Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr.is an American professional baseball player, manager, and executive currently serving as Chief Baseball Officer for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball. His MLB career has spanned from 1963 to the present. As a manager, La Russa guided his teams to three World Series titles, six league championships and twelve division titles in 33 seasons...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth4 October 1944
CountryUnited States of America
I've been so fortunate in life to have worked for such great organizations, with great owners and general managers and all the great players, along with the support of my family.
The arc of Ken Griffey Jr.'s swing has gotten bigger than when he hit line drives. Juan Gonzalez is a terrific power hitter, too.
I have coaching friends, and when we get together, we often talk more about what we're doing to get players' attention than we do about the fascinating X's and O's of our sport.
My mind is just a product of 50 years of being taught. I'm no smarter than anyone else, but I've been taught by some wonderful people.
It's a sensitive thing, playing major league baseball.
I'm not going to manage again. I'm going to work for a team someday. But it won't be managing.
You know, I think when you coach or you manage, you make decisions, and there's some that are really, really tough.
I don't miss being in the dugout - I'll make that clear.
If you seriously aspire to be a manager in the big leagues, there is a baseball 'book' that one must learn. Alongside that book, you must practice Spanish. Of 25 players on each roster, sometimes there are between eight and 15 players who speak Spanish.
Clubs are taking away the steal of home. Not only are more pitchers throwing out of the stretch position, but more third basemen are playing closer to the bag. But another reason why nobody does it much anymore is that some guys, no matter how fast they are, just aren't comfortable trying to steal home.
If you try to give them a scheme, most hitters will rebel.
If the national government doesn't fix your problem, you've got a problem. You've got to fix it yourself. That's just part of the American way.
We're all men, not machines. We make mistakes.
My wife and I, we started a foundation about companion animal rescue, but there's a group called Performing Animal Welfare Society just outside of Sacramento... and they offered me a job as an elephant keeper.