For a moment I thought you tripley could not stand Tony LaRussa.

Don’t worry, Craig—the vast majority of Cards fans (at least the ones online, myself included) cannot wait until TLR retires, takes his stupid roster management to some animal shelter and The Secret Weapon takes over, leading the Birdinals into the modern era.

Seriously, from my experience writing for/reading Cards blogs I have never met a fanbase that actively hates so many elements of their own team: the FO for not spending enough money/not properly embracing sabermetrics (depending on the situation), the GM for being a puppet, the manager for all his quirks, the pitching coach for not working enough with young players, other fans for being too nice/old/fat, the list goes on. Pretty much the only guys that are universally liked are Pujols, Wainwright and a couple broadcasters.

You knock LaRussa???? Are you nuts…or just so wasted that you don’t appreciate someone who knows and understands the game of baseball and the people who play it?

Let me tell you someting, Craig. You have one of the best managers in baseball, period! If you don’t beleive me…take a look at what’s out there and make the comparisons. i.e.I’m sure Toronto fans would love another exchange with St. Louis, only this time they would willingly throw in the best pitcher in baseball just to make the manager for manager swap.

So stop complaining…and be thankful for what you’ve got!

“the vast majority of Cards fans (at least the ones online, myself included) cannot wait until TLR retires, takes his stupid roster management to some animal shelter and The Secret Weapon takes over, leading the Birdinals into the modern era.” 

Amen, brother.

@Two Scoops: Sure, there are plenty of things to like about TLR.  Guy didn’t make it to 2,500 wins by accident.  But seriously, are you saying that you *like* the idea of 6,7 pitching changes in every game or that many managers now base their in-game decisions on a virtually meaningless construct called the “save”?  Craig never said that TLR was a bad manager.  He simply vented his frustration over the changes in the game brought about largely by TLR’s “innovations.”  Give the guy a break, eh?

I have a thoery that no team needs more than 10 pitchers, all of them of the ilk of a closer.  Pitcher 1 starts today, and pitches 1 inning or through the end of the first inning in which he gives up a hit.  After his departure, number 2 comes in, and pitches 1 inning.  Period.  Then number 3 comes in for 1 inning, and so on until either the game is over or number 10 pitches (in the case of extras).  This would spread out your liabilities, and with the exception of the starter if they flirt with a no-no or number 10 if you go a lot of innings, everybody is ready to go again tomorrow.  That leaves you a bench of 7 (6 in the AL), giving you MUCH more flexibility with pinch hitters (L/R matchups become less bothersome), and defensive substitutions, not to mention being more able to play the hot hand.  I really wish that someone would have the stones to try this out.  It would be really interesting to see how it works…..

@Richard, Cubs did that last game of the season last year.  (Small sample size, nothing to play for warnings attached of course)

Oh god yes.  Only 5 pennants and merely 2 world series titles?

There can’t be more than 20 teams in baseball that would want that record.  OK, 25.  Tops.

Doesn’t a 13 man staff make an 8 or 9 man bullpen?

My wife has informed me that she will once again adopt the mantle of a baseball fan only on the condition that TLR quits and Jose Oquendo takes over her beloved Cardinals. She hates TLR for being the anti-Whitey Herzog, whose teams she grew up rooting for.

Me, I dislike him for his insistence on being Tony La Russa, Super Geeeeenius. Yes, yes, you let the pitcher hit 8th. You’re very smart. Now shut up.

I always said that LaRussa ruined baseball.  You wonder why games are so long?  Because LaRussa started all this lefty / righty crap.  I remember picthing staffs that got by with 9, let alone 13!!
Everytime a pitcher is changed, that’s another 5 minutes added to the gametime.  Great manager, yeah, but his methods have ruined this game.