The Cardinals formalized a tectonic front office shift Thursday by assigning amateur scouting and player development responsibilities to two executives after consolidating the roles for four years.

While vice president of scouting and player development Jeff Luhnow technically retains a supervisory role over both departments, general manager John Mozeliak appointed longtime minor-league executive John Vuch as farm director. Mozeliak underscored that Vuch will enjoy full "autonomy" over day-to-day operations and personnel matters. Luhnow, named director of player development by chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. in September 2006 over the strong objection of former general manager Walt Jocketty, remains in charge of the Cardinals' amateur scouting as well as its operations in the Caribbean.

"I don't think it is going to be a dramatic change in philosophy," Mozeliak said. "The real takeaway is allowing people with expertise to allocate more of their time to their specific responsibilities."

Mozeliak had pondered restructuring baseball operations for several months and rumors of a move had intensified in recent weeks.

Thursday's announcement came within weeks of the Cardinals' minor-league system compiling a .569 winning percentage, best in baseball.

Pleased with the affiliates' on-field success, concern had mounted over Luhnow's ability to handle the day-to-day responsibilities of both departments, especially given his commitment to the amateur draft and international signings. The Cardinals field staff has also voiced concerns about the lack of help at Class AAA Memphis this season.

"You want guys to learn how to play winning baseball and you want to win games at the minor-league level but our goal is to develop players for the big-league level," Vuch said. "Everything else is secondary to that.

"We want to do things the right way. It doesn't do us any good to have guys blowing hitters away in rookie ball if they're not developing their change-up, if they're not developing their breaking pitch. You do things you're eventually going to have to learn at the lower levels."

Within the realignment Mozeliak's special assistants Gary LaRocque and Matt Slater will transfer from professional scouting.

LaRocque, Mozeliak's senior assistant, will serve as senior adviser to player development, acting as Vuch's chief lieutenant.

Slater, who had served as the team's West Coast scout, will assume amateur and international scouting responsibilities.

The Cardinals also promoted area scout Michael Elias to manager of amateur scouting, a key role in coordinating coverage for the annual first-year player draft.

Manager of professional scouting Matt Carroll will add scouting responsibilities for the St. Louis region while also assisting in amateur scouting.

Vuch, 47, is a Cardinals lifer. The St. Louis native and UMSL alumnus joined the organization as a 16-year-old runner in 1979, worked in sales and eventually migrated to baseball operations in 1988. Promoted to director of minor league operations in December 2006, Vuch has long been recognized as a low-key, effective administrator. The St. Louis chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America recognized him with its Harry Mitauer Good Guy Award at its 2009 banquet.

Despite its on-field successes that included last year's Pacific Coast League Championship, player development represents an organizational hot button. Pitching coach Dave Duncan has long criticized retaining separate pitching philosophies in the major and minor leagues.

Earlier this season Duncan asserted the system could not offer pitching depth to support a championship-caliber club, a belief borne out by the July 31 trade of former Silver Slugger right fielder Ryan Ludwick for Cleveland Indians pitcher Jake Westbrook. Duncan also had long fumed over how mechanics are taught at the organization's lower levels and what he believed was the lack of preparation for many arms promoted to the parent club.

Mozeliak denied Thursday's move was made to appease the major-league clubhouse; however, he conceded the hope that the realignment would facilitate communication between the major- and minor-league sides. Numerous players and coaches approached Vuch with congratulations in the Cardinals dugout.

"I certainly hope that (communication) would improve," Mozeliak said. "When you look at why you give somebody like John Vuch this opportunity, certainly his knowledge is key. So, too, is our comfort level with him taking on the demands of the position."

Vuch already has met with manager Tony La Russa and his coaching staff and is scheduling meetings with a percentage of the minor-league staff early next month.

Though sweeping turnover is not expected, Vuch said he would conduct a review that could lead to some changes.

"Our goal in the minor leagues is to produce major league-ready players… and it's silly not to do things the way they want at the big-league level," Vuch said.

"It's great for us to win below. That's a nice side benefit. But our goal is to produce big-league players."

Mozeliak conceded Thursday that this season has found the minor-league support lacking with the exception of outfielder Jon Jay. After several years of largely ignoring the minor-league free agent market, Mozeliak said the club is likely to retool in that arena this offseason.

"It's going to be different, yes," Mozeliak said. "Look at the last few years. We have not been very aggressive."

Thursday's announcement represents the first speed bump within Luhnow's rapid ascent within the game. Brought on board as vice president of baseball development in 2003, Luhnow served as the organizational vanguard for quantitative analysis. He succeeded Mozeliak as scouting director in 2005 and assumed responsibility for player development a year later. Promoting Luhnow over Jocketty confidante Bruce Manno widened an organizational fissure that finally led to Jocketty's firing in October 2007.

Luhnow, 44, retains a zeal for scouting. Mozeliak emphasized the importance of his role as the Cardinals attempt to restock a system depleted by recent trades for Khalil Greene, Matt Holliday and Mark DeRosa.

"You have to make sure you're bringing talent into the system It's a big priority what you're teaching and how you're teaching, but if you don't have talent to work with it makes matters very difficult," Mozeliak said.