The Cardinal Nation staff


The Cardinal Nation, TheCardinalNation.com, is the online leader for exclusive, objective and independent coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals, specializing on end-to-end coverage of its minor league system.

Founded in 1998 as The Birdhouse, we provide the ultimate fan experience through community interaction with our team of writers, analysts and locally-based reporters at all of the Cardinals minor league ballparks – from Triple-A Memphis to the backfield action in the rookie-level Complex Cardinals.

In 2017, TCN returned to independent status after more than 12 years with the Scout.com network (affiliated with FOX Sports and later CBS/247 Sports), and continues to feature the same insiders content Cardinals fans have relied upon for more than two decades.


Kendall Clark

Palm Beach Cardinals reporter
kendallclark2020@fau.edu

Kendall Clark was born and raised in Winter Park, Florida. She started playing softball at the age of six and continued to do so for 10 years. Countless hours were spent at ball fields growing up between Kendall and her brother who played baseball. Her dad is also an avid baseball fan and would take her to games regularly. This is where she found her love for the sport. Kendall studies multimedia journalism at Florida Atlantic University and is covering the Palm Beach Cardinals during the 2023 season.


Marilyn Green
Staff writer

mrlyngreen@aol.com
/ Twitter @Marilyncolor

Marilyn Green is a native of Missouri and is a long time Cardinals fan since childhood. She grew up in a passionate baseball family who has loved the Cardinals for generations. Marilyn is a retired attorney and a former substitute teacher. Marilyn authors our Monday St. Louis Notebook and is part of the team delivering minor league game recaps each morning in-season. Prior to joining TCN in 2015, she was a staff writer for Redbird Rants from 2012 to 2014.

Link to articles by Marilyn


Alex Hill
Springfield Cardinals reporter

amh993s@MissouriState.edu

Alex Hill, a native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, is a sophomore studying Film Production and Journalism at Missouri State University. Alex is excited to cover the Double-A Springfield Cardinals as he has been a lifelong player and fan of the game and has been covering the game since he was in high school.


Paul Ivice
Complex Cardinals reporter

ivpaul42@aol.com

A native of Chicago’s South Side, Paul Ivice has been a professional journalist since 1977 as a writer and editor, mostly in the news and business departments of daily newspapers. Currently, he is self-employed as a writer, mostly for daily newspapers, and as a media relations consultant for private businesses. Baseball, though, is his hobby and passion. Since 1997, he has worked as official scorer in the Southern League, Florida State League and Gulf Coast League, and for 10 years was umpire for high school and youth baseball and softball. Paul joined The Cardinal Nation staff in 2011.

Link to articles by Paul


Luke Kotcher
Minor League reporter

luke.kotcher@gmail.com / Twitter @luke_kotcher

As a St. Louis native, Luke Kotcher has grown up in a Cardinal baseball family. Luke is continuing on the path to working in the sports world as a sports communication major with a social media marketing minor at Bradley University. In Peoria, he has become an avid minor league baseball fan and follows teams regularly. Luke is in his second year on the team delivering minor league game recaps every morning.


Leonda Markee
Minor league writer

jal5863@gmail.com

Leonda Markee only follows winners. She is known on our message boards as “UConnCard,” honoring her other passion in addition to the Cardinals, University of Connecticut women’s basketball. Other than Brian Walton, Leonda is the longest-serving member of The Cardinal Nation staff, having been contributing statistically-oriented analysis and commentary focused on Cardinals minor leaguers since 2005. Her current focus is on the Dominican Summer League Cardinals. Leonda also serves as a moderator for TCN’s popular message boards.

Link to articles by Leonda


Blake Newberry
Prospect analyst

newberry_blake@yahoo.com
/ Twitter @bt_newberry

Blake Newberry is a native of Columbus, Ohio and a long-time follower of the Cardinals system. He graduated from Hillsdale College as a dual major in mathematics and history. He is an avid baseball fan, who is seeking to stay connected to the game even though his playing days have ended. Blake spends his free time watching baseball, listening to baseball, or reading about baseball. Here at TCN, he has specialized on Cardinals drafts, rookies, those playing across the globe in winter leagues and develops scouting reports on the organization’s prospects. Blake joined TCN in 2019.


Kinsley Reliford

Peoria Chiefs reporter
kreliford@mail.bradley.edu

Kinsley Reliford is the Peoria Chiefs reporter and has been a longtime follower of the team. Some of her earliest memories include spending summer nights watching the Chiefs play ball at Dozer Park. She is currently a junior at Bradley University, majoring in Sports Communication with a minor in Journalism. One of her favorite memories was sideline reporting for the Bradley vs. SIU game, appearing on ESPN+. She hopes to one day become an MLB sideline reporter.


Melek Robinson
Memphis Redbirds reporter

mrbnsn32@memphis.edu / Twitter @mrobinsonjrsm

A native of Memphis, Melek Robinson is a junior at the University of Memphis majoring in Journalism. Among his many activities is serving as editor for the Daily Helmsman, the University’s student newspaper. Melek is serving as The Cardinal Nation’s Memphis Redbirds reporter for the 2023 season.


Lou Roesch
Major League writer

sportsguy409@yahoo.com / Twitter @sportsguy409

Growing up in St. Louis with the 1960’s and 1970’s Cardinals, Lou Roesch is married to a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. Retired from the US Army, he pursues his sports passion through freelance sports writing and broadcasting. Lou’s work has been published on SB Nation, Fansided, LJRSportsMedia and the Chicago Sun-Times. He is the lead play by play announcer for the Texas high school championships in soccer, cross country and swimming and diving. The author of two books, Lou enjoys cooking and traveling with his wife Karen, visiting their family as they try to see every MLB stadium in the U.S.


Brian Walton
Publisher and editor

brian@thecardinalnation.com
/ Twitter @B_Walton

Brian Walton has closely followed the St. Louis Cardinals for more than half a century. Recognized as perhaps the most knowledgeable individual about the Cardinals minor league organization not employed by the team, he stokes that passion running The Cardinal Nation.

Among the national sites where Brian’s work has appeared regularly include FOXSports.com and Yahoo.com as well as USA TODAY, FOX Sports and Fantasy Baseball Guide magazines. Brian previously authored regular columns on Cardinals minor leaguers for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, FOX Sports Midwest and for the Cardinals Gameday Magazine for two years. For over five years, he appeared with former Cardinals television voice Dan McLaughlin on weekly “Wednesday with Walton” podcasts at ScoopsWithDannyMac.com, which now run here at The Cardinal Nation.

Since its creation in 2014, Brian has been a member of the “Red Ribbon” Committee for Cardinals Hall of Fame selections. His historical research has been published in multiple SABR journals.

As an analyst, Brian has guested on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and FNTSY Sports Radio Network as well as on a number of radio stations across the Midwest, including KxNO in Des Moines and periodically on  St. Louis’ 101 ESPN Radio, KMOX and 590 The Fan.

As a reporter, perhaps the most notable story he broke was Albert Pujols’ $100 million contract with the Cardinals in 2004. Brian also pens a column at CreativeSports2.com while competing in a number of fantasy industry baseball leagues, including National League LABR and Tout Wars, the latter which he won in 2009 and serves as a board member.

Brian joined this team in 2003 and became its sole leader in 2009.

Link to articles by Brian

Brian Walton to the right of Mike Matheny at Citi Field

First-hand news and commentary on the St. Louis Cardinals™ and their minor league system for 25 years