Update p 2: Tony LaRussa Retires

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Miscellaneous thoughts on several topics..

Tony's impact on Pujols' decision: I think it's right that TLR's presence wouldn't have prompted Pujols to forego a bunch of money to stay. Like it was said, TLR wasn't going to stick out that contract regardless. That said, one of if not the biggest reasons cited for Pujols to stay in St. Louis is that it's where he's always been, it's his home. Without the only manager he's ever known, my thought is that the inertia is a little less strong. Not a tipping point by any stretch of the imagination, but if you have to quantify it, a very slight negative to Pujols returning.

Valentine: Before he started doing games, he was a preferred name among many an internet poster for managerial openings. I don't think it's an outrageous suggestion at all by Kurkjian, for any opening really.

Managers deciding between the Cubs/Cards: I don't think this will really be an issue, as I think there won't be a huge overlap of candidates(especially if Oquendo is a front-runner). On the topic of why someone would choose the Cubs? I don't think it's much of a stretch. The Cubs have superior financial resources, a larger fanbase/media presence, they play in an historic ballpark, and anyone who wins big there will be immortalized. Furthermore, the Cubs aren't years away from competing. A worse Cubs team than this one lost 96 games in 2006, and one offseason led to them winning 88 games per season over the next 3. And they have a much, much more competent front office now. Is that to say that anyone in their right mind would pick the Cubs? Not at all. But you all are smart enough to know why someone would make that choice, and it's not a crazy one by any means.

[JL21]

It really is 1964.

Hopefully this year's replacement will have the success that the 1964 replacement did (at least, in '67 and '68).

[Bama_Card_Fan]

Somebody earlier in this thread mentioned the coaching staff remaining the same whoever they hire. Would the new manager not get to bring in his own staff?

At the presser, Mo said the new guy would have the autonomy to bring in his own guys.

That only makes sense. Why would a manager want to come to a team that didn't even allow him to pick his own coaching staff?

[robbotis]

JL mentioned it earlier and I'll echo it. Mike Matheny is not a candidate to manage the Cardinals. Unless I'm missing part of his history, he's never even coached before.

La Russa coached in the minors for like 3 months before being named White Sox manager.

[docellis]

I wonder who Pujols wants to play for next year manager-wise. If we knew we could just go hire him.

[docellis]

Chris Carpenter set to address the media shortly on La Russa's retirement.....
Carpenter: "It was a pretty big surprise."

[signthief]

[jagtrader]

Riggleman.

[Leroy]

I'll be honest, I thought he would retire after the 2005 season and almost hoped he would so we could find someone else to argue about. But when I woke up this morning and saw the headlines, I got that same sinking feeling as the day I woke up to find that the Raiders had no idea where their Pro-Bowl center was hours before the Super Bowl.

I guess though, I'm glad he got to go out this way.

[lukethedrifter]

Somebody earlier in this thread mentioned the coaching staff remaining the same whoever they hire. Would the new manager not get to bring in his own staff?

At the presser, Mo said the new guy would have the autonomy to bring in his own guys.

That only makes sense. Why would a manager want to come to a team that didn't even allow him to pick his own coaching staff?

Don't think that rules out some of the guys staying though. If Dunc isn't going to retire, I bet he stays. Oquendo probably feels like it's his turn so I wouldn't be surprised if he moved on if passed over. Birds led the league in hitting under McGwire, don't know why the new guy would want to push him out.
Maybe a new guy would want enough of a change in staff to make things feel new and fresh though.