A Quad City player who didn't have the best average went out and had key contributions in this June 2005 game.
For manager Joe Cunningham, that was just how he worked, assessed players, The Rock Island Argus wrote.
"I don't base what I do with my lineup on what's on a piece of paper," Cunningham told The Argus. "I look at day-to-day progress and what a guy is doing for himself."
Cunningham spoke with experience, having worked more than 15 years in the minors as a coach and manager, after a brief career in the minors himself.
Cunningham's career in baseball began in 1984, signed by the Cardinals out of Gulf Coast State College in Florida.
Cunningham followed his father Joe Cunningham to the pros. His father saw 12 seasons in the majors.
The son started with the Cardinals at rookie Johnson City. He hit .247 in 55 games. He made single-A St. Petersburg and Savannah for 1985, then single-A Springfield in 1986. He finished with two final seasons back at St. Petersburg in 1987 and 1988.
Cunningham then turned coach. He spent 1989 at short-season Hamilton, then moved to Johnson City in 1990.
In July 1990, he assessed a speedy Tresmayne Donald to The Johnson City Press.
"If he can hit .250 or .260, he can lead this league in stolen bases," Cunningham told The Press.
Cunningham then moved to the manager's office for the first time in the rookie Arizona League in 1992. He then managed at Johnson City, single-A Madison in 1993 and 1994 and served as hitting coach at AAA Louisville in 1995.
For 1998, he served as manager at high-A Prince William. That August, his team went through some hitting struggles, The Potomac News wrote.
"It seems some of our batters are afraid of taking because they then have to face a breaking ball," Cunningham explained to The News. "But higher up, they will have to. We were up swinging at everything like 'let's get it over with.'"
Cunningham continued on as manager through 2005, then spent 2006 as hitting coach at AA Springfield, his most recent recorded post.
- Johnson City Press, July 11, 1990: Fleet-footed Donald makes things happen in Card-like fashion
- Potomac News, Aug. 11, 1998: Cannons drop 3rd in a row
- Rock Island Argus, June 13, 2005: A well-earned break
Made the Majors:1,417-32.1
Never Made Majors:2,995-67.9%-X
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