Update p 2: Tony LaRussa Retires

[ilstu24]

I hope they hire internally and then just keep as much of the current staff as possible.

[heyzeus]

Mo has to be secretly delighted about this, right?

No more Aaron Miles/Ryan Theriot/Skipler Taguchimaker getting 500 PA's?

[Faceman]

And no more security blanket / fall guy either. Double edged sword.

[dmarx114]

I hope they hire internally and then just keep as much of the current staff as possible.

I'm leaning towards blowing the whole coaching staff up, but I'd be OK with just about any scenario.

[Popeye_Card]

Now it makes sense why TLR was wearing a Happy Flight shirt and kept requesting they play "Time For Me To Fly". Shame the Cardinals' DJ only had a dance club CD from 1997.

[vinsanity]

I would love to see them talk to Joe McEwing to at least beat the 3B Coach if they hire Oquendo for the managerial spot.

As for why Oquendo; a decade with Tony has to rub off on you, continuity, has stirred interest from other teams wanting him to manage, plenty of time coaching in the majors. There are some things to like about him.

[Fat Strat]

Mo has to be secretly delighted about this, right?

No more Aaron Miles/Ryan Theriot/Skipler Taguchimaker getting 500 PA's?

We're about to learn A LOT more about Mo and his actual philosophy. He has absolute control at the moment.

[Hungary Jack]

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

As I mentioned earlier, I think it's a terrible idea.

Pujols would have to be incredibly naive, almost infantile, to make his playing decision on who is managing him. He obviously loves TLR, but this does not mean he would hitch his career wagon to him. I don't think AP is that TLR or not, there are several compelling reasons for Pujols to stay here. If TLR were getting fired, it might be a different story.

If Duncan is not available, I would like to see the Cards pursue Don Cooper as pitching coach, though I think he's contractually committed to the WSox.

[ilstu24]

Oquendo or Pettini would be great. Matheny would be good too.

[pioneer98]

There just are only 30 manager jobs in MLB, and maybe less than 6 or 8 that would be as attractive as the Cardinals. To name one, the Cubs would be more attractive right now, IMO - higher payroll, lower expectations for next year, if you do win it there you are an all-time hero, etc.

You'd rather manager the 2012 Cubs than the 2012 Cardinals? I don't see them being a real threat next year and have to hope their new GM can work some magic. Sure the 'expectations' are lower, but I'd much rather have Holliday, Berkman, Carpenter, Wainwright, Garcia than Soriano, Castro, Ramirez, Zambrano, Garza.

If you don't win with Carp, Waino, Holliday, Berkman, you will always be compared to the HOF manager that just left after winning the World Series. Maybe even run out of town.

Remember how Torre got compared to Whitey? I was young, but I remember that vaguely. Heck, some years back wasn't there a faction of people clamoring for Whitey to come back and replace TLR?

I can see both sides, but it seems like a manager might want the chance to help build the team in his image, and get some of "his" kinds of players. The Cardinals roster was set up to be successful with TLR at the helm. What if the new manager has a different style, and he ends up not meshing with some of these players very well? What if we have to trade some of this current crop of players due to conflicts with the new manager? Considering TLR's unique personality, I wouldn't be that surprised if that happened. Would you?

If the new Cubs manager has a personality conflict and has to trade some players, it's not as big of a deal. They are rebuilding anyway. The Cubs might pay more for a premium manger, too. And with helping them rebuild, a new manager there might have more influence on the types of players they go after. With the Cardinals, the roster will be a lot less flexible. The Cardinals roster is very good, yes. I'm just pointing out that there is a trade-off here between "good" and "flexible". I don't think it is as much a no-brainer that the Cards are more attractive as some of you guys evidently think. I think it depends a lot on the manager candidate in question. Some would probably be better suited for taking over a talented roster with high expectations, and some might be better suited for rebuilding.