Randy Flores hired as Cardinals scouting director in aftermath of hacking scandal
For all the success and stability the St. Louis Cardinals have enjoyed over the past 15 years, they’ve recently experienced a surprising amount of turnover atop their scouting department.
On Friday, they added another new face to the department, hiring former reliever Randy Flores as their fourth different director of amateur scouting in the past five seasons. Flores takes over for Chris Correa, who was dismissed earlier this summer after admitting to having a role in the Cardinals’ breach of the Astros’ computer network.
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Correa was with the Cardinals long enough to oversee their 2015 draft, but took an extended leave of absence soon after and was ultimately fired on July 2 amid the investigation.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the federal government’s investigation continues, as does the Cardinals internal investigation into the possibility that other members of the front office assisted in illegally accessing the Astros’ information. So while the Cardinals have moved on on one front, it’s possible the fallout is only really beginning.
As for the hiring of Flores, it seems like a safe and smart move on the Cardinals part. Though they originally looked outside the organization for a replacement, under the circumstances they may have felt more comfortable bringing back a familiar face. Someone with an established presence in the organization who also understands the philosophy in place.
Flores spent five seasons with the Cardinals, from 2004-2008, appearing in 237 regular season games and another 17 postseason games. Flores fits the bill, and has been working on gaining experience in several fields during his time away from baseball.
After retiring following the 2010 season, Flores returned to USC to complete a master’s degree in education and serve as the baseball team’s assistant coach. If that’s not impressive enough for the resume, he also founded OnDeck Digital, which uses video capture technology to allow baseball and softball players to critique their own game.
Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch adds that 11 MLB teams are currently using the service, which also allows video access to scouts and other baseball personnel to help evaluate talent. With all of that said, it’s obvious that Flores can bring a lot to the table and will probably succeed in keeping the Cardinals ahead of the curve.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
