WHOA! way to go out on top Tony!
Cardinals' La Russa ends 33-year managerial career3-time World Series champion says he has no plans to be GM, might open book store The Associated Press | Posted: Oct 31, 2011 10:48 AM ET | Last Updated: Oct 31, 2011 11:34 PM ET Tony La Russa waited until after the championship parade and then called a team meeting with his players."We didn't know what to expect," said pitcher Chris Carpenter, who won Game 7 of the World Series against Texas on Friday night. "I think we all figured it was just going to be like, 'Thataway guys. Great year. Way to battle!' Instead, he dropped that on us. I think everybody was caught off-guard."And with that, the 67-year-old La Russa said goodbye to baseball and became the first manager to retire immediately after leading his team to a Series title — the third of his career."I think this just feels like it's time to end it," he said Monday. "When I look in the mirror, I know I'd come back for the wrong reasons, and I didn't want to do that."La Russa said he told general manager John Mozeliak of his decision in August — before the Cards rallied from a 10 ½ -game deficit in the NL wild-card race to upset Philadelphia and Milwaukee in the playoffs.They won the thrilling seven-game Series after twice coming within a strike of elimination in Game 6."I tip my hat to him. He's had a great career. What a way to go out," Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson said.The player meeting was short and emotional."Some grown men cried," La Russa said, joking that, "I kind of liked that because they made me cry a few times.La Russa won the World Series with Oakland in 1989, and St. Louis in 2006 and this year, joining Sparky Anderson as the only manager to win with clubs in both leagues.
The Astros move to the AL West and MLB will have a 1-game playoff for the wild card teams, OMG
It's Verlander. Note: a Dallas-based writer gave The Classy Michael Young a FIRST-place vote. THIS is why the baseball postseason is the best of them all...
For me, tossup between Bautista and Ellsbury, prolly the former. The pitcher that SHOULD have won the AL MVP was Pedro in '99.Gotta say: stuff like this is what makes MLB's offseason THE BEST! Also perks up my Twitter feed.