Tony LaRussa retires

Does Werth still count as a good young piece?

 

Like his mentor Sain, he got no support from that organization to run his program the way he wanted to.

But Mazzone had as many successful resurrection projects in Atlanta as Duncan did in Oakland/St. Louis. If he wants it, he deserves at least one more real shot to be a pitching coach somewhere. If he fails again, maybe we can chalk it up to no Big Three (and no Cox.)

 

Are you inferring there was dysfunction in place in Baltimore? Why I never!

 

The fact that he hasn't gotten hired anywhere for the last four seasons probably speaks to the industry's perception of the Atlanta success.

 

I'm glad he went out on top, but I haven't been a huge fan of Tony's style of over-managing. I've also thought his teams at times were pretty weak fundementally on defense and baserunning. Evidently he's done a good job of motivating his players in the clubhouse and I guess he does a good job of dealing with the agents, who seem to call most of the shots now. Still, managers are rated by their record and championships and Tony's going into the HOF.

And of course he failed to win 4 World Championships with 4 juggernaught 100+ win teams (1988, 1990, 2004, and 2005) but won 3 championships with 1980's Oakland's worst pennant winner (89) and the 83-win Cards (06) and the 90-win Cards (11).

1. I have no idea as to what that says about LaRussa other than how much of a crapshoot the playoffs can be.

2. TLR has also had an insane amount of talent to work with over the years: McGwire, Henderson, Canseco, Eck, Welch, Stewart, Pujols, Rolen, Edmonds, Carpenter, Wainwright, Holliday, Berkman.

Who couldn't win with those guys?

 

Norv Turner?

Really, is that a crazy amount of talent over those years? Aren't there a bunch of teams that would have impressive lists? I agree that he underachieved in the post-season with the A's, but these St. Louis teams weren't all that great.

 

Mike Hargrove didn't win a thing with (begin roll call): Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Orel Hershiser, Eddie Murray, Robbie Alomar, David Justice, Bartolo Colon, Omar Vizquel, etc in Cleveland.

Lou Piniella won with the Reds but couldn't win with all the talent in late 90's Seattle, as well as one of the most talented Cubs teams ever in 2008.

 

Refresh my memory, who was the manager Piniella beat in 1990?

 

His Reds beat LaRussa's A's in 1990.

But the point was there are a lot of managers that have had at least as much talent on their teams as LaRussa did between Oakland and St. Louis that didn't win.

Earl Weaver's Orioles routinely won 90 (and often 100+) games a season but only won the World Series once.

 

What's with the rumors that TLR's elevator's stopping a few floors short of the top lately? Shades of Pat Summittitis?

 

Eckersley wasn't an insane talent when the A's got him. He was a guy who had failed with the Cubs. LaRussa and Duncan made him a closer, which is what got him to the Hall of Fame. Berkman? The guy was on the scrap heap, went to St. Louis and had a year that nobody expected. I don't know id LaRussa had anything to do with his acquisition, but Berkman was far from a sure thing. Carpenter had been released when the Cardinals took a chance on him and he revived his career.

 

The best player in baseball (for a number of years) is enough to make it advantageous for him.

If anyone in the La Russa orbit should have his legend shined, it's Duncan.