Recently, the Cardinals have made some wholesale changes to their 2019 coaching staff, and it could play a big role in the outcome of 2019.

At the start of the offseason, long time third base coach Jose Oquendo, once again, announced his retirement. After coming back for what turned out to be one season, he will go back to Florida and help develop young players in the minors. Oquendo, now in his late 50’s, has had multiple knee surgeries of late, making his 3rd base coach job somewhat difficult. Hitting coach George Greer has also decided to return to his former role of a minor league hitting instructor, where he had been for many years. Greer was moved up to the majors after hitting coach John Mabry was fired last July.

“I don’t like the moves. Oquendo needed to stay, Willie McGee needs a more prominent role and Maddux did not impress me the first season. I hope it works out, but, really, players will react differently to any coach, so maybe going with the more unknown coaches will work better than the bigger names,” junior Andrew Lemley said.

Now joining the coaching staff are two familiar faces. The new first base coach is Stubby Clapp. Clapp had been the AAA Memphis manager for the last three seasons. He is very familiar with new players for that reason. This could help the coaching staff mightily, as he knows what they players want the most.

““I like having Stubby Clapp on the staff, I think he can bring a whole new element, plus he coached all the young guys in the minors,” freshman Johnny Ohlms said.

Joining him is former Cardinals minor league hitting instructor, Jeff Albert. Last here in 2012, Albert left for the Astros organization to be an assistant hitting coach, and remained in that role until last season. Albert will be the new hitting coach in St. Louis. He brings a new element of science to hitting a baseball, according to ESPN, which could change the way of hitting with the Cardinals.

“I feel like Jeff Albert wasn’t the smartest hire for hitting coach. There are a lot of better options out there, but, maybe there is more to it. I think overall, the coaching staff is the strongest its been in a while, but I still would of liked it to include Jose Oquendo,” Ohlms said.

So with the addition of Albert and Clapp, they will join a rather fresh faced coaching staff; former first base coach Ollie Marmol will move over to the bench coach role, and Pop Warner will go from bench coach to 3rd base coach, replacing Oquendo. They will join new manager Mike Shildt, and pitching coach Mike Maddux, whose in his second year with the Cardinals. The Cardinals bullpen coach will also remain to be Bryan Eversgerd.