There are 40 article(s) tagged Ben Johnson:

• August 2023

  • Opportunity knocks: New Redbirds pitchers have fresh start in Cardinals’ organization

    Three new pitchers now in the starting rotation for the Memphis Redbirds are essentially auditioning for the same role with the 2024 St. Louis Cardinals. 

    By Don Wade August 07, 2023

• July 2023

  • Redbirds’ Kramer Robertson feels influence of his famous mom

    His mother, Kim Mulkey, knows a thing or two about sports. She just won her fourth national championship as a women’s college basketball head coach, this time at LSU.

    By Don Wade July 09, 2023

• June 2023

  • A quarter-century ago, AutoZone Park gave Downtown a jump-start

    After decades of decline, Downtown started to rebound — and perhaps nothing spurred the comeback quite like the 2000 opening of AutoZone Park at Third and Union. The whole atmosphere changed. Or as now-retired AutoZone executive Ray Pohlman remembers: “Downtown was cool ... it just flourished.”

    By Don Wade June 26, 2023

• May 2023

  • ‘Big teddy bear’ having fierce offensive year for Memphis Redbirds

    For first baseman Luken Baker to take the step from Triple-A to the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals or some other team, he’s going to have to “knock the door down,” said Memphis manager Ben Johnson. 

    By Don Wade May 24, 2023

  • Waiting Game: Redbirds pitcher Michael McGreevy refining his craft until Cardinals call

    Right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy, a 2021 first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, is having success at Triple-A Memphis by being true to his self: trying to get “early, weak contact” from hitters, so he can eventually change his work address from AutoZone Park to Busch Stadium. 

    By Don Wade May 22, 2023

  • ‘RoboUmp?’ Not exactly

    Baseball’s automated ball-strike (ABS) system is getting a long look from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. The Memphis Redbirds and other Triple-A teams are now playing all games with one of two ABS versions.

    By Don Wade May 07, 2023

  • Top Cardinals prospect Jordan Walker in Memphis to ‘work on things’

    The beginning of 20-year-old rookie Jordan Walker’s career with the St. Louis Cardinals was so successful he tied an MLB record that had him eclipsing the likes of Roberto Clemente and Ted Williams. Even so, the Cardinals recently demoted him to Triple-A Memphis.

    By Don Wade May 03, 2023

• April 2023

  • Now playing at AutoZone Park: Masyn Winn, the St. Louis Cardinals’ No. 2 prospect

    Notebook: The Memphis Redbirds’ home-opener gave fans their first look at top prospect Masyn Winn and scorekeeper John Guinozzo, 74, was at his usual post and recalling a 40-year-old run-in with Nashville manager Stump Merrill.

    By Don Wade April 04, 2023

• March 2023

  • Home Again: Memphis Redbirds manager Ben Johnson back where it all began

    He went to his first St. Louis Cardinals game at age 2, was drafted by the Cardinals out of high school, and Monday night Ben Johnson will manage against them at AutoZone Park as skipper of their Triple-A team, the Memphis Redbirds. 

    By Don Wade March 21, 2023

  • Former Redbirds manager Stubby Clapp learning on the job as Cardinals coach

    Former Memphis Redbirds manager Stubby Clapp had proved all there was to prove at Triple-A. His reward: a promotion to St. Louis to be first base and infield coach.

    By Don Wade March 21, 2023

• August 2022

  • Paid in Dreams: Minor league baseball players work for hope of Majors

    For many, earning an average of $3,000 to $5,000 per year, there are two clocks ticking: one counting off the days of his baseball life, the other the days a life that he hasn’t quite started because of baseball.

    By Don Wade August 21, 2022

• July 2022

  • Free nachos, $1 hot dogs, $2 beer on deck at Redbirds games

    The draw of promotions adds to fans coming to AutoZone Park.

    By Kofi Whitehead July 02, 2022

• August 2021

  • Gwinnett ends Redbirds’ historic winning streak

    Stripers’ starter shuts down baseball’s hottest team.

    By John Varlas August 02, 2021

• July 2020

  • Memphis manager Ben Johnson busy, just not on baseball field

    He's not managing this season because COVID-19 wiped out the minor league season, but Memphis Redbirds skipper Ben Johnson has players to call and a "honey do" list that just won't quit.

    By Don Wade July 10, 2020

• May 2020

  • Ben Johnson knows of racial prejudice, but believes America can do better

    The son of a black mother and a white father, Memphis Redbirds manager Ben Johnson grew up in Whitehaven and Germantown with a foot in both worlds. Even after recent events in Minneapolis, he hasn't lost hope for a more civilized America. 

    By Don Wade May 31, 2020

  • Hard habit to break: Coronavirus risk will mean ‘there’s no spitting in baseball’

    If MLB games return amid the pandemic, they will do so minus the time-honored baseball tradition of near-constant spitting — or at least that's the goal.

    By Don Wade May 22, 2020

• April 2020

  • Baseball lifers eager for game to return

    Detroit Tigers coach Dave Clark is "power walking" and watching "Designated Survivor." Redbirds manager Ben Johnson is an "Ozark" fan and giving "Tiger King" a try as they wait for baseball to begin. 

    By Don Wade April 01, 2020

• March 2020

  • MLB spring training camps closed as Cardinals and Redbirds head home

    From Memphis Redbirds principal owner Peter Freund, to Memphis manager Ben Johnson and St. Louis Cardinals coach Stubby Clapp, COVID-19 is now very real on a professional and personal level.

    By Don Wade March 14, 2020

• December 2019

  • Ben Johnson returning as Memphis Redbirds manager

    Ben Johnson, who starred in baseball and football at Germantown High, is returning for his second season as manager of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds and is armed with the knowledge acquired in season one. 

    By Don Wade December 11, 2019

• September 2019

  • Redbirds’ season over, but several players join St. Louis Cardinals

    With a late push, the Memphis Redbirds stayed in the playoff hunt until the last series of the season. Manager Ben Johnson, a Germantown High School graduate, hopes to be back in 2020.

    By Don Wade September 05, 2019

• August 2019

  • Memphis Redbirds Notebook: September call-ups soon to be few and far between

    This September represents a last, best, opportunity for some Memphis Redbirds to get that late call-up to St. Louis; next season, MLB rule changes will drop the September active roster limit from 40 to 28.

    By Don Wade August 26, 2019

  • Finding his rhythm: Redbirds’ Ben Johnson more comfortable in the manager’s seat

    Germantown High grad and first-year Memphis Redbirds manager Ben Johnson is growing in the job and, of late, his team has played quite well. 

    By Don Wade August 22, 2019

  • Growing up in the game

    Memphis Redbirds outfielder Dylan Carlson, the St. Louis Cardinals’ No. 2 prospect, has had one goal ever since he can remember: be a major-league baseball player. Now, he’s very close.

    By Don Wade August 21, 2019

  • With use of same juiced ball, MLB power surge comes to Triple-A

    In 2019 all Triple-A teams, including the Memphis Redbirds, began playing with the same juiced ball used in the major leagues. Which is why with more than 30 games left in the PCL season, teams have hit 500 more home runs have than in all of 2018.

    By Don Wade August 04, 2019

• July 2019

  • Redbirds’ Andrew Knizner making strides as heir apparent to Yadier Molina

    The Memphis Redbirds' Andrew Knizner is today the top catching prospect for the St. Louis Cardinals, which is saying something given that not that long ago he was a third baseman.

    By Don Wade July 08, 2019