Tony LaRussa's Future w/the Cardinals
- Thread starter Indndawg
- Start date
I do agree that he has gotten less aggressive as a manger (ie "stale"), and that's what I love(d) about LaRussa- the squeeze plays, the aggressive baserunning, and etc. The only player that really does much running is Albert Pujols it seems. And that's being very generous to say that he does "much" running.
I don't see the Cardinals making a lot of changes with their coaching staff. I would be willing to part with McGwire- I can't tell much difference between the hitting this year and last year good or bad. I don't know that changing coaches is a solution anyway- I think the solution is to get a couple of better players, namely an outfielder with some power- I'm not sold on Jon Jay, and a shortstop that can play good defense and get on base at the very least. A shortstop with power would be a bonus in my book. I thought Freese did OK at third when he was healthy, and I'm willing to give him another look. I'd also be OK with getting a couple of middle infielders that are high quality defensively and are good hitters and moving Skip Shumaker back to the outfield.
The bottom line is the Cardinals won 86 games this year, and aside from a couple of years in the late 90's and 2007, the Cardinals have always at least been in contention for the playoffs under LaRussa, and he has won a World Series and gotten them to the World Series another time. I can't complain about that at all. I would much rather get rid of the GM before I got rid of LaRussa.
I don't see the Cardinals making a lot of changes with their coaching staff. I would be willing to part with McGwire- I can't tell much difference between the hitting this year and last year good or bad. I don't know that changing coaches is a solution anyway- I think the solution is to get a couple of better players, namely an outfielder with some power- I'm not sold on Jon Jay, and a shortstop that can play good defense and get on base at the very least. A shortstop with power would be a bonus in my book. I thought Freese did OK at third when he was healthy, and I'm willing to give him another look. I'd also be OK with getting a couple of middle infielders that are high quality defensively and are good hitters and moving Skip Shumaker back to the outfield.
The bottom line is the Cardinals won 86 games this year, and aside from a couple of years in the late 90's and 2007, the Cardinals have always at least been in contention for the playoffs under LaRussa, and he has won a World Series and gotten them to the World Series another time. I can't complain about that at all. I would much rather get rid of the GM before I got rid of LaRussa.
And I know that if Larussa would leave AP would insist that Jose Oquendo gets the first shot at the job. I agree on the staleness you speak of. That is where I think Oquendo would pep things up a bit, even if it did mean getting more men thrown out at the plate. We were disastrous as a team on the bases this year, as far as going first to third on a single, scoring from first on extra bases. And Matt Holiday was the worse. This is hard to do from afar, but sometimes I question Matt's intelligience. He just seems asleep at the wheel to often on the base paths(not a Larussa jab).
Anything more and he could've been a top 10 MVP candidate.
We might've overpaid for him... but he definitely didn't disappoint. The only complaint I have about him is his average with RISP.
What was disappointing was Felipe Lopez, Brendan Ryan, Skip Schumacher, David Freese, and Yadier Molina (offensively).... as well as the defense.
It'll be an interesting offseason in Redbird land... sucks that it started so early.
We might've overpaid for him... but he definitely didn't disappoint. The only complaint I have about him is his average with RISP.
What was disappointing was Felipe Lopez, Brendan Ryan, Skip Schumacher, David Freese, and Yadier Molina (offensively).... as well as the defense.
It'll be an interesting offseason in Redbird land... sucks that it started so early.
The problem was the GM and the inability to find solid role players who could get on base and play good defense.
PineGroveBully said:
Especially if it's a consistent problem. Baserunning is a big role for the third base coach.
Also, that doesn't mean that Oquendo would be a bad manager.
in terms of using stats and collecting data on players and then using that in the game to win as opposed to simple traditional thinking- ie there's a RH pinch hitter up there, so let's go get a RH relief pitcher to go get them out. What he did was use data to further support his moves. He was willing to put maybe a LH pitcher in to get a RH hitter out even though that defied common baseball thinking because he relied so much on his data.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
in terms of using stats and collecting data on players and then using that in the game to win as opposed to simple traditional thinking- ie there's a RH pinch hitter up there, so let's go get a RH relief pitcher to go get them out. What he did was use data to further support his moves. He was willing to put maybe a LH pitcher in to get a RH hitter out even though that defied common baseball thinking because he relied so much on his data.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
in terms of using stats and collecting data on players and then using that in the game to win as opposed to simple traditional thinking- ie there's a RH pinch hitter up there, so let's go get a RH relief pitcher to go get them out. What he did was use data to further support his moves. He was willing to put maybe a LH pitcher in to get a RH hitter out even though that defied common baseball thinking because he relied so much on his data.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
He also really has refined the use of the bullpen with all of his specialists and using his closer for one inning as opposed to the old two-three inning use.
Only two managers are ahead of him in wins in John McGraw and Connie Mack, and LaRussa is one of the very few managers that has won a World Series Championship in both the American and National Leagues.
He may be past his prime now, but honestly, Tony LaRussa was one of, if not the best manager I have ever seen. I remembered when the Cardinals hired him, I was fired up because I knew they would win.
I think there needs to be a shakeup in the staff or something. I just don't see the team getting any better unless they decide to significantly raise the payroll.
He does too much to try and make people think he's a genius - like batting the pitcher 8th. Probably pisses him off that nobody else has followed suit, but there is a reason for that.<div>
</div><div>LaRussa has his sheep. But he is absolutely an overrated commodity. The Cardinals should have cut bait with him years ago.</div>
</div><div>LaRussa has his sheep. But he is absolutely an overrated commodity. The Cardinals should have cut bait with him years ago.</div>
Maybe so, but when you have 4 players consuming about 2/3 of your payroll, how are you going to get what you need. <div>Indndawg said:
</div><div>I think the Cardinals float Pujols name around this winter, because think the odds are long that they sign him long term. Also time to get something for Carpenter while they can.</div><div>
</div><div>This organization has some serious issues. Might be best to blow it up and start over.</div>
His winning percentage of .535 is decent, but he's not evennear the top 30 in winning percentage. And it was Billy Beane that pioneered the use of sabermetrics in baseball at Oakland, not Tony La Russa.
All-time Wins
Billy Beane
All-time Wins
Billy Beane
in terms of acquiring or drafting players. I was talking about using stats to make actual in game decisions. LaRussa was doing that long before Beane was part of the A's organization.
The nucleus of the team still have good years left in them. Carpenter is by far the oldest of the core players, at 35. Pujols and Holliday are 30. Wainright is 29. Molina and Jason Motte are 28. Rasmus and Jaime Garcia are 24. The foundation is there. They need more consistent play from the role players as another poster mentioned, or to upgrade at a position or two. The core of the team is way too good with enough years ahead of them to just blow up and treat it as a failed experiment.
how 99.9% of cards fans think they're the best team ever...and they will tell you that over and over and over. It's like y'all actually believe it. Best coach in the universe. Best fans in the universe. Best stadium in the universe. Best player in the universe. Blah blah blah. It's just ridiculous. Sorry if I think it's a joke, as a Yankees fan. It's like Ohio State fans talking **** to an Alabama fan, from my perspective.
You are surprised that Cardinal fans go on and one about - well - the Cardinals? And you think their time would be better spent going on and on about how good the Yankees are?<div>
</div><div>And to top it off, you apparently think Ohio State fans would be wise to turn their affection to the Crimson Tide?</div><div>
</div><div>That makes sense.</div>
</div><div>And to top it off, you apparently think Ohio State fans would be wise to turn their affection to the Crimson Tide?</div><div>
</div><div>That makes sense.</div>
And 95% of the conversation on sixpack is about the team and players and not how badass the stadium is or how 17ing awesome!!! the fans are.
however, how could you even insuniate that larussa didn't have the players this year?? he has PUJOLS plus a top tier offensive outfielder in holliday, plus one of if not the top all around cather in y. molina, plus two aces in carpenter and wainwright, a rookie of the year pitching candidate in garcia, and franklin has done a good job as a closer.
he definitely has the players, they just weren't as good this year. as a braves and bobby cox fan i personally do not like larussa but i respect what he's done and think he is a great manager, obviously. and for whatever reason it didn't happen for them this year but to say that it's because of a lack of players just doesn't seem right. and isn't larussa known for winning with and getting the most out of lesser players?
at what position would the cards trade with the braves?? maybe a bullpen guy or two? and i'm just guessin...i would say larussa had more and did less this year than any year i can remember.
he definitely has the players, they just weren't as good this year. as a braves and bobby cox fan i personally do not like larussa but i respect what he's done and think he is a great manager, obviously. and for whatever reason it didn't happen for them this year but to say that it's because of a lack of players just doesn't seem right. and isn't larussa known for winning with and getting the most out of lesser players?
at what position would the cards trade with the braves?? maybe a bullpen guy or two? and i'm just guessin...i would say larussa had more and did less this year than any year i can remember.