Clapp takes another step up baseball ladder

Former MLB player and PCL manager of the year headed to Arizona Fall League

Windsor native Stubby Clapp is set to add to an already impressive baseball resume.

Clapp, who was named Pacific Coast League manager of the year in 2017, was one of six people named to manage in this year’s Arizona Fall League.

“I was approached by the (St. Louis) Cardinals to see if I would be interested,” the 45-year-old Clapp said. “It’s a great honour and a nice opportunity.” A 36th-round pick by the Cardinals in the 1998 Major League Baseball draft, Clapp made it to St. Louis three years later in 2001 for 23 games.

That was his only stint in the majors and he would spend nine seasons in the minors while appearing in more than 800 games. He turned to coaching and spent four seasons with the Houston Astros organization starting in 2009. He then moved on to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2013, but returned to the Cardinals in November of 2016 to manage the team’s Class AAA team in Memphis, where he had been a player for four seasons and had his number retired by the team in 2007.

Clapp was not only named PCL manager of the year last season, but Baseball America named him minor league manager of the year after leading the team to several franchise records, including most wins in a season.

His second season with the Redbirds has shown no signs of slowing down. Memphis (71-44) went into Wednesday’s play with the best record in the 16-team PCL and an 11½-game lead in the American Southern Division standings. Despite the success, Clapp is still working to get back to the majors and managing in the AFL is another chance to showcase his ability. “Obviously I want to keep my MLB ambitions alive and continue to grow and learn as a manager at the next levels,” Clapp said. “(This) puts me into another position to be able to show that I’m able to handle these types of roles and hopefully do well for possibly getting opportunities for the next level.”

MLB controls the AFL and runs six teams with clubs able to place some of their best minor-league talent on display in hopes of improving.

Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Mike Trout are just a few of the players to have played in the league along with Clapp. “I played in 2000,” Clapp said. “I was a hitting coach in 2010.” This fall, Clapp will manage the Surprise Saguaros, which will feature players from the Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers and Blue Jays. “The challenges will be working with the different organizations to help get their players the right opportunities and work to help develop them,” Clapp said. “Understanding and meeting new characters and being able to blend them all together to play a short six-week season.” Clapp’s approach will be much the same as what got him to this point in his career.

“Have fun teaching and learning the game with top prospects and new staff,” Clapp said. “It’s pretty simple from there.”