When the disappointing 2010 season for the St. Louis Cardinals came to an end, Tony LaRussa packed most of his baseball knickknacks in to boxes, loaded them in to his car and drove home to California. He claimed he wanted to use the time to contemplate about the lost season and figure out if he still had the urge to manage the his 16th Cardinals team through the grueling 162-game season. Would Tony return? Has he lost the team?
Whatever dude. Tony, the best sports drama-queen this side of Brett Favre was always coming back. A long drive to California Tony? That’s a good one, oh and packing “most” of your office up? Brilliant touch. The only thing you didn’t do to raise the “look at me” ante on Favre was to text us a picture of your old-guy junk. …oh wait, just got a text. Well played Tony. Gross, but well played.
From the JOE STRAUSS report on STLTODAY.com that JOE STRAUSS wrote:
Mozeliak, DeWitt and La Russa concluded discussions this weekend. La Russa returns on a one-year deal similar to what he requested last October. This contract also includes a mutual option for a second season, an element missing from La Russa’s previous contract.
Oh so this contract has a mutual option? Huge difference. This way Tony and the club both have to agree as to whether they want Tony back for anoth…dammit, this is no different at all! Mutual option?! In fact, Katy Perry and I have mutual option pertaining to me placing my general in her trench. So far she has not picked up the option. Fingers crossed though!
As usual, Tony’s coaching staff will be returning with the exception of Marty Mason, the team’s longtime pitching coach, who got the axe today. Tony’s staff had been a rumored hot topic and issue between the front office and Tony. enough to make some wonder if the issue could end Tony’s tenure with the team. Nope! See ya Marty! General Manager John Mozeliak told 101 ESPN yesterday afternoon that the reason for the change was mainly to give the minor league staff a chance to crack the major leagues since Tony has largely kept his staff intact for the over 10 years. The big leagues and the minors haven’t been getting along much lately so the front office is switching up the study groups to force the kids to play together. We hear there will be finger painting! That’s what Duncan keeps in those big notebooks of his.
Tony’s back everybody! Send all flowers and “cheer up big guy!” greeting cards to: Colby Rasmus c/o Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
via STLToday and JOE STRAUSS. JOE STRAUSS! JOE STRAUSS! JOE STRAUSS was my source for this story!
[Editor’s Note: Joe Strauss likes to paint all bloggers with the “the internet doesn’t source” brush. We agree that some people don’t source. Guesses? Lots of other sites do though.]