AT Hooks posted on July 23, 2009 00:00
Just what the hell is going on with Tony LaRussa?
We all know that Mr. LaRussa is the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, but he’s 
also a very active philanthropist (ARF being his #1 charitable go-to) as well as a bar-licensed attorney. Obviously, having a law degree and giving a portion of your salary to help abandoned pets isn’t a pre-requisite for sanity- but most rational people would agree that Tony LaRussa isn’t a dim-witted man. An over-thinker? stubborn? semi-loquacious? Yes. A mental midget? Not so much.
So then I ask again: just what in the hell is going on with Tony LaRussa?
Late Monday, while talking with Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch, TLR, seemingly out of nowhere, told the Commish that the St. Louis fans make him want to “vomit”. Why? The treatment of Chris Duncan. We’re left to guess here, since it’s not mentioned in the story, but most likely Mr. Hummel was traversing down the road of ‘why Duncan in that spot, skip?’ and TLR wanted to head off any further bashing of Chris by pre-empting Hummel and immediately lashing out at the fans.
Well hold the fuck on for a second, coach. Didn’t Dip Can just hit into a game ending double play? Doesn’t he have a .033 batting average the past 3 weeks? Didn’t you just the day before question the health of the same man? I’m not a tremendous fan of Duncan, but at this point it’s MORE than fair to question what he’s doing in the line-up with such paltry statistics. Whatever pre-emptive strike against fan backlash Tony was trying to prevent… he just poured gas all over and threw a match on.
Correct me if I’m wrong here- but Tony and Cardinals broadcaster Al Hrabosky still 
haven’t buried the hatchet from their little tete a tete over Yadier Molina’s hustle prior to the All-Star break, right? One incident and it’s just that. But in the span of two weeks, LaRussa, already a polarizing figure in St. Louis, has seemingly gone out of his way to piss off just about everyone that cares about this team.
Why?
Three theories that may or may not hold water:
1. Tony LaRussa has some sort of personal problem. After seeing the HBO Real Sports piece on Jorge Posda, in which his play and demeanor in the early 00’s was influenced directly by the health of his first born child, I think we forget that these players/managers are under a tremendous amount of pressure and scrutiny. When bad shit happens to us, our co-workers and partners show sympathy. In the MLB- they tell you to piss off and go elsewhere. Could something be bothering Tony that he’s not talking about?
2. Tony LaRussa wants out. He’s tired of this job, he’d tired of dealing with upper management, he’s tired of baseball. He knows it’s easier to leave when you’re not wanted than leave when the going’s good. So he’ll figure out a way to fracture the fan base so much before the end of the season that no matter how it ends… he’s gone. Even if he was to pull a World Series out of his ass, St. Louis wouldn’t completely forget these spats. He knows this and is forecasting his destiny.
3. Tony LaRussa isn’t that smart. He may think he’s a genius, but he’s actually just been pretty lucky to have some great players. This series of missteps is nothing more than proof he’s an idiot and louse. Fate is finally playing hardball and his luck is running out. He’s being exposed as a manager that babies his players and doesn’t like being called on the mat for it.
Bonus theory:
Mustaches are not only unsightly, they cause irritability. The Cardinals clubhouse is a little edgy now with all the lip brooms and TRL is cracking under the heat. This is most likely not true. But if a major slump was to be blamed on facial hair this year, would that not prove baseball is a sport for mentally insane people? Look at you. You’re insane. You like baseball. Just saying.
Whatever the reasons are for this little mini-meltdown- and those reasons will come out eventually- I think we can all agree on one thing: Chris Duncan never did and never will warrant so much attention on a team with Albert Pujols.