After just one season in Sauget, Cameron Roth will not return as Gateway Grizzlies manager in 2022. (Photo: Nathan Assata)
by Torrance Terrell
Staff Writer
The Gateway Grizzlies announced Monday that Cameron Roth will not return as the team’s manager in 2022. Roth left the organization for personal reasons and will be the new manager of the Lake Erie Crushers, the team he managed from 2016 until 2019, before joining the Grizzlies this past season.
“I’d like to thank the Gateway Grizzlies for giving me the opportunity to be a part of their organization,” Roth said. “Even though my time here will have to end for personal responsibilities, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Sauget. I wish nothing but the best for the organization and all members that embody the Gateway family.”
Roth steered Gateway to a 38-57 record in 2021, the first season since 2006 in which Phil Warren was not the club’s manager.
As Grizzlies manager, Roth helped Andres Regnault to a team-MVP season in which the young Venezuelan catcher hit .317 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs. Roth also tutored Geoff Bramblett to another fantastic year, capping the righthander’s Grizzlies tenure as one of the greatest pitchers in franchise history.
“We were excited to sign Cam this spring and looking forward to bringing him back for the 2022 season,” Grizzlies general manager Steve Gomric said. “Sometimes you choose your path in life; sometimes life chooses for you. Life is moving Cam Roth in a direction other than Gateway. We understand and respect his decision.”
Although the Grizzlies finished in last place last season, they did have several young players that joined Regnault with impressive individual seasons, including pitcher Sam Gardner, infielders Abdiel Diaz, Jay Prather, and Carter Hayes, and outfielders Jack Harris and Alonzo Jones.
Gateway will conduct a search for its next manager, who will inherit a young and talented roster that showed enormous potential this season and looks poised to take a substantial step forward in 2022.
“The Gateway Grizzlies were making positive strides at the end of the season and that is contributable to Cam and his staff for the hard work they put in,” Grizzlies director Rich Sauget Jr. said. “We look forward to the positive momentum that they stimulated and plan to carry it over towards a new chapter for the Gateway Grizzlies and our fans.”