St. Louis Cardinals hire Skip Schumaker as bench coach, add Turner Ward to coaching staff

 

The St. Louis Cardinals have hired Skip Schumaker as their new bench coach. Schumaker, 41, spent the last 4 seasons (2018-2021) as a coach on the San Diego Padres coaching staff. The first two seasons, Schumaker was the Padres first base coach. Then Schumaker was associate manager for the last two seasons. Schumaker retunes to the original team that drafted him. Schumaker also had his must success with the Cardinals as a player with them for 8 seasons (2005-2012). Schumaker helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 2006 and 2011. 

Ward, 56, was most recently the hitting coach for the Cincinnati Reds for 1 season in 2019. The Reds let go of Turner on October 1, 2019. Before joining the Reds, Ward was on the Arizona Diamondbacks coaching staff for 3 seasons (2013-2015). In Ward's first season, Ward was the D'Backs assistant hitting coach and then was their main hitting coach from (2014-2015). Ward then was the Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coach for 3 seasons (2016-2018). As a player, Ward won the World Series back-to-back in 1992 and 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Ward is reunited with Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt; both know each other from their time with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ward also managed Goldschmidt in Double-A with the Mobile BayBears in 2011. That season, Ward won Southern League Manager of the Year. 

Both Schumaker and Ward complete the Cardinals coaching staff for 2022. On paper, both should be great additions to the Cardinals coaching staff.