ByQuotes

Tony La Russa Quotes

Powerful Tony La Russa for Daily Growth

If you try to give them a scheme, most hitters will rebel.

- Tony La Russa

Give, Most, Scheme, Rebel

I'm a great believer in the character of a club. To me, character has a lot to do with how you compete. That creates urgency and toughness. That elevates the talent that you have.

- Tony La Russa

Great, Compete, Lot, Club

I've said this: If Jim Leyland had been in my place, he'd have the 2,000 wins and I'd have 1,000. Leyland is the greatest.

- Tony La Russa

Been, Wins, Had, Jim

To me, there is no more conscientious umpire in the Major Leagues than Jim Joyce. He gives you a hellacious effort every time.

- Tony La Russa

Effort, More, Leagues, Jim

There's a bigger difference now than when I first got into professional baseball because that was before guaranteed contracts, before there was a lot of money, so it was mostly survival. You had more competition.

- Tony La Russa

Before, Had, Mostly, Professional Baseball

I can only think of about four players who I do not have anywhere from a good to a great relationship with.

- Tony La Russa

Think, Players, About, Great Relationship

I was a lousy player with virtually no experience managing.

- Tony La Russa

Virtually, Managing, No Experience

My mind is just a product of 50 years of being taught. I'm no smarter than anyone else, but I've been taught by some wonderful people.

- Tony La Russa

Mind, Product, Some, Smarter

I think there's a growing number of pitchers who want to have a plan going into a game about how they're going to go after that lineup. I'd say 75 percent want to have an idea, and they plan their attack. I know that 75 percent of hitters do not have that same type of plan against a pitcher.

- Tony La Russa

Game, Idea, I Think, Hitters

I was in the American League for 16, 17 years, and I think it's a really tough league to compete in.

- Tony La Russa

Think, Compete, I Think, American League

I had started law school at Florida State University as a part-timer. I would go two quarters, and they allowed me to drop out to play baseball, and then I'd get readmitted in September. I was convinced I was going to be a lawyer and was using my baseball salary to pay my way through school.

- Tony La Russa

Play, Drop, Through, State University

I don't miss being in the dugout - I'll make that clear.

- Tony La Russa

Clear, Being, Make, Dugout

Just because you're down to your last strike, you're not out yet. You can always do more. You'll always have more at-bats to take. That's true in baseball, in rescuing animals, and in life, generally.

- Tony La Russa

More, Always, Last, Rescuing

The arc of Ken Griffey Jr.'s swing has gotten bigger than when he hit line drives. Juan Gonzalez is a terrific power hitter, too.

- Tony La Russa

Bigger, Line, Gotten, Arc

You can't put a price on what Mark McGwire brings to the Cardinals organization. The responsibility he accepts is as great as any number of home runs.

- Tony La Russa

Great, Accepts, Home Runs, Runs

Winning in Oakland in '89 was distinguished because that was truly a great team on a mission to prove that '88 was not what we represented. I look at that team in awe. It was a push-button team.

- Tony La Russa

Team, Winning, Prove, Oakland

Anything that disturbs your comfort factor is good for you.

- Tony La Russa

Good, Comfort, Your, Factor

I'm not going to manage again. I'm going to work for a team someday. But it won't be managing.

- Tony La Russa

Work, Going, Again, Manage

You know, I think when you coach or you manage, you make decisions, and there's some that are really, really tough.

- Tony La Russa

Think, Some, I Think, Manage

My wife and I, we started a foundation about companion animal rescue, but there's a group called Performing Animal Welfare Society just outside of Sacramento... and they offered me a job as an elephant keeper.

- Tony La Russa

Wife, Performing, Companion, Sacramento

You can't manage by memo. You can't stand up there and just send out edicts. I think you just gotta really personalize your relationships.

- Tony La Russa

Think, I Think, Gotta, Manage

I've been so fortunate in life to have worked for such great organizations, with great owners and general managers and all the great players, along with the support of my family.

- Tony La Russa

Been, Players, Owners, Managers

We're all men, not machines. We make mistakes.

- Tony La Russa

Mistakes, Men, Make, Machines

In the end, as a manager or coach, you have to keep your heart pure and do your best as a manager or a coach.

- Tony La Russa

Do Your Best, Manager, Keep, In The End

Ever since I managed with guaranteed contracts and all the media, you know, you can get distracted by fame and fortune. Your values can get distorted. And the way you break through is, you just keep it personal and keep it simple and basic.

- Tony La Russa

Simple, Values, Through, Distracted

I have coaching friends, and when we get together, we often talk more about what we're doing to get players' attention than we do about the fascinating X's and O's of our sport.

- Tony La Russa

Doing, More, Players, Coaching

If the national government doesn't fix your problem, you've got a problem. You've got to fix it yourself. That's just part of the American way.

- Tony La Russa

American, Part, Your, American Way

It's easy to figure out whether you're getting stale. All you've got to do is look in the mirror and be honest with yourself.

- Tony La Russa

Mirror, Easy, Figure, Stale

I think the guys that get to the All-Star Game deserve a lot of credit. They deserve their opportunity to get out there and let the baseball fandom see them.

- Tony La Russa

Game, Think, Deserve, Credit

I think each negotiation should be based on what's the best decision - taking everything into account, not taking one thing into account.

- Tony La Russa

Think, I Think, Based, Taking

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.