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 think there's a growing number of pitchers who want to have a plan going into a game about how they're going to go after that lineup. I'd say 75 percent want to have an idea, and they plan their attack. I know that 75 percent of hitters do not have that same type of plan against a pitcher.
It's easy to figure out whether you're getting stale. All you've got to do is look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.
There's a bigger difference now than when I first got into professional baseball because that was before guaranteed contracts, before there was a lot of money, so it was mostly survival. You had more competition.
You can't manage by memo. You can't stand up there and just send out edicts. I think you just gotta really personalize your relationships.
If you're a coach, and you don't have trust with players, you've got no chance, and your credibility is zero. And that's why it's so important to tell them the truth. If you have something that you're upset about, tell them the truth. If they're doing something wrong, tell them the truth.
I think each negotiation should be based on what's the best decision - taking everything into account, not taking one thing into account.
I'm a great believer in the character of a club. To me, character has a lot to do with how you compete. That creates urgency and toughness. That elevates the talent that you have.
Losing sucks. I don't think most people understand how bad it feels.
I think the guys that get to the All-Star Game deserve a lot of credit. They deserve their opportunity to get out there and let the baseball fandom see them.
I had started law school at Florida State University as a part-timer. I would go two quarters, and they allowed me to drop out to play baseball, and then I'd get readmitted in September. I was convinced I was going to be a lawyer and was using my baseball salary to pay my way through school.
You can't put a price on what Mark McGwire brings to the Cardinals organization. The responsibility he accepts is as great as any number of home runs.
I'm ready to do something different.
I'm careful not to give into theatrics when times are tough, I don't like it when somebody gives into outside pressure and puts on a show for others.
The best way to win is to play well early or late in the game. The middle part tends to take care of itself.