General Discussion

Thank you, Cleveland!  I'm not a huge Yankee hater--in fact, I kinda like them due to their rich history, etc.--but getting them out of the news and sparing us another overhyped Yankees/Red Sox ALCS is worthy of thanks.  (Plus, as noted, it makes the wife happy.)   I think I started turning somewhat against the Red Sox after 2004.  The sweep was bad enough, but the books, articles, etc. just seemed to keep coming and coming and I think it soured me on all that East Coast stuff.

The Yankee melodrama is, of course, not out of the papers yet though.  Joe Torre is likely gone, and so there are rumors that Tony LaRussa might like to take over that team.   Personally, I can't see that happening and I think it'd be a terrible fit.  For once, TLR has barely tolerated the St. Louis media.  That's nothing compared to 150 newspapers and 750 television outlets focusing on your every move.  I think he'd snap when all the press showed up to the first Sox/Yankees spring training game.

Also, the Yanks are starting to go younger.  Roger Clemens has, hopefully and finally, thrown his last pitch.  (Another thing to be thankful for--this should mean no more offseason posturing about "will he or won't he come back" followed by a ridiculously large contract thrown at him.)  Mariano Rivera might even go somewhere else.  Jorge Posada is a free agent.  Alex Rodriguez may leave.  A lot of the old guard may not be there when 2008 comes along.

However, they've got young pitchers (Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy) and a few young position players, and according to GM Brian Cashman, he'd love to home-grow the whole team.  So it sounds like New York is going to go through a similar process as the Cardinals--trying to get younger and sticking with the kids.

TLR, while he can deal with kids better than some of his detractors indicate, does seem to prefer the seasoned veteran who he knows what he can expect from and how to get the most out of.  I can't see LaRussa being ecstatic with the Yankees direction if he's not liking what the Cardinals are doing.

Owner DeWitt is starting to make public noises about LaRussa making up his mind.  I'd expect we'll know one way or another this week, but if he really does want to manage in 2008, he'll probably stay in St. Louis.

I see the GM search is focusing on sabermetric types that are in their mid-30s to early 40s, instead of going the retread route.  I like that approach and I think it could be advantageous if the Cardinals are able to get the next rising star.

The Cardinal rumor mill is pretty quiet right now.  I don't expect it will stay that way very long.

2 Comments

2 Comments | Leave a comment

tom@cardinalsgm.com | October 9, 2007 7:48 PM | Reply

Anything that makes the wife happy is worth keeping.

I think the TLR talk about him clashing with the media is overhyped and makes for good fodder.
His ego is big and if he can follow Torre as he did in STL and win he will as great as his brain can get. I say he takes the NY job if offered.

GM? If not me, then let's go with a new type GM and not a retread. I like the Ted Simmons/Terry Pendleton talk.

cardinal70 | October 10, 2007 12:11 AM | Reply

Pendleton as manager would be interesting, I'd grant. I know he's followed Cox around for a few years, but I don't know if he's done any managing in winter leagues at all.

Wait, I thought you didn't want a retread? Simmons has done the GM bit before, though he's definitely not a Bob Watson or anything like that. I don't know enough about him to know his style, though I don't think he'd want to take over due to his health concerns.

I'm still more excited about a young guy who can make a mark. Those guys (Epstein, Beane, Byrnes) tend to work more often than they don't (Daniels), so if you can get the next big star, I think it could put you in place for a long time.

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