Ozzie Smith and LaRussa in pi**ing match.

[mjohnson71]

Sounds like Ozzie Smith and Tony LaRussa are going at it through the press.

 

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/EB238DB17CC0A0F186257176001A4DE7?OpenDocument

 

I don't think the Post's links are static, so here's the text:

 

[edited to excerpt -- posting the link does not mean you can also post the entire article]

 

Tony La Russa on Ozzie Smith: 'He's not welcome'

By Rick Hummel

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Sunday, May. 21 2006

 

KANSAS CITY

 

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, after reading a story in Sunday's

Post-Dispatch that, in part, reiterated Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith's

disinclination to participate in club-related field activities as long as La

Russa was manager, said he had changed his mind about inviting Smith to

spring-training camp as an instructor.

 

La Russa, before reading the text, had said he didn't think they would be going

to dinner, given their past differences, but that Smith could be helpful if he

wanted to join the other Hall of Famers who generally go to Jupiter, Fla., in

the spring. Upon further review, there was a stark reversal of field Sunday by

La Russa, who was not proffering an olive branch.

[rocket]

what are albert pujols' thoughts on this?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Albert does not need to think, in the conventional sense. All thoughts and ideas originate within Albert and then are disseminated to the rest of the world.

[Banedon]

Albert is disinclined to consider this petty matter.

[snoodmonger]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

[minnesotacubsfan]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

and then trade him back to St. Louis for Pujols...

[The Voice of Reason]

I wish the biggest problem the Cubs had was a clash of egos between their current manager and one of their former hall of fame players.

[cheapseats]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

[illiniguy]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

Of course it was, he was on the Cardinals after all.

[K-Town]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

Wouldn't PO many Cards fans. Most of them are sick of Ozzie whining.

[K-Town]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

[illiniguy]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

Just like how he masterfully used Womack in '04'. Face it something happens when a guy puts on a Cardinals uniform. Don't believe me ask Woddy Williams, Julian Tavarez, or Cal Eldred.

[Andy]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

Just like how he masterfully used Womack in '04'. Face it something happens when a guy puts on a Cardinals uniform. Don't believe me ask Woddy Williams, Julian Tavarez, or Cal Eldred.

Chris Carpenter. Ray King.

[Mizzou]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

Ozzie blew Royce away in ST that year, and the better player during that time was supposed to be the starter that season. LaRussa went ahead and started Royce anyways, and Ozzie has been pissed ever since. And I can't blame him.

[Mizzou]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

Wouldn't PO many Cards fans. Most of them are sick of Ozzie whining.

:?:

 

Not a single one of the many that I know.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

Wouldn't PO many Cards fans. Most of them are sick of Ozzie whining.

:?:

 

Not a single one of the many that I know.

 

I know plenty including myself.

[Balsa]

what are albert pujols' thoughts on this?

 

http://www.progressiveboink.com/dugout/pujols.JPG : Pujol_Junkie: beis bol

[SouthSideRyan]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

 

You're probably right that Smith doesn't put up those #s over a full season, but arguing that he doesn't have the stamina to be a full time starter based on his 156 ABs in '95 is bat**** insane.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

 

You're probably right that Smith doesn't put up those #s over a full season, but arguing that he doesn't have the stamina to be a full time starter based on his 156 ABs in '95 is bat**** insane.

 

I think it was more based on the fact that he was 41 and coming off an injury.

[SouthSideRyan]

He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95)

 

That's just how I read that, but I could see it could mean ugly, like 1995 was ugly without relating the full time part.

[wolf stansson]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

Wouldn't PO many Cards fans. Most of them are sick of Ozzie whining.

:?:

 

Not a single one of the many that I know.

 

I know plenty including myself.

<----

 

This has been going on for a while and this is the first public shot I've heard from Tony. Ozzie and Whitey Herzog have been digging at him since he got here.

[K-Town]

The cubs should hire Ozzie just to PO the cards fans.

 

Wouldn't PO many Cards fans. Most of them are sick of Ozzie whining.

:?:

 

Not a single one of the many that I know.

 

Here are a few, to get you started.

 

http://www.sports-boards.net/forums/showthread.php?t=81641

[K-Town]

Ozzie got about half as many at-bats as Royce Clayton in 1996, but when he was on the field he was a slightly better player.

 

And 1996 was arguably Clayton's best season.

 

Royce Clayton sucks.

 

Clayton and Ozzie BOTH had better years than they should have............ probably because of the way Larussa used them.

 

TLR should be commended for getting the most out of both of them. Ozzie doesn't get it. He didn't have the stamina to be a full-timer at that point in his career. It would have been ugly (just like it was in '95). Ozzie should thank Larussa for putting him in a position to succeed in '96, so he wouldn't have to go out on the miserable note of 1995.

 

You're probably right that Smith doesn't put up those #s over a full season, but arguing that he doesn't have the stamina to be a full time starter based on his 156 ABs in '95 is bat**** insane.

 

I think it was more based on the fact that he was 41 and coming off an injury.

 

 

Right. It's more the age thing (41). It's no secret that 41-year-old shortstops are bound to lose something, and will likely need more rest.

 

Like I said, both players were more productive than expected in '96. Larussa should be commended for getting that much production out of a has-been and a never-was.