The St. Louis Cardinals have hired former left fielder and 7-time All-Star Matt Holliday as the teams' new bench coach. Holliday, 42, replaces Skip Schumaker (who became manager of the Miami Marlins). Holliday had been working for Oklahoma State University as an outfielding and hitting coach for the 4 seasons (2019-2022).
Brandon Allen, 36, has been promoted from Triple-A Memphis to be assistant hitting coach. Allen has been working as a hitting coach in the Cardinals minors since 2017. Allen was hitting coach for the Memphis Redbirds the last 2 seasons (2021-2022). Allen would have been their hitting coach in 2020, if the season wasn't cancelled due to COVID-19. Turner Ward, 57, has been promoted on the Cardinals coaching staff to be the main hitting coach.
Dusty Blake, 40, has been promoted to pitching coach. Blake has been pitching strategist for the last 2 seasons with the Cardinals (2021-2022). Before joining the Cardinals coaching staff, Blake was pitching coach for the Duke University Blue Devils for 3 seasons (2018-2020). In 2020, the Blue Devils set a school record for consecutive scoreless inning (37). The Blue Devils also had their 1st ever perfect game. In the same season, the Blue Devils led the Atlantic Coast Conference in ERA.
Julio Rangel, 47, will be assistant pitching coach/bullpen coach. Rangel was pitching coaching for 2 seasons with the Texas Rangers (2019-2020). The last 2 seasons, Rangel has been pitching coordinator with the Boston Red Sox (2021-2022).
The rest of the coaching staff will remain the same. Patrick Elkins (run production), Stubby Clapp (first base coach), Ron "Pop" Warner (third base coach), Willie McGee (coach), Jamie Pogue (bullpen catcher), and Kleininger Teran (bullpen catcher).
On paper they all appear to be good hires for Oliver Marmol's coaching staff. It will help a lot if the Cardinals upgrade the roster.
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