Ron Warner (baseball)

Ronald Michael "Pop" Warner (born December 2, 1968, at Alhambra, California) is an American professional baseball coach, and a former minor league manager and player. Warner spent 2014 as manager of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League, his third successive year in the post.^[1] His professional career began in 1991 and its entirety has been spent in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization. On December 10, 2014, Warner was named the Cardinals' roving minor league infield coordinator, and was replaced as manager of the Redbirds by Mike Shildt.^[2]

Warner was selected in the 17th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft after graduating from the University of Wyoming. During his pro playing career (1991–1999) he played every infield position (although he was primarily a shortstop and second baseman) as well as corner outfield positions, and even pitched in three games. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg). His career peaked at Triple-A with 307 games played between 1997–1999 with the Louisville and Memphis Redbirds. In 792 minor league games, he rang up 594 hits, including 40 home runs, and batted .267.^[3]

In 2000, Warner retired as a player and spent the season as the batting practice pitcher for the Major League Cardinals. After working as a minor league coach in 2001–2002, he received his first managerial assignment in 2003 in the Rookie-level Appalachian League. He was a minor league coach again in 2004, then resumed his managerial career in the Cardinal farm system in 2005, progressing from Class A (Palm Beach Cardinals) in 2005–2006 to Double-A (Springfield Cardinals) from 2007–2011.^[1] He was named manager of the Memphis Redbirds on November 21, 2011.

Through eleven seasons as a manager, Warner has compiled a record of 734–730 (.501).^[1]

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)