A Look at the Coaching Staff of the Cardinals Affiliates: Memphis Redbirds
Today we look at the coaching staff for the Cardinals AAA affiliate Memphis Redbirds. From their website we find this information:
They open on the road on April 6 at Oklahoma City and return for their home opener on April 13th with a series with OKC. Schedule here.
Manager: Ron “Pop” Warner
The 2012 season is Ron “Pop” Warner’s first season as skipper of the Memphis Redbirds, after spending 5 seasons with the Springfield Cardinals (AA). “Pop” was officially named Manager of the Cards on November 20, 2006, after managing the Palm Beach Cardinals (A) for two seasons and after five years as an instructor and manager in the organization.
Warner led the Springfield Cardinals to their first-ever playoff and Texas League Championship Series Appearance in 2007, then led Springfield to a franchise-record 76 wins in 2008 and in 2010. In 2005, he guided the Palm Beach Cardinals to the Florida State League Championship. Before joining Palm Beach in 2005, Warner was the Hitting Coach at Class-A Peoria in 2004. The previous two years (2002-2003), he was a coach at Class-A New Jersey. “Pop” made his coaching debut in 2001 at Double-A New Haven.
In 2000, Warner served as the batting practice pitcher for the Major League club. Originally drafted by St. Louis in the 17th round in 1991 as a shortstop out of the University of Wyoming, Warner spent nine years playing in the Cardinals farm system. In 1999, he hit .290 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI for Memphis, while playing several positions. Warner, 39, resides in St. Charles, MO, with his wife Laura and sons, Colin and Benjamin.
Pitching Coach: Blaise Ilsley
Blaise Ilsley begins his fifth season as pitching coach for the Redbirds in 2012 after six seasons with the Cardinals Double-A affiliate Springfield. The Indiana State product received the Cardinals’ George Kissell Award for excellence in player development in 2004 for his work with the S-Cardinals. Ilsley’s pitching staffs have won two straight Pacific Coast League ERA titles in 2009 and 2010. Ilsley came to the St. Louis organization after working in the Baltimore Orioles system in 2001 with the Bluefield Orioles in the Rookie Appalachian League where he was also a pitching coach. He began his coaching career in the independent Northern League in 1999 with Winnipeg and moved to Sioux Falls in 2000.
Ilsley appeared in 10 major league games with the Chicago Cubs in 1994 as part of his 14 seasons of playing in professional baseball. The former fourth-round draft pick spent time with six different organizations including St. Louis, Chicago (NL), Houston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Montreal before concluding his playing career in 1998. Drafted in 1985 by the Astros, Ilsley was named to the Topps Rookie League All-Star team that year after leading the New York-Penn League with 116 strikeouts in 90 innings for Single-A Auburn. The Michigan native combined to win a career-high 20 games at two minor league stops in 1986.
Hitting Coach: Mark Budaska
Mark Budaska begins his fifth season as the Redbirds hitting coach after six years working in the Boston Red Sox system. Budaska spent the 2004-2007 seasons with Triple-A Pawtucket as their hitting coach, and last year his hitters batted .254, last in the International League, with 108 home runs as the team finished 67-75. Prior to his time with the PawSox, Budaska spent two years with Double-A Portland. In 2001, the Pennsylvania native enjoyed his most success as a coach, winning the Texas League Championship with the Anaheim Angels’ Double-A affiliate Arkansas. That year his hitters finished fourth in the league with a .266 team batting average. Budaska served as hitting coach and first base coach for a major league team in Taiwan from 1998-2000.
The former switch-hitting outfielder played for 10 years in the Oakland Athletics organization, including two stints with the big league club in 1978 and 1981. Budaska, who now resides in Hawaii, appeared in 13 games with the A’s collecting six hits in the 36 at-bats with three doubles and two RBI. He began his professional playing career in 1973 with Lewiston in the Northwest League after signing as an amateur free agent and made his major league debut June 6, 1979.
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