2008 Coaching Staff Announced
The St. Louis Cardinals have announced their minor league coaching staffs for the upcoming 2008 season. Returning to Springfield for his second year as skipper, will be Manager Ron "Pop" Warner. Warner will be joined by Hitting Coach Derrick May, Pitching Coach Bryan Eversgerd and Athletic Trainer Jay Pierson.
Warner led the 2007 edition of the Springfield Cardinals to their first Texas League Championship Series appearance, winning both the First Half and Second Half North Division titles in only his first year as Springfield Manager.
Back for his second year as Hitting Coach will be Derrick May, who begins his fourth year as a coach in the St. Louis minor league system.
Both Eversgerd and Pierson will be new additions to the Springfield staff. Springfield's only Pitching Coach in franchise history, Blaise Ilsley, was promoted to Pitching Coach for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.
Eversgerd, 39, has served in the same capacity for the Cardinals' Midwest League affiliate for the last four seasons. He began coaching in the Cardinals' system back in 2001, but stepped away from baseball for two years in 2002 and 2003. The Hoffman, Ill. resident originally signed with St. Louis back in 1989 as a nondrafted free agent, making his Major League debut with the Redbirds on April 26th, 1994. He also pitched in the big leagues with Montreal and Texas.
Pierson takes over for Brad LaRosa, who joined the Oakland A's Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento RiverCats. Pierson, 28, has spent the last four seasons as an Athletic Trainer in the Detroit Tigers' system, spending the last two with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League. The Texas native received a bachelor of science degree in school health, as well as a master's degree in sports physiology from Texas A&M University.
CARDINALS CARAVAN AT WEISER GYM TOMORROW!
Don't forget that the Cardinals Caravan will make its annual trip to Springfield on Friday, January 18th. For the first time, the Caravan will be held at Weiser Gym on the Drury University campus and is slated to kick off at 7pm.
Doors open at 6:30pm with the fun set to begin at 7pm. Admission for the Cardinals Caravan is $5 for adults and $3 for kids (ages 3-12). Autographs are free for kids ages 12 and under. All proceeds will benefit the Children's Miracle Network.
Former Springfield Cardinal Brendan Ryan, along with Ron Flores, Skip Schumaker and Brian Barton will be the four featured Cardinals players on the Caravan this year. St. Louis Cardinals Pitching Coach Dave Duncan has also been added to the list. Former Cardinals Danny Cox, Jack Clark and John Costello will headline the alumni class in attendance. Cardinals' announcer John Rooney will be the emcee for the evening.
For more information on the Cardinals Caravan, please call 417-863-2143 or visit