Pujols, La Russa plan to meet, say 'there isn't a problem'

ST. LOUIS -- Albert Pujols wants to make this absolutely clear: He is not feuding with Tony La Russa.

"People want to start World War III with me and Tony, and I think they're picking the wrong person," the St. Louis slugger said Thursday during a workout. "I've got so much respect for Tony, and he's got so much respect for me."

Pujols was the only player from the defending World Series champion Cardinals to be picked for the All-Star Game. He also was the only non-pitcher that La Russa, the NL manager, did not use in a 5-4 loss Tuesday night.

La Russa said he saved Pujols in case of extra innings and vowed that the relationship will "stand the test of time."

"It wasn't a problem, there isn't a problem," La Russa said. "It's been real clear about how I feel about Albert. Nothing ever changes that. Nothing ever will."

Pujols was upset after being left on the bench -- "If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here," he said right after the game in San Francisco.

Two days later, back in St. Louis, Pujols sounded more calm.

"Was I disappointed because I didn't get in the game? Of course, because I'm a competitor," he said. "Does that make it a big deal? No, it wasn't a big deal to me, but I guess it was a pretty big deal to everybody else in the country."

Pujols and La Russa had not talked before the workout, but Pujols expected a conversation and an explanation soon.

"People can talk and waste their saliva, I guess, because they're not going to get me angry or Tony angry," Pujols said. "We'll sit down and talk. I'm looking forward to seeing why he says he didn't put me in the game."

Last October, La Russa and Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen had an icy relationship. La Russa benched the banged-up Rolen in the postseason, and they didn't talk during the winter.

Pujols could merely watch as Philadelphia's Aaron Rowand flied out with the bases loaded to end the All-Star Game. La Russa said he'd have loved to have called on Pujols, but had to guard against a position player being injured if the game went to extra innings.

"Because you manage in the moment, yeah, I wish I sent him out there," La Russa said. "But the game would have either ended there or ended later if somebody got hurt, and there's a way to fix it."