Jocketty's assistant wants to take the reins

~ John Mozeliak has been with the Cardinals organization since 1995.

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals' interim general manager made it clear Thursday that he wants Walt Jocketty's old job.

But John Mozeliak, who has been with the organization for a dozen years, doesn't feel the need to campaign. He'd like to believe ownership already has his resume.

"Obviously, I would want to be considered for the position," Mozeliak said. "I don't think I need to participate in the normal application process. They know what my strengths are."

Mozeliak, 38, said it was more hectic than normal when he reported for work at Busch Stadium. He also noted this is a critical time of the baseball calendar, evaluating personnel from the current team and laying the groundwork for potential improvements.

"It's been busy, just like it would be any other day," Mozeliak said. "Obviously, we're dealing with a little bit different set of circumstances, but this time of the year you're ramping up for the offseason anyway."

Among his duties was getting a telephone update from Tony La Russa, who is mulling whether to return for a 13th season. Mozeliak called it a "checking-in conversation," but said La Russa's future was not addressed.

Chairman Bill DeWitt said Wednesday that he wasn't certain how Jocketty's departure would affect La Russa's decision, although he didn't believe La Russa and Jocketty were a package deal and believed a decision would be made in the "reasonably near future."

The only difference regarding Thursday's agenda was he wasn't working with Jocketty, 56, who was dismissed Wednesday after 13 highly successful seasons with the team. Jocketty helped the team make seven postseason appearances and win the World Series last fall, one of the best stretches in franchise history.

"That's changed," Mozeliak said. "But I think I know what tasks are at hand."

Mozeliak joined the organization in 1995 and has been the assistant GM to Jocketty the last five years. He's also interviewed for GM openings in Cincinnati and Houston.

Mozeliak has also been involved heavily in professional scouting and player development, serving as a bridge of sorts between Jocketty and Jeff Luhnow, a team vice president in charge of amateur scouting and player development.

Team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said a growing rift in the front office relating to Jocketty's philosophical differences with Luhnow led to Jocketty's exit. DeWitt said Wednesday that Luhnow, who has been the point man for the franchise's increased presence in international scouting, was not a candidate for the GM opening.

"Jeff's got a big job and it's important, and I think he's doing well," DeWitt said. "Running baseball operations is a huge job."

Mozeliak said the news came as a "shock." DeWitt, Jocketty, Luhnow and Mozeliak all participated in the annual season-ending meeting Monday and Mozeliak said no rancor was apparent.

"There was nothing unusual about that meeting," Mozeliak said. "Basically, that just sets the stage for the next few weeks. It was business as usual."

Mozeliak said he's had no problems dealing with Luhnow, who joined the team in 2003 and brings an approach more reliant on statistics to the process.

"It's been very professional and open," Mozeliak said. "It's a relationship that I think will continue to grow."

Mozeliak has a scouting background, beginning his career with the Cardinals as an assistant in scouting operations and rising to director of baseball operations in 2001 and scouting director in 2003-04. But he can appreciate the value that sabremetrics, or mathematical and statistical analysis of baseball records, can add.

"I think anything that can help you make better decisions should be considered," Mozeliak said. "I would look at everything."