Welcome To Baseball Heaven…

Tony LaRussa (Source: Getty Images)

Now that the season has finally concluded, in grand fashion of course it’s allowed the UCB to finally get to our post season roundtable. For those of you who do know me or have read my limited posts you know that the roundtables are my favorite project to participate in. With the timing of my question it’s been a challenge for me to get the post live but I’m finally able to do so and below is my question followed by the group’s responses.

When the name Tony LaRussa is mentioned around Cardinal Nation it tends to draw a battle line in the sand. It was a love/hate relationship with most fans leaving a small percentage somewhere in the middle. On Tuesday Mark had us discussing who we would like to see as the successor to Tony. Today I ask you to tell us what your lasting impression will be of him: positive or negative.  You can use a short story like a favorite moment to help paint a picture or simply give us a few short words. And if you need to go to your bullpen for help finishing your answer that’s fine as well.

Bill Ivie – I-70 Baseball

This is a solid question…

As a fan and someone rooting for this team, Tony caused me to pull my hair out.  I hated the way he micromanaged, the way he ran players out of town, and the way he seemingly got caught up in the chess match of the game.  All that being said, the man was a class act, funny when the time called for it, and a game changer.

Think about this for a minute: the LOOGY, a hitter with some pop in the two spot, the best hitter on the team hitting third, the pitcher hitting eighth, and -to a lesser extent- the closer.  All of these things TLR had a major hand in making the status quo in different environments.  The man literally changed the game that we know and love.  Very few men can claim to be innovators of a professional sport.  We witnessed one for sixteen years in St. Louis.

And before I get all the hate mail, I have a lot of respect for the man, but I was one of his biggest detractors.  I stand by everything I said about him then and now.  I never liked him, but I respected the results he got. LaGenius, indeed.

Dathan Brooks – Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Goodnight

Positive.  I read someone earlier today who said saying “LaRussa” in St. Louis is like saying “Obama” anywhere else in the country.  Both sides dig in, and battle the other with point, counter-point, counter-totally-unrelated-point.  It’s a long, pointless (often heated) battle of “You’re not changing my mind, and I’m not changing yours”.  I don’t consider myself a huge TLR honk, but it often comes across that way.  I’ve told this story before, but will share it again, because I think it bears repeating, particularly given your question, Dustin.

Last summer, one member of the three-headed-TLR-hating beast that make up some friends of mine & I went to a Giants/Cards game.  Whoever started that game got one out in the 7th, but couldn’t finish the job.  TLR calls for Trever Miller to come in.  Miller struck out the next two batters, to end the top of the 7th.  Miller returned in the top of the 8th, and struck out the first two batters he faced, then Tony came out and brought a right-hander in to face Andres Torres.

Him: See, that’s what I’m talking about right there.  Why wouldn’t you leave Miller in?

Me:  What are Torres’ career numbers against Miller?

Him: I don’t know.

Me:  Is he 11-13 with 6 doubles, and 12 RBI?

Him: I have no idea.

Me:  Do you think Dave Duncan & Tony LaRussa know?

My point is not that TLR always makes the right move, or the smartest, most conventional decision.  I don’t agree with everything he did, and while I did trust him, he didn’t have a blank check of endorsement from me on any & all decisions.  My point is always the same:  I’m not saying he’s right or he’s wrong.  All I’m saying is that there’s a pretty good chance he has access to more information about the situation than we do.

One of my fantasy baseball leagues is crawling with haters, and I’m constantly listening to how TLR isn’t a good manager.  We’ve all heard the same things: He overmanages and blah, blah, blah.  Finally, I posed the question to others in my league:  What makes a manager a good manager?  Is it how many championships he’s won?  Is it trips to the postseason?  Career winning percentage?  Years as a manager?  Making decisions on the field that you agree with from your recliner?  The message board got pretty quiet after that.

My point is that he’s a very polarizing figure, as you pointed out.  Most folks love him or hate him, and few of those people, if any, will ever change their mind.  He managed the Cardinals for almost half of my life, and during that time made a habit out of getting to the postseason, and he added two World Championship flags to the Cardinals collection. That’s a plus in my book.

Daniel Shoptaw – C70 At The Bat

I was a Tony La Russa fan while he was in Oakland.  I remember getting the George Will book Men At Work (and, if you’ve never read it, I encourage you to.  I’ve read my copy so often that the pages are falling out) and being excited that a couple of my favorites (La Russa and Orel Hershiser) were featured in the book.

When I heard that he was coming to St. Louis, I was ecstatic.  There aren’t too many managers that are legends, and TLR was at that time (and still is).  It showed a commitment to the team that I felt had been lacking the last couple of years of Brewery ownership.

Was it all that I expected?  Yeah, pretty much.  I mean, we fussed at Tony.  We didn’t understand why players like Anthony Reyes didn’t get a fair shake.  We didn’t want to see another old guy take the job of an up and comer.  We didn’t see the necessity of using a left-handed reliever when the Cards were up by three with two outs in the ninth.  We anguished over the Rolen and Rasmus feuds.

And yet, it all worked.  Three World Series appearances with two wins in 16 years is a record that anyone can approve of, but especially an organization that wandered in the wilderness for close to 20 years.  Tony’s teams were rarely not competitive, something that couldn’t be said for the Torre years.  Winning baseball games is what matters and La Russa, for all of his quirks, did that at a level we hadn’t seen in a long while in St. Louis.

I’m glad that he went out with a Series win and I’ve got to say that I am going to miss him more than I thought I would earlier in the year, when the team looked out of touch.  I’ve no doubt he’ll do something baseball related and I look forward to him returning to St. Louis when they retire his number sometime in the future.

Tom Knuppel – CardinalsGM

I will remember Tony LaRussa as a manager that knew how to use an entire squad. Look back at several years yields the fact that his player appeared “sharper” in September/October than players on other teams due to his constantly resting players throughout the season and the use of an entire 25 man and sometimes the Memphis roster for that to happen.

Daniel Solzman

There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going down as one of the top 5 managers of all time.  While I was not happy with some of his decisions like taking away Ozzie’s playing time with Royce Clayton in 1996, when I made my first trip to Busch Stadium during Tony’s first season as manager, I’m happy with the results of his time in the long run.

Am I sad that Rolen and Tony did not get a long?  Yes, you can sure bet on that.  Am I sad that Edmonds got traded towards the end of his career?  Of course, I am.  If those things don’t happen, along with trading away Colby Rasmus to Toronto, do I get to see one of the most memorable games of all time?  I don’t know.  It’s hard to say.

We can nitpick about minor details all we want but in the end, during his 16 seasons in St. Louis, he took us to the postseason 9 times where the Cardinals reached the NLCS 8 times, including 3 NL pennants and 2 World Series titles.  As a fan, you can’t ask for more and I look forward to the 2014 Hall of Fame inductions.

Bob Netherton – On The Outside Corner

Positive, with a capital P, but that doesn’t come close to doing La Russa’s tenure in St. Louis justice.  You need words more like transformational, innovative, and competitive.   Those will be the lasting impressions of Tony La Russa.

Although we are the best fans in baseball, we are also a most fortunate lot, because we have had so much to cheer about.   Three times in the last half century, it wasn’t that way.  In fact, each time the franchise came dangerously close to becoming another Pittsburgh Pirates or Cincinnati Reds, much more so than recapturing the legacy of the Gashouse Gang.   All three times, a transformational manager came to the rescue and turned the team around, creating champions.  Those three were Johnny Keane, Whitey Herzog and Tony La Russa.   Behind each of these was a successful general manager and an ownership team willing to invest to get a championship, but it was these three men that made that happen.   In case you are wondering, I do put Red Schoendienst in his own special category that transcends all of this.
With 16 years of competitive baseball and post-season success, it is far too easy to forget about the doldrums that were the Torre years (1990-1995) when just reaching .500 was considered a monumental success.     Then there was the Vern Rapp era (1977-1978).  He had been successful in the minor leagues, and had a hand in the 1967 success, but failed to adapt to the new free agent era of players rebelling against authority.   Ken Boyer did not have much success either, but might have become a great manager had his illness not claimed his life so early.
Like Whitey Herzog did in 1980, Tony La Russa tore apart the team and rebuilt it around a core of players, some of which he brought over from his previous team – Todd Stottlemyre, Dennis Eckersley, Rick Honeycutt and later, Mark McGwire.  There were some new faces as well, Andy Benes, Gary Gaetti, Ron Gant, Royce Clayton.   The 1995 team was well on its way to 100 losses, and La Russa turned it into a team that won the NL Central, and came very close to advancing to the World Series.

Sure, he micro-managed every aspect of the game, but we forget there was a rather crusty old white haired cuss in the dugout that used to do the exact same thing.  How many times did we see a pitcher in the outfield, just because there was a favorable match-up coming up in a few batters.  That was Herzog, not La Russa.   If given the choice, I’d rather have La Russa’s methods than Joe Torre, who watched Jose DeLeon fall apart night after night at nearly the exact same pitch count.  Every time it happened, it seemed to catch Torre totally unprepared.

Oh, La Russa did some things that could make you fill a cuss jar, but he also took his team into postseason with regularity, made it to the final series three times, and brought it all home twice – that’s one more than Whitey Herzog, Johnny Keane and Red Schoendienst.

While I look forward to the next year, I will miss Tony La Russa, just as much as I did when Whitey Herzog stepped down in 1990.   And end of a very exciting era of Cardinals baseball.  It will be a happy day in Cardinals history when his #10 is added to the list of retired numbers and his likeness takes its place alongside Herzog and Red.

Kevin Reynolds

Wow…what a heavy question…specifically because Tony La Russa is such a polarizing, independent figure. He did things his own way so much that you would be hard-pressed to find a single, solitary fan that absolutely loved everything Tony did during his time here. You may count yourself as a TLR supporter…but you know you had your “DAMN IT, TONY!” moments, too.

I think that’s where my memory of Tony starts…in fact, you could say there are 3 components to my memory of Tony. The first is his independent, multi-faceted nature. I count myself as a Tony supporter…but you’ve all seen me rant and call for his head season to season and various times. There are things I absolutely love about him…and things I can’t stand about him…and those things tend to shift from week to week. One week, I love the match-up crazy approach he takes to the mound…the next week, I’m begging him to leave “so and so” in for another batter. One week I’m ripping him for letting Skip face a lefty…the next week I’m ripping him for “pulling the night’s best hitter!” Point is, Tony always did things his own way…regardless of the fan/media/etc. reaction…and THAT, above all else, is what drove fans nuts. They just couldn’t apply a conventional, predictable wisdom/method to Tony’s actions and decisions…because he seemed to have no guiding principal other than his own internal compass.

The second component revolves around his polarizing reputation. Dathan touched on this a bit earlier, but let me talk a bit on it too. I always hear people across the country talk about Tony’s arrogant, self-centered nature. They seem to villianize the man outrageously at times…and I can certainly understand that from another fan’s perspective. But the Tony I got to know from the other side of a TV screen was anything but arrogant…nor was he self-centered. I remember the Reds’ announcer/writer/whatever saying Tony thinks he invented the game. No…he just carries an amazing level of respect for the game…and feels a responsibility to pass on what he’s learned/knows as it was passed on to him. I think that’s it…what others see as arrogant, self-centeredness…many of us in Cardinal Nation know as respect, humility, and overwhelming responsibility to his place in the game’s history and future. That’s it right there…I’ll remember Tony’s duality. To those who “knew him”…he was a completely different man than he came across as to those who did not. I look forward to the rest of the world getting to know the REAL Tony now that he’s not in the thick of things any longer.

Finally, the third component is perhaps a result of the second…what Tony taught me about major league baseball. Yeah, I’ve been a fan since the early Whitey years…but I was VERY young. When I really started getting into the details of the game, how it’s prepared for, how it’s executed, etc….that was during the Tony years. What I learned about a major league baseball team, game, and season was filtered through watching TLR night after night for over a decade. Things like constructing a ‘pen with two lefty specialists and a shutdown closer…potential damage in the two hole…building a roster with 12/13 pitchers…using the entire roster…configuring lineups with a dual purpose – to play match-ups for that day and to keep the entire roster fresh…and on and on…that all came from TLR. Bill already touched on this a bit…but let me say this…I don’t think Cardinal Nation fully appreciates – especially the younger generation – just how much they “know” about the game is due to Tony La Russa’s influence. He not only changed the game…he changed the fan’s perception and “knowledge” of the game. Perhaps that will only be evident in the years to come as we find ourselves screaming at the new manager to “put a lefty in, dummy!!!!” Or scratching our heads at the near paralysis of bench players who seem to never enter the game – “Why have ‘em if you ain’t gonna’ use ‘em, Coach?!” What I know of the game…I know in large part because of Tony La Russa. I think that is what I’ll remember most.

So, I guess I will remember him in a positive light – as others have said – with a capital “P”. Tony did so much for this organization…3 World Series appearances, 2 titles, multiple Division titles, 3 NL pennants, multiple playoff appearances…and a constant expectation of contending…over 16 years! Sure, at times it feels as if we could have…perhaps should have…gotten just a bit more…but that’s how it goes. Tony deserves his place on the wall in left field. His red jacket cannot come soon enough, and I look forward to seeing him wear it in the near future.

Aaron Hooks – Cards Diaspora

This isn’t a hard question.

Tony LaRussa is the best manager the Cardinals have ever had.

Ray DeRousse – STLCardinal Baseball

You’re asking a guy who wore a “Fire LaRussa” shirt to the ballpark on August 26th in protest over his disastrous handling of Carpenter’s start the previous Monday. And, I might add, I received almost universal praise for that shirt and its message.

I was as thrilled as anyone by the Cardinals’ incredible run and triumph. But how much of that success came from TLR? Meanwhile, I can point to five games during that stretch that TLR completely pissed away with his ridiculous tinkering. How many games did he lose all by himself simply from being involved and obstinate?

My overwhelming feeling is that TLR decided too many games for someone not actually playing on the field. I prefer my manager to make sound moves and get the hell out of the way, something TLR never did. That, his lying, and his peculiar inability to get along with certain talented individuals, will be his lasting legacy to me.

Still trying to explain away those championships, though.

Mary Claussen

Positive.  When he joined our organization back in 1996, of course I was unsure about him.  Whiteyball had been so prevalent that I couldn’t imagine another manager with our Cards.  I definitely had doubts about Tony.  It took a while but he did it and won over the loyalty of all of us Herzog fans (& that was difficult to do).  Overall, TLR will remain positive with fans.  He brought us these 2 World Championships and like Herzog and his Whiteyball, he taught us about his Tonyball (we gotta come up with something better).

Kevin Reynolds

I will point out…the “how much of that success came from TLR?” question comes out all the time…national and local…fans and media…and I think the reason is, it’s a nearly impossible question to answer…making it a safe one to pose. On the other hand, in hindsight, decisions made by TLR that did not work out and contributed to games we lost are very simple to point to but can sometimes suffer from a much too narrow focus on a single decision versus other factors (underperforming offense, etc.).

I think, however, the “how much of that success came from TLR” question is perhaps interesting here…given the many postseason pitching changes, PH scenarios, etc. that popped up during the playoffs. I can think of many games in the postseason in which Tony’s decisions could have easily saved the game/season for us…especially decisions to pull starters/etc. so early.

I’m not disagreeing with you, Ray…I just think the “how much of that success” question is an unfair one often times simply because it is nearly impossible to answer…because we don’t know what MIGHT have happened if he hadn’t made a decision or “tinkered”. I think the asking of that question deserves to be challenged a bit more than it is for the sake of discussion…especially because the opposite – how many games did he cost us by moves/non-moves – can be “supported” (if often out of context) by actual events rather than supposition.

Erika Lynn – Cardinal Diamond Diaries

I love this question & the responses so far.  Whether fans loved him
or hated him (or both), Tony La Russa will forever hold a special
place in my heart.  TLR is the only Cardinal manager I’ve known, and I
consider myself lucky in that regard.  My introduction to baseball’s
rules & idiosyncrasies was born in the La Russa Era, and I am a more
intelligent fan because of it.
I have spent much of the last 5 years asking “why?”…  Why is the
lineup so goofy tonight?  Why is Tony taking out the pitcher here?
Why is so-and-so in the game instead of ___?   Well, each of those
befuddled, bewildered “why’s” led me to the discovery of more
fascinating nuggets of baseball strategy: loogy’s, late inning
defensive substitutions, double switches, lineups favoring southpaws
vs righties, etc.  On closer evaluation, those intricate TLR battle
plans revealed the magic of game-changing potential in every single
matchup, in every pitch.  Learning baseball through following a La
Russa team was baptism by fire.

Tony’s legacy to me will be that of strategic genius who challenged me
to stretch my imagination and wrap my mind around the beauty of each
unique game within a game.  Retiring on the high of another World
Series Championship is the perfect parting shot for this man who has
forever left his mark on the St. Louis Cardinals and the game
itself.

Admiration – yes.
Respect – absolutely.
Lovable, endearing, friendly dancing-in-the-dugout type manager — see
Ron Washington.
Positive legacy – without a doubt; and winning championships certainly
helps.  :)

Tara Wellman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

I’m another one of those with a complicated answer to this question, almost entirely because my opinion hasn’t been a constant, and I’ve learned and grown with each experience.

As Erika said, Tony’s the only Cardinal manager I remember, so all of my personal understanding of “Cardinals baseball” developed watching the Genius at work. Yes, I do believe wholeheartedly that TLR is a baseball genius. His mind works in a way that is so foreign to most other baseball guys — much less average fans! — that it’s perplexing on many occasions. Thus, we shout and complain about all the “whys” Erika mentioned.

His moves don’t often make sense. When they fail, you may be inclined to question his sanity. But when they succeed, you likely have that light-bulb moment, the one where you say, “AH! That’s what he was doing!”

The last few years, I’ve questioned him as much as I have praised him. Some times he simply out-manages himself. He toys too much. He thinks one too many moves ahead. The proverbial chess match gets a little too complicated, and it doesn’t work out. And when it fails, it looks really bad.

Then he starts Miguel Batista against the Reds, banking on an impending rain delay, saves his real starter, and infuriates Dusty Baker in the process. Because it worked … and it was brilliant.

Just as this wild and wacky World Series run couldn’t have happened with out each of the players contributing, it also wouldn’t have happened without Tony La Russa. Just listen to the way the players talk about him — they trust him, respect him, and believe 100% in the system that got them through the most improbable comeback in baseball history. Is he solely responsible? No. But neither is Carp, Pujols, Freese, Berkman, etc.

Ultimately, my lasting impression of Tony is this: Tony is a part of the team, and he’s more than willing to make himself the scapegoat to protect his players. He’s brilliant, focused, and as competitive as anyone out there. He’s scrappy — just like he likes his players to be — and he’s not afraid to take risks, change the status quo, and try his luck. That, and he simply loves this game. It’s not always pretty (or fun to watch!), but the results — and his impact on the players — can’t be denied. The man is one of the best.

Miranda Remaklus

Tony’s micromanaging could induce serious stress. But there is no denying the positive impact he’s had on the Cardinals. And therefore, my answer is definitely positive.

Even when you consider the aspects of La Russa that many were annoyed by, they even generated positive. His rivalry with Rolen? Had you not traded Rolen, there may not be an opening at third base. La Russa and Edmonds had a strained relationship at times. Had you not traded him, would David Freese be in St. Louis hitting the game 6 walk-off? And Colby Rasmus. Who’s to say this kid is ever going to be successful? LaRussa or not, the kid has an attitude that won’t be adjusted for the positive. But you can not deny, trading him and getting Jackson, Zepper and Dotel … and even Patterson … was positive.

Brendan Ryan? Sure, we had to deal with the Ryan Theriot experiment, but you can not even deny Rafael Furcal’s impact. And per the bylaws of AMF’s Ryan Theriot Fan Club, I must add even Theriot did some OK things at times.

OK, enough of that…

TLR brought two World Series titles and lots of excitement in his 16 years with the Cardinals. He brought his teams through some of the darkest times with the club after the passing of Jack Buck, DK and Josh Hancock. He had an innovative way of managing. And after these 16 years, it’s going to be hard not seeing some of the crazy things he would do. Double switching? Bringing in specialists? That’s all on him. And while it was quite frustrating at times, it was his style and he was successful with it.

Mark Tomasik – Retrosimba

My lasting impression of Tony La Russa is how he would sign autographs between innings of spring training games at Jupiter, Fla. La Russa watched the games from a folding chair outside the dugout along a short fence just in front of the stands. Between innings, fans walked down to the fence and handed La Russa items to sign. I have attended many games at Jupiter since 2000 and never saw him fail to sign between innings. For a manager often criticized for his intenseness and seriousness, I prefer to remember this other side of him and to remember that with Tony, like everyone, there often are more sides to a person than meets the eye.

Malcolm Pierce – The Redbird Menace

Truly a complicated question.  Over the years, I’ve found myself on both sides of that battle line.  I didn’t really forgive La Russa for putting Ankiel in against the Mets in the 2000 NLCS for a long time.  I hated him for a lot time after that.  Of course, as we eventually saw, La Russa didn’t forgive himself either.

Not long before the 2006 World Series, I grew tired of the complaints most people had against him.  He really wasn’t a worse field manager than others in the league.  His infuriating decisions were easily matched with the infuriating decisions and indecisions of other skippers.  He helmed two incredible teams in 2004 and 2005, then took a weak team to a title.  I couldn’t complain and found myself defending him against his detractors.

Starting in 2010, his bizarre relationship with Rasmus started getting on my nerves.  His decisions became more and more erratic and unpredictable.  He forced out a brilliant fielding shortstop in Brendan Ryan, then replaced him with a guy who couldn’t play the position anymore. Theriot and Schumaker shouldn’t have been playing behind a ground ball staff.  I couldn’t believe how long he stuck with Ryan Franklin and allowed him to pitch in actual, meaningful baseball games.  As wondrous as the September comeback was, some better decisions early in the season might have made it unnecessary.

If I had to add up his entire career, I would say that I will have a positive memory of him.  We won a lot of games.  We went to a lot of postseasons. But I will always wonder if it’s La Russa I’m fondly remembering or his place besides the accomplishments of Walt Jocketty, Dave Duncan, Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, and Albert Pujols.

Aaron  Wood – El Maquino

I always thought Tony got way worse a wrap than he deserved, which I cannot help but think stems from something deeper than a dislike for his management style–TLR had a lot of harsh critics, but the only reason to be harsh about a baseball manager is if you have a beef with him as a person, not a manager.

That said, I think I am one of Tony’s biggest fans.  I constantly made it an effort to answer why he was doing what he was doing, and in doing so, I became much smarter about the ins and outs of the game.  I will always look at baseball like I think Tony would look at it, and I am thankful that I got to see him at work, even for a short time.

Ray DeRousse

Kevin,

I ask that question “how much of the success came from TLR?” only because so many are apparently eager and willing to lay all of the credit at his feet. Really, when a manager is doing his job correctly, his influence should be imperceptible. He puts the obvious people in their correct places in the lineup, and changes pitchers when they need to be changed.

TLR was anything but imperceptible. There are so many games I can remember just from this season in which TLR made changes that were obviously bad that resulted in losses arising solely from his machinations. I remember 40,000 fans booing him loudly on August 22 when he pulled Carp in the ninth … somehow the fans knew what TLR didn’t. I just think a manager’s fingerprints shouldn’t be so obviously seen in a game.

Additionally, TLR was so very obstinate about certain things. For instance, Holliday batting fourth in the World Series when it was so obviously killing us and he simply refused to acknowledge it until the last game. Or pitching Ryan Franklin over and over again when it was obviously detrimental, Or pitching Rhodes against people he should never face.

I’m inclined to believe that this team succeeded DESPITE TLR rather than BECAUSE of TLR.

Christine Coleman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

While I’ve been a baseball fan most of my life, I’ve only been a Cardinals fan since the 2000 season. I was of course aware of Tony La Russa before that, starting with his days as the White Sox manager, and quickly learned upon becoming a Cards fan how widely the opinions of him among the fan base varied.

Personally, I admire and respect him. I learned much about baseball from watching how he manages a team and a game, and learned even more from reading about him in “Men at Work” and “Three Nights in August.” Of course I was at times frustrated and confused about moves he made during particular games and, at the end of the 2010 season, was ready for him to retire. But I’m glad he didn’t.

The job he did in bringing the team together this year from the end of August through the end of October – I know we all spent a lot of time yesterday discussing who was the most valuable Cardinal during the stretch run. I mentioned La Russa in my answer and said that leaders lead … and make the right moves at the right times to allow the players to respond. He made the moves, the players responded and now he gets to ride off into the sunset of retirement on the ultimate high note. And, it probably goes without saying but I will anyway that my last impression is positive.

Love him or hate him, his legacy over the past 33 years should be unquestionable. He’s without a doubt a Hall of Famer.

Nick – Pitchers Hit Eighth

I’ll be cheering when they put #10 on the wall at Busch III.

JE Powell – STL Fear The Red

I have been critical of La Russa many times in the best. From “hindsight is 20/20″ point of view, some of the moves he has made have been questionable. But the one thing that I have always loved about La Russa is his surliness. He reminds me of the old neighbor who yells at kids to get off his grass, when they are clearly on the sidewalk. I am going to miss him pacing the dugout with an expressionless or frowny face, even when thing were going well. La Russa had a very successful run as the Cardinals skipper and I cannot wait for his number to be retired and his enshrinement into Cooperstown.

Mary Clausen

Yes it’s a complicated question for a complicated man.  he was so good at winning our love and then right after that doing something to piss us off.  It was definitely a love/hate thing with that man.  I’m one of those Tony fans & have spent many hours defending him & wondering did the right thing. Overall, he makes me feel good.  Down deep he’s a good guy.

Follow me on twitter at twitter.com/DJ_McClure

What my head feels like after a Ryan Franklin blown save.

Coming off this weekend’s series win against the Cincinnati Reds the Cardinals now find themselves in 1^st place and currently a ½ game up on the Reds. After starting the season   2-6 the Cardinals have rallied to a record of 12-10 and appear to be hitting on all cylinders heading into a division matchup with the Astros.

A portion of the blame for the slow start has to rest on the shoulders of now demoted closer Ryan Franklin. Franky has entered the game in the 9^th on 5 occasions with the lead and has only delivered 1 save. Out of the 4 blown saves 3 of them have resulted in walk off wins for the opposition. He also surrendered the lead in a tie game on Saturday by allowing a 2 run go ahead single in the 8th inning (2 outs and a 0-2 count by the way) off the bat of Miguel Cairo. Uh, that’s not good.

Flash back to this past Wednesday when Franklin was asked to hold the fort in the 7^th and 8^th innings against the Nats in which the Cardinals trailed 7-5. After pitching a scoreless 7^th he surrendered a solo shot to Laynce Nix in the 8th. After the inning as Franklin exited the field he was greeted with some boos and allegedly had some offensive language directed at him. Mind you there were only about 500 people in attendance being this was a make-up from the postponed game the night before. After the game Franklin voiced his displeasure with the Busch crowd and ended with the comment: “Best fans in baseball, yeah right.” I’m pretty neutral on the whole booing your own team issue. I’m definitely against any offensive language but as a professional you just need to let it go.

He later apologized for his comments and explained he was just frustrated and…blah…… My question is where did all this “Best Fans in Baseball” stuff originate anyway? Who nominated us for this imaginary honor that gets us nothing? The organization? The media? Us as fans? And come on Franky you’re going to take a shot at the entire fan base because of a few tools? The next couple days after Franklin’s comments I ran into numerous articles and blogs that poked fun at Cardinals fans and the BFIB tag. Well you know what? I don’t want it. How about “Baseballs 5^th Best Fans?” Who cares? And I definitely don’t want to hear guy from losing team say “Try being a fan of (insert losing franchise) we’re real fans because our team sucks.” Just not in the mood. Every team has good and bad fans. Cardinal Nation has a lot of great fans but we don’t need the tag. I love going to Busch Stadium. To me it’s my “Baseball Heaven” but maybe it’s Fenway for someone else or Petco Park and so on. Oh, and can we please stop booing Brandon Phillips? I think he gets it. Moving on.

Just some quick positives from the last 4 series (D’Backs, Dodgers, Nats and Reds): 1. Lance Berkman is raking at the plate. 2. Motte, Sanchez, and Boggs in innings 7-9 has been a breath of fresh air. 3. I love the approach of Theriot and Rasmus at the plate in front of Albert and Co. 4. Our starting pitching has been very good.  Feel good stories with Lohse and McClellan continuing to excel. 5. We’re now in 1^st place.

Overall I feel really good about this team’s chances. I can’t really put my finger on why but I like this team a lot more than last season’s edition. Actually read this. I think this pretty much sums it up.

Oh I almost forgot. The Cardinals will be hosting their 2^nd Social Media Night on May 17^th vs. the Phillies. They’ve asked us as bloggers to help spread the word.  Here’s the details:

Details about the event:

• Tickets go on sale at noon, Friday, April 22
• Date of Event: Tuesday, May 17 vs. Phillies

$20 price includes the following:

• Field Box ticket to the game
• “Tweet Me In St. Louis” T-Shirt 
• Access to a Pre-Game Social Hour

Pre-Game Social Hour:

• 6 PM – 7 PM in the Group Sales Corner (located across from the Champions Club entrance)
• Chance to “Tweet Up” with your Twitter Followers and get together with your Facebook Friends
• Drinks will be available for purchase at the event

I went to the 1^st event last season and it was a lot of fun. Heck $20 for a field box ticket and a tee? Sign me up!

If you have any additional questions about what the event’s like or just want to give me a hard time you can hit me up at www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Still shot of AT&T's coverage of the Cardinals game yesterday in San Francisco.

If I could for just a moment I’d like to take you for a brief trip and give you a little background information on yours truly. I currently live in St. Louis but you see it hasn’t always been that way. I’m actually originally from Iowa which some of you may or may not know is the Bermuda Triangle of Major League Baseball. It’s a State in which MLB basically forces you to only watch the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox due to their blackout restrictions which is also applied to MLB.TV.  Of course I could have subscribed to DirecTV to avoid this inconvenience except for the fact I lived in an apartment and therefore was stuck with the local cable provider.  Let’s just say I found myself at numerous local bars with satellite on more than one occasion so I could watch my beloved Cardinals. The only exception to the rule was that the local WB channel picked up the feed of KSDK which broadcast almost every Sunday Cardinals game.

Fast forward to yesterday, Sunday April 10, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. All the MLB blackout BS is a thing of the past for me, right? WRONG. Coming into the season Fox Sports Midwest made the announcement that it had purchased the rights to all the local broadcasts including all Sunday broadcasts. In other words they will televise all Cardinals games unless they are picked up by Fox, TBS or ESPN for National broadcasts (scheduled to be 152 as of now). I was cool with that I suppose, until yesterday. You see yesterday I wasn’t able to watch the local nine play in San Francisco because I unfortunately have AT&T Uverse who was the only major cable/satellite provider in the St. Louis area unable to come to financial terms with FSMW in regards to the additional games. Here’s a link to what I’m talking about if you’re interested.  I called AT&T customer service for an explanation but unfortunately the gentleman in the Philippines (seriously, I asked him) was unable to provide me with an answer other than providing me with some examples as to why sporting events get blacked out. Not his fault but he didn’t even know what St. Louis Cardinals meant. I just find it completely unacceptable that I now live in St. Louis and still find myself blacked out from watching the Cardinals. I’m also blacked out from the first two games of the series in Arizona which start tonight.

I think I  just added an additional must have feature in my ongoing house hunt: No trees obstructing the view of the satellite dish that’s going to go on my roof. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Middle fingers in the air at you AT&T. You’re not off the hook either FSM. $$$$$$$$$$$$$ End Rant. Thanks for listening.

Until next time…

As promised here are my National League picks.

National League East

• Philadelphia Phillies
• Atlanta Braves*
• Florida Marlins
• New York Mets
• Washington Nationals

National League Central

• St. Louis Cardinals
• Milwaukee Brewers
• Cincinnati Reds**
• Chicago Cubs
• Houston Astros
• Pittsburgh Pirates

National League West

• San Francisco Giants
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Colorado Rockies
• San Diego Padres
• Arizona Diamondbacks

I’m taking the Philadelphia Phillies based solely on their starting pitching. Lee, Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels and Blanton to be exact. With the loss of Jayson Werth to free agency and an ailing Chase Utley the Phils might struggle at times to score but may only need a couple runs a night to get the W. I’ve got the Atlanta Braves finishing second and also taking the Wild Card spot in the playoffs (I think). I really like the addition of Dan Uggla to the middle of the lineup to go along with Jason Heyward. They’ve got a solid rotation and ‘if’ Chipper Jones can stay healthy the Braves will be in the mix all season.

Yes, I know the Cardinals lost Adam Wainwright. Yes, I’m a Cardinals fan and yes this is a Cardinals blog. I’ll hopefully have a more detailed take on the Central Division coming up before Opening Day talking more about the happenings this off-season within the Division and looking forward to the upcoming season. 

The Giants have too much pitching to go along with an upcoming full season of Buster Posey to be overtaken, but I do think the division will be closer than some think. The Dodgers will be improved from a season ago and of course you never know when the Rockies will make a September run to the playoffs. I believe you can even throw the Padres in the mix to stay close in what should be a fairly competitive race. Sorry D’Backs. In the end though I’d put my money on the Giants.

On a side note I’m going to attempt to live tweet the Cardinals Opening Day festivities from Busch complete with pictures. You can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Historic Fenway Park

This month’s UCB project has us dusting off our crystal balls and attempting to predict how both the American and National League standings will look at the end of the season. Admittedly I’m running a little behind schedule as the format was to have the AL standings posted on Monday with each NL Division to follow in consecutive days. Since I’m running a little late I’ve decided to just have two posts total (one dedicated to the AL and one for the NL). Today will be the AL Edition with the NL to follow within the next couple days.

American League East

• Boston Red Sox
• New York Yankees*
• Tampa Rays
• Baltimore Orioles
• Toronto Blue Jays

American League Central

• Chicago White Sox
• Minnesota Twins
• Detroit Tigers
• Cleveland Indians
• Kansas City Royals

American League West

• Texas Rangers
• Oakland Athletics
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Seattle Mariners

*Wild Card Winner

The Boston Red Sox made a significant splash this off-season by landing Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. These additions should push Boston to the top of the division with the Yankees close behind. Of course I wouldn’t fall out of my chair in shock if the Yankees were able to edge the Sox in the division standings but regardless both will be in the playoffs.

The Central should very well be a three team race. I really wanted to pick the Twins but in the end gave the edge to the White Sox with the Twins and Tigers right there. The addition of Adam Dunn in a platoon with Paul Konerko will be a powerful combo on the South side.

I’d love to see Oakland come out on top in the West but I’m still going with the Rangers. The Athletics should be improved offensively and will boast a very talented young pitching staff. In the end though I believe the Rangers will be Kings of the West leaving Oakland on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

Beautiful Busch Stadium

As you may or may not know members of the United Cardinal Bloggers have spent the month of February participating in another edition of the UCB Roundtable. A brief description: Each member is assigned a particular day to submit a question via email to the group, each individual blogger has the day to submit a response back. Once all responses are received that particular blogger posts the transcript on his or her blog. Links to all UCB blogs and roundtable questions can be found at www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com.  

I would like to take a second and thank everyone who took the time to submit a response to my question. Alright, so anyway without further delay here’s my question with responses to follow.

With all the doom and gloom surrounding the Pujols non signing, the season ending Wainwright injury, and I’ll even throw in the Nick Punto injury Cardinals fans have had a rough stretch. The good news is the season will go on. My question for all of you is what are some things you are looking forward to the most this season? It can be team related, family related, or just on a personal level. Some examples could be going to Opening Day at Busch, anticipating the first series with the Reds, or watching a particular player’s season unfold. Opening Day is almost upon us! The floor is yours.

Daniel Shoptaw – C70 At The Bat

I think what I look forward to every year is the presence of baseball.  By that I mean I can come home from work, flip on the TV, leave it on while I go back and forth getting dinner ready, kids to bed, etc.  It’s always there, filling my evenings with great plays, long balls, exciting rallies and, yes, frustrating losses.

More specifically, though, Opening Day is always a highlight.  Before I die, I’d love to actually be in Busch for the opener, because the pageantry is second to none.  The red convertibles, the Hall of Famers, the Clydesdales….. So much awesome packed in there.

Finally, I’m looking forward to seeing what the Cards come up with for the sequel to Social Media Night.  I have a feeling that, if this becomes an annual event, it’s going to be a highlight of a lot of UCB members as we get a chance to meet and greet each other and have a load of fun!

Dennis Lawson – Pitchers Hit Eighth

I just look forward to baseball, and I don’t worry about how good the Cardinals are projected to be.  I savor every pitch from the first to the last, and I’ll be there on opening day and on the last day of the regular season (and many games in-between).  I’ve never left a Cardinal game feeling worse off for the experience, and I’ve never felt that the hours spent watching one on tv was time wasted. 

More so than ever, I’m looking forward to the banter on Twitter, the fantastic writing from bloggers (both new and established), Mike Shannon speaking without a filter, overpriced nachos, standing ovations for returning ex-Cardinals, and watching opposite field homers fly off of Cardinal bats.  If those things don’t make you happy, you simply can’t play in my sandbox, even if you have the coolest Tonka trucks in the world.

Erika Lynn – Cardinal Diamond Diaries

As I write this email listening to the first Cardinal Spring Training game of the 2011 season, I am beyond happy.  The sounds of baseball coupled with a Matt Holliday 2-run homerun erase any irritants in life. I’ve waited patiently (ok, maybe not so patiently) all winter for the constancy of baseball.  Daily games, daily news, daily baseball chatter with great folks on twitter – It all makes me smile.  This season I’m actually looking forward to the uncertainty and watching what unfolds. (I still think good things are in store.) There are a few new faces to learn and I’ve been told I’ll fall in love with Theriot and Berkman.  We shall see…  

But I’m also spreading my wings this season in order to keep an eye on Brendan over in Seattle, Luddy with the Padres and hoping Joey Bombs gets some playing time with the Braves.  Hubby says it’s good, that I am maturing as a baseball fan.  I don’t know about that, but what could be wrong with following more baseball? 

With my Spring Training trip a few weeks away, I am already dreaming of Florida baseball heaven.  It will be my third Spring Training trip in three years, but even though I’ve been there and done that, I could not be more excited. The warm Florida breeze, watching morning practices at Roger Dean, the joy of sharing the stands with fans who like us, are there for the love of baseball – it is glorious! And since Busch Stadium is quite a road trip for my family, we do most of our regular season cheering in front of the tv or with the sounds of Mike Shannon and John Rooney calling the game over our patio speakers. Throw in a few trips to our Oklahoma City AAA ballpark whenever the Memphis Redbirds come to town, and you have the highlights of my 2011 Cardinals season all lined up! 

Well, I’ve babbled on enough now, and what it all comes down to is my love of the game and the Cardinals… and my favorite former Cardinals… and the babybirds… and summer.  Yep, that’s about it. 

Bill Ivie – I-70 Baseball

This summer…

This will be a big one for me personally and professionally.  Changes are happening in the personal life that are putting me into a better place to continue chasing a dream.

What am I looking forward to?  Meeting some great baseball people for one. Already on my calendar are games in Springfield, MO (Cards/SCards), St. Louis, MO (Cards/Padres), Milwaukee, WI (Brewers/Cubs), Chicago White Sox (Sox/Rays), and Kansas City (undecided).  I also hope to make it down to Arkansas to catch a NW Arkansas Naturals game.

Other than that (Shameless Self Promotion Warning) we are launching the two sites plus at least one more during the all star break.  The radio broadcasts are fun and engaging and baseball is back in full swing.  Is there a better time of year then this?

Tom Knuppel – CardinalsGM

I look forward to my next Spring Training trip March 22-29.

Opening day with the tickets in hand.

I plan my days around watching Cardinal baseball on TV

I look forward to the Cubs/Cardinal rivalries (living in Central Illinois, this is intense)

I look forward to post-season in STL.

Good time of the year.

Bob Netherton – On The Outside Corner

Dennis said this one earlier – I look forward to sharing the Cardinals games with all my Twitter buddies.  The enjoyment factor is several orders of magnitude above what it was in pre-Twitter days.   The only thing that will make it better is getting a chance to meet more of you in future tweet-ups or social media events. 

The other thing I look forward to are the two trips that the Springfield Cardinals will make to Frisco, Tx.  They open the Roughrider’s home season, as they did last year, and come back around Independence Day.  Getting to watch the future of the franchise is a treat, especially this year as Zack Cox and Shelby Miller may make the jump to AA.   The same holds true when Memphis visits Oklahoma City – it’s worth every minute of the drive.

Viva el Baby Birdos. 

Mark Tomasik – Retrosimba

I look forward to late-night Cardinals games from the West Coast on lazy, long summer nights, when it seems everything slows down and baseball can be savored and absorbed at one’s own pace.

Michael Metzger – Stan Musial’s Stance

I’m looking forward to:

- wasting an ungodly amount of time analyzing both the games and the Cardinal front-office moves in 2011.

- getting a new phone so I can see Twitter updates in a timely manner and actually participate in game discussions with all you knuckleheads.

- spending 45 days and nights at Petco Park.

But I’m most looking forward to taking my sons to their second-ever pro baseball games and continuing to pass on my love of baseball

Dathan Brooks – Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Goodnight

I think the things I’m most looking forward to include a few trips to other cities/stadiums this season–it’s always fun to “see how the other 29/30ths live” and enjoy those experiences with friends.  CIN, MIL, KC, and either TB & FLA or MIN are on the list for this year.  (Jupiter was just shot down this afternoon)  Also very much looking forward to engaging many of you in, and reading your thoughts on matters pertinent to our Cardinals this summer.  It’s always nice to have fellow fans with enough intelligence to carry on an in-depth baseball conversation.  30 more days, folks.  30 more days.

Christine Coleman – Aaron Miles’ Fastball

I am most looking forward to simply having the Cardinals as part of my daily life and routine again. The games definitely help define the spring, summer and (hopefully) fall.

In addition, I definitely pay very close attention to Chris Carpenter and how he does – his starts are appointment viewing for me (if not live, then definitely DVR).

Another thing I love about baseball season is the opportunity to go see the Quad Cities River Bandits regularly. While the vast majority of the guys I spend my summers watching and following here in the Quad Cities don’t ever make it to the big leagues and Busch Stadium, some do (and I’ve had the opportunity to see Jaime Garcia, Colby Rasmus, Rick Ankiel and more play here). Beyond that, though, is just going to games at the beautiful Modern Woodmen Park. It’s right on the banks of the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa – see a picture of it here – and is just a terrific place to watch a ball game. Derrick Goold wrote about it in his “100 Things” book too (and if I wasn’t out of town right now, I’d tell you the number it is on his list).. If anyone is ever traveling through the Midwest and wants to meet up at a game, just let me know!

The January edition of our United Cardinal Bloggers project has us taking our best shot at predicting future headlines we may see this upcoming season. As you’ll soon read I’ve done my best at mixing realistic scenarios’ with a slight hint of sarcasm. So without further delay I give you mine in no particular order:

The Cardinals Are ‘Skip’ping Along At The Top Of The Central

I’m going to make every effort possible this season to maintain a positive attitude in regards to Skip Schumaker. I might even stop referring to him as Roger Dorn. In all honesty I’m expecting a bounce back year of sorts from him. All signs point to Ryan Theriot filling the leadoff spot which should position Skip in the 9 hole of the TLR flavored lineup. He’s never going to be a gold glove second baseman or a candidate for the Silver Slugger, but I think he’ll have a +WAR season and will help contribute to a Central title.

David Freese Spontaneously Bursts Into Flames And Lands On DL

Does anyone else think that David Freese should be wrapped head to toe with bubble wrap? I’m going to go ahead and assume that the front office believes last season’s injury woes were nothing more than hard luck and that there isn’t a dark cloud of doom lingering over him. I sure hope this holds true because otherwise we might be looking at Nick Punto as our starting 3^rd baseman for an extended period of time. A healthy David Freese could go a long way towards a division title and a strong playoff run.

Ryan Theriot Flips Wrigley Faithful The Bird In Return Appearance

Major League Baseball is just as much of a business as it is a sport. I’ve spoken of this previously. When the Cardinals completed the deal with the Dodgers to bring the former Cub to St. Louis I expected to hear the usual canned answers from Theriot in regards to his time in Chicago. Something like this: “I’m really excited for my new opportunity with the (insert team). My time in (insert city) was great and I really appreciate everything the (insert team) did for me while I was there.” I wasn’t surprised with Theriot’s enthusiasm towards playing in St. Louis but I was surprised with his comments in regards to his feelings towards his former team. To keep things simple I’m just going to assume Theriot wasn’t a fan of Starlin Castro being made the everyday shortstop, didn’t have a healthy relationship with Carlos ‘psycho’ Zambrano, and like many believes the Cubs will never ever win another World Series. You can bet the Old Style will be flowin’ at Wrigley when the Cardinals make their first appearance next season.

Adam Wainwright Becomes First 40 Game Winner To Finish Second In Cy Young Voting

For the record I did agree on the choice of Roy Halladay for the honor last season. I can’t really say enough good things about Adam. With the NL Central slowly becoming the land of the awesome starting pitcher the Cardinals will once again saddle Waino with the responsibility of leading the staff. I have no doubt that he’ll do just that with another outstanding season.

It’s Official: Albert Will Forever Be A Cardinal

Why am I still talking about this anyway? This deal should have been completed 2 seasons ago. I’m still riding the optimistic train with little doubt the 2 sides will come to an agreement sooner or later. Like most of us I’ve been tossing around numbers in my head trying to come to a conclusion that best suits me. I’ve read a number of articles, comments, tweets, etc. and I have taken all those into consideration when arriving at this: Just pay the Mang. There’s just so much more to this situation than just on field production. Albert is an icon and the face of the franchise and arguably the face of MLB. He’s a once in a generation kind of player. I realize it’s not my money and 10yrs/300mil is a truck load of cash, but replacing his on the field production is only the tip of the iceberg in my opinion. Measuring the impact of his departure is an impossible task with an outcome I never want to experience.

 Until next time…

For more Cardinal related reading visit www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com

Hit me up on twitter at www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure

Tony LaRussa and Mark McGwire (Photo by Getty Images)

It’s UCB project time! The December edition features members listing what they feel were the top five storylines of the 2010 campaign. Mine are as follows in countdown format of course since it’s New Year’s Eve:

5. I’ll kick off my countdown with Jaime Garcia earning his spot in the rotation. Going into spring training it was believed the battle would be between Rich Hill and Kyle McClellan for the 5^th spot. Garcia was brilliant in the spring winning the spot against the odds and continued his masterful pitching during the season to solidify his spot as the Cardinals number 3 starter.

4. The Cardinals lack of depth within the organization came to light early in the season. Injuries and under performance prompted the organization to bring in Jeff Suppan, Aaron Miles and Randy Winn respectively to fill the voids. This is an issue I don’t believe has been resolved and could play a roll in the 2011 season as well.

3. The Colby Rasmus drama was and still is a topic floating around St. Louis. The mid-season trade request along with the consistent trade rumors floating around have become a thorn in the side to most Cardinal fans. I believe a group hug involving Colby, TLR and Colby’s father may be in order.

2. The “Basebrawl” series with Cincinnati checks in at number two. The Cardinals swept the series and departed Cincinnati at the top of the standings in the Central Division. This series would have been highly regarded as the turning point of the season had the Cardinals went on to win the division. Instead their inability to defeat bad teams and score runs against bad pitching reared its ugly head down the stretch. The Reds were able to consistently win games against teams with records below .500 while the Cardinals fell flat.

1. I’ve chosen the departure of Ryan Ludwick as the number one storyline. In a move of desperation the organization moved the fan favorite in exchange for pitcher Jake Westbrook. As a player Luddy modeled the ‘Play Like A Cardinal’ way while being a strong pillar in the clubhouse. The move was prompted by injuries and the emergence of outfielder Jon Jay. The re-signing of Westbrook this off-season has helped shed positive light on the situation.

The Cardinals and their fans had high expectations going into last season. Things just don’t always work out the way they’re supposed to. Like all things in life good and bad it’s time to move forward. A great way to kick off the 2011 headlines would be locking up Albert for a long, long time. Until next time….

Be sure to check out www.unitedcardinalbloggers.com

www.twitter.com/DJ_McClure