I think Pujols would be an intriguing choice as a player/ manager. The question is, does being a player/manager take more out of you? The season seems to take a toll on players and managers alike. Is todays game to much to put on a player/managers hat?

The media chores alone would make it all but impossible.

Post-LaRussa is really anyobdy’s game: I myself give the edge to post-Tigers Jimmy Leyland. Don’t discount former prominent Cards like Terry Pendleton (Ozzie bench coach?!), or even Andy Van Slyke.

Thanks for explaining the situation with compensatory draft picks. I still
have one other question though. What happens when a team (Yankees) sign more than one Type-A free agent? Do all the teams get 2 extra picks or do some of them have to be satisfied with just a sandwich pick? Does draft order or timing of the signing determine who gets the pick?

There are limits to how many picks a team gives up, because there is just the one first-round pick for teams to lose, in most cases. The sandwich picks help balance the ledger for teams whose compensation is altered by a team, like the Yankees, signing more a than a couple Type A free agents.

I see I’m not the only one who remembered Terry Pendleton’s name as having floated out there before. Haven’t heard much the last year or so, though, about his being on anyone’s managerial short list - maybe his window of opportunity has already passed? Or is he being held back as the possible successor to Bobby Cox in Atlanta?

I’m not sure how effective Oquendo would be as manager; he seems like too much of a “nice guy”. I kind of wish he’d gotten the job in Seattle, though, because it would have opened up a spot on the major-league coaching staff for Warner, whose star seems to be rising in the organization.

OTOH, is St. Louis ready for another “Warner”?

Oquendo should obviously garner some serious votes and attention. Likewise, for Pop. I am intrigued and in agreement with not only developing player development but also in house management/executives who come up through the ranks. Just seems as if this allows individuals to learn and buy into the teams “philosophy” and execute in accordance to what the mission of the team is.

However, there are blatant scenarios where a need may need to be filled through outside resources, i.e. free agents (players), or outside management candidates (see 2007 offseason for GM replacement). With all that being stated, a candidate that I have always been intrigued by is former Cardinal 3B Terry Pendleton. He has been part of the coaching game (Atlanta hitting coach) and by all accounts is a knowledgable baseball man and leader. Add into the fact that he had a strong fanbase in his STL playing days and in my opinion you have a legit candidate. This is not to take away from Oquendo or Warner, but merely a strong name to throw into circulation. Comments?

Ahhhhh, I didn’t read comments before I posted; good call Jerry M. But, I digress. Opinions?

Well, another interesting point is that the Cards rarely go outside of their system to hire a manager - although the two most recent times they’ve done so, they wound up with two of the more successful managers they’ve ever had - Whitey Herzog and Tony La Russa.

Consider, as we go back 50 seasons:

Solly Hemus - player for the Cards, traded to Phils, hired as manager after he writes that letter to Gussie Busch.

Johnny Keane - long-time minor-league manager and coach with the Cards.

Red Schoendienst - long-time player, was a coach when he got the pilot’s job.

Vern Rapp - hired from the Denver Bears, but had managed several years for the Cards in their minor-league system.

Ken Boyer - long-time player and coach, was managing in AAA when the Cards hired him to replace Rapp.

Whitey Herzog - never played for or coached for the Cards, although he at least hailed from not-too-far-away.

Joe Torre - played five seasons with Cards. Hired out of Angels’ broadcast booth to replace Herzog.

Mike Jorgensen - interim manager, had played a year or two with Cards and was farm director, IIRC, when Torre was fired.

Tony La Russa - like Herzog, no real connection to the Cards, although he did play his final minor-league season with the Cards’ AAA franchise at New Orleans in 1977.

So - based on our track record - let’s not forget guys like Southworth and Street and Dyer and Marion and Walker too - it’s far more likely that we’ll hire TLR’s replacement from within the organization - but (adding Fred Hutchinson to the short list of “outsiders” hired to manage the Cards) if we do hire someone from outside, the odds are that he’ll be pretty darned successful; Hutch was our best manager of the 1950’s - admittedly that’s not saying much - and we already know Herzog and TLR’s accomplishments.

Interesting topic, esp. after considering the same question last year. Great research by Jerry Modene, but how much can be concluded from that history? All of the hires were by A-B–most by Gussie himself.
The first trend I thought of was the opposite: the Cards’ recent history of hiring high-profile managers with (postseason) experience outside of the organization: La Russa, Torre, Herzog. (I don’t count Jorgensen, who if I recall was never considered a serious candidate for the permanent post. And didn’t the presence of Jocketty make La Russa a prohibitive favorite the day Torre was fired?) Ken Boyer, I believe, was the last Cards’ manager to enter the joy w/o previous ML managerial experience. Then again, based upon my own argument, there’s not a whole lot to conclude here. Regardless of anyone’s opinions about Bill DeWitt (pro or con), I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess of what a guy is going to do in two years when I’ve never seen him to it before.

Well, to speculate a little . . . I recall in about 2003 that TLR said in an interview that Jose Oquendo SHOULD be the next manager of the Cardinals. The comment threw me since it seemed a little unbidden–it was about Jose’s current performance or duties, not his future with the team. What that says for today, I don’t know.

I also like Terry Pendleton as an option, and have for a long time. Don’t see Ozzie on the coaching staff quite as readily as Tom Herr or Danny Cox (the former having been mentioned by Whitey as a good possible future manager), but it’s interesting.

Speaking of former Cardinals, does Milt Thompson project at all as a manager in the near future? Pretty impressive resume as Phillies hitting coach, w/ add’l experience before that.

Couldn’t find anything current on Joe Maddon’s contract status, but if he senses an impending salary dump (a la the ‘98 Marlins), I could see him looking to the Midwest.

Warner has been a great organization guy for years and is the epitome of “paying your dues.” Good for Riggleman that he didn’t get the M’s job–in that organization, you aren’t so much passed over as you are “liberated.” He’s done about everything else in multiple go-arounds w/ the Cards–why not as manager?

The only guy in MLB who screams “player/manager” material now is Derek Jeter (and the Bronx is hardly an ideal setting for such a setup). Nothing against Pujols . . . I’d just see a P/M as a guy on the back half of his career who’d envision managing beyond his playing days (and since it hasn’t happened in nearly a quarter century, is it an idea whose day is past?). I do see Albert having the work ethic and baseball acumen to make it an intriguing possibility well down the road.

Kind of partial to Oquendo or Pendleton, with some interest in hearing reader comments about Milt Thompson.

I’d rather La Russa stayed, but I would toss Terry Pendleton out as another possible candidate, however unlikely that may be.

Until TLR loses his fastball, there’s nobody better.

does Simmons have any interest in managing?

What about Ken Oberkfell?
Ted Simmons would be interesting.

What is Tommy Herr doing now?
I thought he was back in baseball somewhere.

The Cards seem to be sticking to a tight payroll despite the revenues of a brand new stadium. Is the yet to be completed baseball village putting a strain on the payroll for players or is ownership just being tight with the wallet?

In 2007 Tommy Herr managed the “Washington National’s” A affiliate. That seems to be his most recent managerial stint in the game, but as for now it appears Tommy Herr currently isn’t “back in baseball”.

Bobby Cox’s contract is up after this season (I think) and I just wonder if Pendleton could possibly be waiting for the Atlanta job to open up. Just a guess, however. I would think he would be a top candidate for the Braves coaching job, if Cox isn’t brought back.

When Ned Yost was fired I was a bit surprised that Simmons was not named interim manager and not given a chance to “audition” for the Brewers coaching vacancy. He’d make a great manager.

I’m not sure if it has happened yet or not, but I’d expect the Rays to lock up Joe Maddon to a pretty big contract at some point this offseason.

In the end, my vote went to Oquendo…interesting topic.

Terry Pendleton

I think the manager’s job is Tony’s as long as he wants it. On the other hand, we do need a General Manager who will do his job rather than be a DumWitt puppet. We consistently draw 3 million fans but we invest in players as though we are some small market team. It’s time we sent a message to the Cardinals–in the form of staying away from the ballpark–unitl they repay our loyalty by signing some proven free agents instead of constantly going after “low hanging fruit”. An example–Jake Peavey has expressed interest in the Cardinals but I’ve heard nothing about us talking to him. What a joke MO is!!!! Lots of talk but no action!!!

There will be several candidates not even on the current list. Jose probably has earned a shot first.
I’ve (and many like me) have groaned at the TLR regimes ineptitude at working the pitchers in game situations. TLR is probably good ,on average, for at least 5 to 8 losses a year just on his pitching changes alone..

He’s never learned N.L. baseball. Yea,yea, yea, we won a World Series,played in another, that’s all well and good for what will be a 14 year run BUT, had he never graced a Cardinal baseball field in his caustic, mean spirited, elitist, life I’d have been really happy!!!!
It’s been a loooong 14 years….
Bye Tony, PLEASE keep your promise and leave after next year. Good Riddance..

Why is noone mentioning Duncan.Who says he wants to quit when TLR does? Noone knows TLR baseball better than he and he could still play with the pitching.

Mike Matheny; I have always thought Mike would be a great manager in waiting; we need to get him on the staff now. I know he is being a Dad now, but he should be able to start coaching soon.

Bring on Leyland

Thanks to Modene for all the research on managers. I’d like to make a tangential point. I turn 40 in April, and with TLR still under contract through 2009, that means that in those 40 years, the Cardinals have had SIX managers (not counting interim guys like Jorgensen). Just think about that kind of stability. There are probably teams that have had six managers just during La Russa’s St. Louis tenure. If you count Hazlett and the linebacker coach (Joe Somebody?) who had a tryout as he finished most of Martz’s last season, the Rams have had six head coaches since they came to St. Louis.

I can’t think of a single team in baseball that’s had only six managers since the 1960s. You could look at the big four American team sports, and there might be very, very few franchises with that kind of coaching stability. I would guess that the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins are at or below six coaches, but only because one guy had the job to himself for the first 25-30 years of my era. The Steelers probably have even fewer (three?).

Don’t forget the Utah Jazz.