photo: Stubby Clapp (Memphis Redbirds)
Pacific Coast League press release
For the second straight year, Memphis Redbirds skipper Stubby Clapp has been elected the Pacific Coast League’s Manager of the Year. Clapp has taken home the League’s top managerial honor in each of his seasons at the helm of the Redbirds. He is the third skipper on record to win back‐to‐back Manager of the Year awards, joining Tacoma’s Dan Rohn (2004, 2005) and Phoenix’s Jim Lefebvre (1985, 1986).
Clapp, tabbed the League’s top manager through a vote of field managers, media representatives, broadcasters and team officials, has guided the Redbirds to the PCL’s best record (80‐53) and an American Southern Division title. Memphis clinched the division, the team’s second straight and sixth in the franchise’s PCL era, with a walk‐off win on August 25 against the Nashville Sounds.
The Canadian native has had 61 players at his disposal this season. 19 were named by Baseball America as a Top 30 organizational prospect entering the season, including eight that were tabbed in St. Louis’ top 10. Clapp has managed 18 players that were promoted to the Cardinals at least once, with six getting called up to make their Major League debuts. All six – Adolis Garcia, Austin Gomber, Dakota Hudson, Tyler O’Neill, Daniel Poncedeleon and Patrick Wisdom – have played a critical role in St. Louis’ second‐half resurgence in the Major League standings.
Last year, in his first year managing at Triple‐A, Clapp guided Memphis to a franchise‐record 91 wins. When Memphis started this season 9‐1, Clapp became the fastest manager in the PCL’s 116‐year history to 100 wins, doing so in only 151 games.
Before coaching, Clapp enjoyed an 11‐year career playing professional baseball, including four seasons playing for Memphis (1999‐2002). He sits atop the franchise’s career leaderboard in walks and triples and was a member of the 2000 PCL Championship team. Clapp is in his 12th campaign in the coaching ranks. This is his fourth season as a team’s manager. He previously led the Astros’ short‐season Tri‐City ValleyCats to an 84‐67 record, including a New York‐Penn League finals appearance in 2012.
Clapp won a competitive Manager of the Year race. Seven other PCL skippers received votes; El Paso’s Rod Barajas (Pacific Southern) and Fresno’s Rodney Linares (Pacific Northern) finished as runners‐up after leading their respective clubs to division crowns.
Remaining PCL awards
- Wednesday, August 29: Rookie of the Year
- Thursday, August 30: Pitcher of the Year
- Friday, August 31: Most Valuable Player
Brian Walton’s take
What more can be said? It is a well-deserved honor for a manager who has worked around a team-record 197 transactions this season and counting. It will be true test of Clapp’s expertise if he can somehow direct a Memphis roster that looks far less dominating than the one from earlier this season to another PCL title.
Bonus for members of The Cardinal Nation
Join The Cardinal Nation for the most comprehensive coverage of the St. Louis Cardinals from the majors through the entire minor league system.
Brian Walton can be reached via email at brian@thecardinalnation.com. Follow Brian on Twitter.
© 2018 The Cardinal Nation, thecardinalnation.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.