St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa didn’t mince words when asked about the Ryan Howard-Albert Pujols trade rumors.
Speaking with the media on Monday morning prior to his St. Louis Cardinals taking on the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Florida, manager Tony La Russa commented on the rumor published by ESPN’s Buster Olney that the Philadelphia Phillies had internal discussions about the thought of trading Ryan Howard for Albert Pujols. That speculation was immediately shot down by Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro on Sunday.
“It’s like stats,” La Russa said. “Use and abuse. It’s the media; they can be really useful and they can be really abusive, but to come up with that one is abusive. It disrupts the Phillies, it disrupts the… – to the extent anyone thinks it is serious. It could distract the Phillies; it could distract here.
“I am pretty sure that neither has happened, but…I would be surprised… Who wrote this? Who said this? The person who came up with that one should be tracked down and you’d say ‘Hmmm. That credibility just took a big hit.’ It is ridiculous, actually. It is really not worth speculating on other than trying to figure out who started it.”
Told it was Olney, La Russa didn’t believe it.
“I doubt that. I’d be shocked if it was him,” the manager replied.
When it was asked if a player of Pujols’ stature in a contract period would foster this kind of speculation, La Russa pointed out the reality of the situation from his perspective and that of the Cardinals organization.
“I think what it will foster is media bs, because what they said already without even a hesitation is our organization is going to plan on making Albert a player to start and finish his career here,” La Russa said. “So where’s the… and Albert has said he wants to stay here. So why would anyone want to start speculating?
“Whenever the contract gets worked out, it gets worked out. So that is what I said. If someone wants to start it up, it is media bs. Or if the fans start it up, then it is fan bs. There is nothing going on with St. Louis except what they both clearly said,” the manager explained.
La Russa was asked if he planned to discuss the situation with Pujols. He said he would not unless he sees anything different with the player, the same approach he takes with his entire team.
One writer speculated out loud that every organization might think about how to try to acquire a player of Pujols’ importance. La Russa flatly disagreed.
“I don’t think any team kicked it around, as a matter of fact, because they know he isn’t going anywhere. They’ve got more important things to do than waste their time. That’s my answer…”
When it was suggested this kind of speculation might arise again the future, La Russa made it clear his reply will be consistent.
“Then every time it comes up, you can use those quotes and we won’t have to talk about it,” the manager only partially joked. “It will be the same response.”
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Pujols’ lead agent, Dan Lozano, visited camp last week without engaging the club in negotiations over an extension. Pujols has asked the club to refrain from commenting on the matter but insisted he believes an agreement is possible. “If we start talking all it takes is 24 hours to reach an agreement. I don’t think it takes a month or two months or a year,” said Pujols, who is under contract through 2011 but enjoys veto power over any deal following the 2010 season. “When you start talking it can two or three days and that’s it, you get it done. If they make an offer and I’m pleased with the offer we’ll get it done.”
Albert’s tone here is very revealing. This admission pretty much validates my earlier speculations about Lopez and the content of the first meetings. If I had to take a guess and a good guess it would be, Mo had one of his lackeys make that call. They are players.
This thing kind of blew up in Buster’s face. Consider this. How many people in the Philles Org would have participated in a discussion at this level? Then, take the 4 or 5 folks and decide which one of them would risk dropping a dime to Buster on said discussion for purely egotistical reasons and get away with it? What tactic or benefit, if it was a planned leak, could they possible have garnered by such an action. They have a dynamic team chemistry, with most players of importance under long term contracts. Surely this has been a bigger problem for them than ST Louis………………………………. Was it someones responsibility to make an exploratory inquiry to the Cardinals at some point? Probably……………… Somebody made that call……… Lozano is on the red eye and Albert is chattering…….pointing out that the Cardinals still have made no offer………………….???????????? Mo and BD are players. They know that the trade deadline is an expensive road sign to ignore.
Just to be safe, it would be good if Philly broke off and sank into the Atlantic.
bb. I am sure you know a large portion of New Jersey would have to sacrificed to carry out your intention…
If you really want to have a laugh and have MLB.com, listen to the A’s/ Cinci first inning. 10 up, 10 runs with no outs against Ben Sheets. Oh yeah, and 10 million dollars.
If your watching Cardinal ball, Albert is trying to stay closed and drive the middle. He is. His pull double was the same swing with the right hand coming over on the off-speed, thus its unusual flight. His attempts to turn on something have been very jumpy, upper body much to fast. He isn’t here yet. He seems concerned about managing his spring and regaining his swagger. No sign of off field power as yet which is the real pathway out of his slump. He isn’t seeing many arms yet which is a concern………………………………I continue to be impressed with MM’s work with the everyone else.
Gosh. If you were Ari and wanted to take a sample of Pujols sentiment, sure would be a good time to do it. Tony sure is “sensitive” to these easily dismissible rumors. I can remember Mo doing that rumor game with someone in 08, just to check reaction. Can’t remember exactly, but it may have been Lohse before the deadline, KL sitting at 11and 2 or something like that.
The Cards do not need to take polls of fan opinions. Howard is overpaid. The fan base may be happy he had enjoyed ML success, but there would be little fan support for giving up Pujols for Howard. If TLR is sensitive, its because he understands its going to be one dopey rumor after another, until Albert’s contract is settled, so TLR is getting in a tough frame of mind for fighting through them all.
Tony is a player Jumbo. His outrage is very “tactically considerate”. If its a play from within, or just the MLB community attacking, Tony isn’t going to be out flanked.
I enjoyed TLR’s joke in which he asked who could report such a thing, it could not be a reporter as clever as Olney. Nice touch.