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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