La Russa's ride includes 'picture'-perfect ending

ST. LOUIS -- So now you know what the question becomes. Who is going to play World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa in the movie? Right?

You think I'm kidding -- a cute line in the afterglow of the 10th World Series title in Cardinals franchise history.

Tony La Russa is one of two managers with Series rings in both leagues. (AP)

A start-up film company called Redbird Productions earlier this summer acquired the rights to Buzz Bissinger's behind-the-scenes ode to Tony's genius, Three Nights in August, the New York Times best-seller. It's a good book, good enough that the film company had better not be as ham-handed as Detroit pitchers or it could ruin a good thing.

So an hour or so after he joined Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson as one of just two skippers ever to manage teams to a World Series title in both the American and National leagues, as La Russa made his way through the champagne spray and well-wishers in the get-down-tonight Cardinals clubhouse, I told him that I'd ask the sarcastic question of who would play him in the movie -- except that, in this particular case, it wouldn't be so sarcastic.

Leaning over and talking just above the din, La Russa responded, "Well, my favorite actor is Morgan Freeman."

And wouldn't that be a kick.

After a career of accomplishing a whole list of things on the baseball field that to most would be unthinkable, why start acquiescing to conventional thinking now?

To call Friday's win vindication for La Russa would be too much, because he already is recognized as one of the greatest managers ever, a brilliant mind, a certain Hall of Famer.

But for a guy who went 1-for-4 in previous World Series appearances as manager, to call this one of his sweetest and most overdue moments is no overstatement.

At 61 and with an announcement expected soon that the manager and the Cardinals have agreed to a contract extension beyond the 2007 season -- a season in which he will equal Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst's record for most consecutive seasons managing St. Louis -- La Russa remains at the top of his game.

Artistry is sculpted with the daily details, but the validation comes only under the bright lights. There are bookshelves teeming with tomes describing La Russa's artistry -- Bissinger's book and George Will's Men at Work, to name two.

As for validation, well, before this, La Russa's Octobers were filled with far more disappointments than glories.