Tony LaRussa Announces Retirement

22 Comments + Add Comment

• Nester October 31, 2011 at 11:11 am

  The game has passed him by. The Cards won a great series despite many questionable moves by LaRussa.
  • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 11:49 am

    The game has NOT passed him by. And that’s just a DUMB thing to say about a 3-time World Series winning manager who just won the World Series. Obviously making a ridiculously stupid, biased-based, idiotic comment like the game has passed LaRussa can only be said by a upper deck fantasy baseball, sabermetric, moneyball fan who nobody knows or cares anything about.

    You will NOT see anybody say the game has “passed Larussa by” on TV, on any mainstream sports site, read in any paper, or hear on any professional radio sports program. Just a fan.

    And here’s why this guy made that blatantly wrong and dumb remark – LaRussa went out a winner and his last 3 actions were timed perfectly:

    - He bashed OBP
    - He bashed Moneyball big time
    - He won the World Series

    now go back to your fantasy baseball game and confuse it with real life
  • Matt October 31, 2011 at 12:04 pm

    Passed him by?????????? Guy won 2 world series in the past 6 seasons and he didn’t even have his #1 pitcher at all this year! I wish the game would pass the Mets by!
  • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 12:11 pm

    The insane things the moneyball/saber crowd say continue to mount:

    - Lerner (on last off season ) Sandy Alderson did a remarkable job
    - Lerner on this season – The Mets season was a success
    - ben yodel – Sandy Alderson has done a great job
    - Nester – The game has passed LaRussa boy

    What in the world is going on around here!?
    • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 12:12 pm

      that should read “by” not “boy” lol
      • Matt October 31, 2011 at 12:19 pm

        I don’t think Alderson has done a “great job,” but I also don’t think he has done a poor job. Alderson came into a horrible situation. He was hired to get the most out of a very tight budget. When he was with the A’s, he spent and did a great job…then the owner died and the new owners forced him to cut payroll, so he got into sabermetrics…now he is branded as the poster child for saber…that’s why the Wilpons hired him and his crew of cost cutters. If the Wilpons would give him more financial leverage, I’m sure he would spend more. I blame the Wilpons for this horrible organization not Alderson, he is just doing what he was brought in to do. I’m just hoping Alderson can manufacture a decent minor league system, because, thats who we will be watching for the decade or so. No big name FAs are coming to Queens for awhile.
        • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 12:35 pm

          He had a horrendous off season last year. Between him and the 2 other GMs he employs the Mets should have been able to do a smarter and better job of evaluating what was out there. They could have gotten better talent with the money they were given to work with.

          There were plenty of ballplayers out there having good seasons for other teams that could have been picked by the Mets within their financial constraints. That’s Alderson’s job, not ours. And he did a TERRIBLE job last off season. And I also don’t like the way it appeared that he was just sitting back waiting for this team to collapse all year.

          Being competition and enthusiasm for winning starts at the top. Alderson shows NONE of those traits. He’s close to the vest, not smart, too conservative, and just has done a lousy job so far.

          The only plus people like to give him is Wheeler. And we don’t know how that will turn out yet. I also like his decision to move the fences in but that’s about it.

          He’s done a LOUSY job so far.
          • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 12:39 pm

            ..and Collins turned out to be a good move after all. But anybody would have been an improvement over Jerry Manuel. I would have been a better replacement for Jerry Manuel.
        • Bayonne Mets Fan October 31, 2011 at 12:44 pm

          and didn’t Alderson and Co. let Dante Bichette Jr. go by in the draft taking Nimmo instead?
          And i’m not a fan of drafting an outfielder ahead of a catcher or pitcher either. Especially when that’s what this team should be building with and NOT outfielders. You can always get outfielders but it’s harder to get catchers and pitchers from the market.

          TERRIBLE start for Alderson and Co.
          • Donal October 31, 2011 at 1:05 pm

            Ya, getting the highest ceiling player available was so bad.

            “and didn’t Alderson and Co. let Dante Bichette Jr. go by in the draft taking Nimmo instead?”

            Ya, they passed up a dead pull right handed hitter that plays a position that is already crowded in favor of a more well rounded left handed hitter who plays a position with little depth. Not to mention the hole in Bichette’s swing so big, you could park a Buick in it.

            “And i’m not a fan of drafting an outfielder ahead of a catcher or pitcher either. ”

            Dante Bichette Jr. plays neither.

            “Especially when that’s what this team should be building with and NOT outfielders. ”

            They did draft pitchers. Their next 5 picks were pitchers. Pitching was very deep this last draft. They simply went after the best potential prospect they could get with their first pick.

            “You can always get outfielders but it’s harder to get catchers and pitchers from the market.”

            Drafting catchers is tricky because they tend to get converted to another position. One needn’t even be drafted as a catcher to make it as a catcher. Piazza was a 1B when he was drafted.

            “TERRIBLE start for Alderson and Co.”

            Ya, right. You just want to complain about something because you hate him. We could have reincarnated Ted Williams and you’d still be upset it wasn’t Honus Wagner.
            • MetsJets13 October 31, 2011 at 1:20 pm

              Maybe knocking Dante Bichette Jr. who was just named the MVP of his league isn’t the way to go here. With Nimmo’s higher ceilings comes more questions and higher risk. He hit .342/.446/.505 in 52 games this year, ranking among the league leaders in AVG (second), OBP (second), SLG (eighth), OPS (fourth), hits (first), doubles (first), RBI (first), total bases (second), and walks (third).
              • MetsJets13 October 31, 2011 at 1:30 pm

                Bichette was also ranked the #1 prospect in GCL by Baseball America.

                http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2011/2612381.html
              • Donal October 31, 2011 at 2:10 pm

                I’m not saying the future for either is written in stone or that Bichette is lousy. He can obviously hit baseballs very very far.

                But, his swing has very real concerns for scouts and he profiles like a lot of players we already have (yes, with more power).

                Besides, that is a few months of Gulf Coast League. Not exactly the crucible for ball players.
• NJstuckinTX October 31, 2011 at 11:17 am

  Fire Warthen and snatch up Duncan, stat!
  • Joe Diaz October 31, 2011 at 11:31 am

    That would be the best offseason acquisition for the Mets.I wonder if he’s going to follow LaRussa and hang em up too.
• Des October 31, 2011 at 11:30 am

  My best wishes go to Tony. He was a terrific competitor — not perfect, only terrific.
• Metsie October 31, 2011 at 11:45 am

  He is retiring but only from the Cardinals!

  More likely he sees where they intend on going (see the hesitance to signing Pujols) and just wants to get out before they moneyball their way to oblivion!
• Matt October 31, 2011 at 12:12 pm

  3rd all-time in wins. 6 World Series appearances with 3 championships. Was manager for 5 ROYs, 6 MVPs, and 4 Cy Young award winners. Greatest manager of all-time.
• Donal October 31, 2011 at 12:31 pm

  Good for him. He’s had a good career.

  Now, we can look forward to his name being thrown about every time a high profile managing job comes into question. (Duh, when can fire dis Jerradee bum and hire LaRusser?)
  • XtreemIcon October 31, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Spot on Francessa imitation.
• Metro69 October 31, 2011 at 1:57 pm

  One of the all time great managers. Congratulations, Tony, enjoy your retirement.
• Metfan October 31, 2011 at 7:51 pm

  A great manager a great career. Next stop-Hall of Fame
  PS: maybe he knows Pujols won’t be baqck?