The
St. Louis Cardinals, based in
St. Louis,
Missouri, are a
professional baseballfranchise that compete in the
National League of
Major League Baseball (MLB). The club employs
coaches who support – and report directly to – the
manager. Coaches for various aspects of the game, including
pitching,
hitting,
baserunning and
fielding, give instruction to players to assist them in exercising the major disciplines that must be successfully executed to compete at the highest level. These specialized roles are a relatively new development, as coaches initially did not have specific roles and instead had titles such as "first assistant", "second assistant", etc. St. Louis Cardinals coaches have played an important role in the team's eleven
World Series titles. Many are retired players who at one time played for the team. Coaching is often part of the path for Major League managerial hopefuls, as a coach's previous experiences typically include managing and/or coaching at the
minor league level.
Charley O'Leary and
Heinie Peitz, both former Cardinals players, became the first coaches the Cardinals employed as positions separate from the manager in
1913.
The longest-tenured coach in Cardinals' franchise history is
Red Schoendienst, who has filled a variety of roles for the St. Louis Cardinals. First, he played 15 seasons as a
second baseman for the Cardinals before becoming an on-field coach in
1962 in his penultimate season as an active player. He continued to coach through
1964, and the next season, became the Cardinals'
manager. Returning as an on-field coach for the Cardinals in
1979, Schoendienst remained in that capacity until
1995. From
1996 until his death in
2018, he served as a special assistant to the
general manager as a coaching advisor. In all, Schoendienst coached for St. Louis for 38 total seasons.[1] He has also worn a St. Louis Major League uniform in eight different decades, won four
World Series titles as part of on-field personnel and two more World Series titles since moving into his role as an advisor.[2][3]
The current longest-tenured coach through
2015 is third-base coach
José Oquendo, who has been coaching for the Cardinals since
1999. The latest addition is assistant hitting coach
Bill Mueller, who was hired before the
2015 season. The longest-tenured on-field coach in franchise history is
Buzzy Wares; he is also the only coach for the Cardinals with a consecutive on-field season streak of 20 or more seasons with 23. Schoendienst is the only other with 20 or more total seasons; he also had a streak of 17 consecutive seasons.
Dave Duncan and
Dave McKay are both tied for third with 16 total seasons and both with a streak of 16 consecutive seasons. Jose Oquendo is also tied with Duncan and McKay with 16 years during the 2015 season as it marks his 16 consecutive season as an on field coach. Others with ten or more seasons include
Mike González,
Johnny Lewis,
Marty Mason,
Gaylen Pitts and
Dave Ricketts.
Dal Maxvill is the only former Cardinals coach to have become a
general manager for the Cardinals.
Ray Blades,
Ken Boyer, González,
Johnny Keane,
Jack Krol,
Marty Marion,
Bill McKechnie, Schoendienst and
Harry Walker have all also managed the Cardinals. Cardinals coaches who have been
elected to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum include
Bob Gibson, McKechnie and Schoendienst.
Previous Cardinal coaching assignment or assignment in another organization: M (Manager), BN (Bench coach), PT (Pitching), BP (Bullpen), H (Hitting), AH (Assistant hitting), 1BC (First base), 3BC (Third base), QC (Quality Control), SA (Special assistant), MI (Coached or managed in minor leagues)
Ref
Reference(s)
Roles
Also a player (*),
manager (M), or
executive (E) for the Cardinals
The
St. Louis Cardinals, based in
St. Louis,
Missouri, are a
professional baseballfranchise that compete in the
National League of
Major League Baseball (MLB). The club employs
coaches who support – and report directly to – the
manager. Coaches for various aspects of the game, including
pitching,
hitting,
baserunning and
fielding, give instruction to players to assist them in exercising the major disciplines that must be successfully executed to compete at the highest level. These specialized roles are a relatively new development, as coaches initially did not have specific roles and instead had titles such as "first assistant", "second assistant", etc. St. Louis Cardinals coaches have played an important role in the team's eleven
World Series titles. Many are retired players who at one time played for the team. Coaching is often part of the path for Major League managerial hopefuls, as a coach's previous experiences typically include managing and/or coaching at the
minor league level.
Charley O'Leary and
Heinie Peitz, both former Cardinals players, became the first coaches the Cardinals employed as positions separate from the manager in
1913.
The longest-tenured coach in Cardinals' franchise history is
Red Schoendienst, who has filled a variety of roles for the St. Louis Cardinals. First, he played 15 seasons as a
second baseman for the Cardinals before becoming an on-field coach in
1962 in his penultimate season as an active player. He continued to coach through
1964, and the next season, became the Cardinals'
manager. Returning as an on-field coach for the Cardinals in
1979, Schoendienst remained in that capacity until
1995. From
1996 until his death in
2018, he served as a special assistant to the
general manager as a coaching advisor. In all, Schoendienst coached for St. Louis for 38 total seasons.[1] He has also worn a St. Louis Major League uniform in eight different decades, won four
World Series titles as part of on-field personnel and two more World Series titles since moving into his role as an advisor.[2][3]
The current longest-tenured coach through
2015 is third-base coach
José Oquendo, who has been coaching for the Cardinals since
1999. The latest addition is assistant hitting coach
Bill Mueller, who was hired before the
2015 season. The longest-tenured on-field coach in franchise history is
Buzzy Wares; he is also the only coach for the Cardinals with a consecutive on-field season streak of 20 or more seasons with 23. Schoendienst is the only other with 20 or more total seasons; he also had a streak of 17 consecutive seasons.
Dave Duncan and
Dave McKay are both tied for third with 16 total seasons and both with a streak of 16 consecutive seasons. Jose Oquendo is also tied with Duncan and McKay with 16 years during the 2015 season as it marks his 16 consecutive season as an on field coach. Others with ten or more seasons include
Mike González,
Johnny Lewis,
Marty Mason,
Gaylen Pitts and
Dave Ricketts.
Dal Maxvill is the only former Cardinals coach to have become a
general manager for the Cardinals.
Ray Blades,
Ken Boyer, González,
Johnny Keane,
Jack Krol,
Marty Marion,
Bill McKechnie, Schoendienst and
Harry Walker have all also managed the Cardinals. Cardinals coaches who have been
elected to the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum include
Bob Gibson, McKechnie and Schoendienst.
Previous Cardinal coaching assignment or assignment in another organization: M (Manager), BN (Bench coach), PT (Pitching), BP (Bullpen), H (Hitting), AH (Assistant hitting), 1BC (First base), 3BC (Third base), QC (Quality Control), SA (Special assistant), MI (Coached or managed in minor leagues)
Ref
Reference(s)
Roles
Also a player (*),
manager (M), or
executive (E) for the Cardinals