Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa stands by stance on Union
The St. Louis Cardinals will not have Albert Pujols on a contract extension next year and that is something the club will have to think hard and long about when the season ends. However, the situation at Tony La Russa’s end has taken a step into controversy
where the Major League Baseball Players’ Association (MLBPA) is bouncing back on the veteran’s comments, which were issued a day ago.
The manager talked about the Union’s role in Pujols’ negotiation with the club and he isn’t ready to think there wasn’t an influence anywhere in the talks that ended in the wrong way between the player and the club. The Cards’ skipper passed on comments
recently when he told the press that he had no regrets concerning the comments he issued about the Players’ union.
The manager had told the press earlier that he felt the union’s tactics in player negotiations placed immense pressure on stars as they entered into talks with club managements. MLBPA President Michael Weiner was able to respond to those comments and iterated
that the organisation had no part in the deal that fell out between Albert Pujols and the Cardinals.
La Russa responded to that, saying, “I saw [this] was kind of omitted – I said if I was running the union or part of the union, I’m not sure I’d have handled it any different.” He said he was not alone when he thought the union was influencing players. “I
checked with some of our veteran coaches, and it strains credibility a little bit to think that there hasn’t been any contact or mention of Albert.”
He reiterated his stance, saying he had no plans to back down from his initial comments. He said he was not satisfied with Pujols’ decision. “He’s too significant. I don’t second-guess the union. I’m just saying, to me, it’s exactly what I said yesterday,
and that’s it. It’s a big decision, and you ought to be able to look at all the factors, not one more, and none others.”
With the negotiations ending on a negative note for the St. Louis Cardinals, the situation is bound to leave any club member with a frustrating look at the Major League system. The war of words between La Russa and the MLBPA will pass soon as the focus moves
on to the games.
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