Tony LaRussa: Overrated?

[Babe_Ruth]

I know a couple of Cardinals fans will disagree with me, but I think he's one of the most overrated managers in the history of the Major Leagues. Also, he's a big a-hole.

Thoughts?

 

[Unity]

We know that he's an a-hole, but why specifically do you think that he was overrated. His record and managing style/intelligence really speaks for itself. He had some frustrating bullpen management and was stubborn, I certainly don't think that he was perfect. He complained about some stupid stuff like lighting a few times, which was frustrating as hell. But as a manager he was damn intelligent. Our World Series Championships won in the 2000s definitely weren't solely based on player talent. He was a factor.

 

[OlTimeBaseball]

In 43% of La Russa's wins, Mark McGwire was on the roster, thus 43% of his wins are therefore tainted. He is overrated do to this fact. If he truly did not know about the many A's on his roster that were users then he is not in touch with his team. That is impossible so he then knowingly knew that his players were cutting corners to be better. Fact is as I stated 43% of his wins were in somehow aided by McGwire so he is not as good as his #'s say he is so thus overrated. http://wheatsports.com/tiki-view_blog_p ... ?postId=23 here is my full article written last month on the matter.

 

[Millz]

If we use the McGwire factor then all managers in the 90s and 200s are tainted. Since it was the steroid era, I throw that immediately out of the discussion...its a nonfactor.

His winning speaks for himself. Whether or not he's an asshole or not means literally nothing.

He's a winner.

 

[willge87]

Bizzy, you need to provide a bit of context as to why you believe he is overrated. Is it the fact that the Athletics only won the one World Series in the 1980's or do you simply believe he greatly benefited from having great teams around him (the same criticism leveled at Cito)?

 

[Babe_Ruth]

Yes, just look at some of the players that played under him while he managed the A's and Cards.

Also, on another note he managed multiple 100+wins team and failed to win a championship with them. Don't get me wrong he's deserving of the hall of fame, but doesn't belong in the upper echelon of greatest managers - where a lot of people do rank him.

 

[Millz]

I think the fact he won the championship with teams that did not win 100 games is more impressive than it is poor that those 100 win teams did not win it.

The playoffs are a crap shoot. You throw the records out of the window.

Managers win because their players are good. So that's not an argument against him if you ask me haha

 

[BourneofDarkness15]

He got the most out of teams with less or at least lesser star power than some managers who won rings, but I can see your side too

 

[StroShow]

IMO, A manager is only as good as the players he is given, and in that case Joe Torre is the all time most overrated manager. He started managing in the late 70's and never saw the playoffs until he was handed the golden Yankees teams of the late 90's