick and Jason Isringhausen have been officially re-added as Special Advisors, supplementing and supporting Oquendo’s work at all levels. Now he again has a title befitting his duties, and he will in part be responsible for maintaining the continuity which served as another sore spot as the club downsized following the pandemic. Oquendo resumed that role on a de facto basis in 2020 as he ran the team’s alternate site, and again took it on in 2021 as a heavily empowered roving instructor. On Wednesday, the Cardinals announced their minor league and player development staffs for the 2022 season, and newly minted Coordinator of Instruction José Oquendo is once again officially atop the organizational chart in the minors. Minor league camp is set to open the first week of March, and when it does, the major league staff will be able to be involved even if the lockout hasn’t yet been settled. Instead, the clock ticks, and players work out in small groups at facilities scattered around the country.
THE PLAYERS CLUB ST LOUIS FULL
With a full spring, some of those bridges could be built stronger, and the offensive anchor which has weighed on the team for the past several years might be more easily wrenched up. So too would whatever work Albert did this winter to adjust his own approach, seeking to meet more hitters where they are. Neither of 2021’s hitting coaches had played in the big leagues, and there was a belief in some circles that players were skeptical on that basis.īoth Schumaker and Ward, with their wealth of playing experience, should help fill that gap. There was a persistent concern that hitting coach Jeff Albert’s philosophies, even if ultimately sound and productive, hadn’t been effectively communicated. That credibility is important, because to some extent, it was what the club’s decision makers believed was most missing from last year’s dugout.
THE PLAYERS CLUB ST LOUIS PROFESSIONAL
New assistant hitting coach Turner Ward also comes in with personal as well as professional bonafides he has a long relationship with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt that should provide him instant credibility throughout the clubhouse. Marmol, obviously, is a very familiar voice to the returning players, and even new bench coach Skip Schumaker has significant history with some of the team’s most important leaders. One variable which should benefit the Cardinals is the relatively small amount of turnover on the big league staff.
There remains, however, an important, practical purpose to the workout sessions, and those are only enhanced with a new hand on the wheel. The romance and excitement of spring carry their own meaning, and fans who have an opportunity to travel to see camp in action should seize it when possible. New players frequently commented on the structure of an average day and the repetition of tasks that might seem simplistic but had the net effect of significantly improving the team’s defense, in turn providing support to the pitching staff. Under Mike Shildt, the organization focused heavily on a return to fundamentals. Were he able to freely discuss his plans for spring, there would be a chance to divine the differences that may exist between him and predecessor.
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