Tony La Russa, Cardinals Manager, who is in sixth place on the all-time managerial wins list, now almost 60, does an "about face".

"Since the first day I managed, my attitude was you don't take the uniform off unless its birth or death, and it's got to be immediate family," La Russa said.

Added La Russa: "I took that responsibility seriously. And with players, I expected the same thing..."

"I know looking back I have terrific regrets that I lived that to the detriment of my family, and players"

So, Tony La Russa left the club during Saturday night's game against the Texas Rangers to attend his youngest daughter's college graduation and will also miss Sunday's series finale.

Bianca Tai La Russa will graduate early this morning from UC- Santa Cruz.

"This is one time where my priorities are in order."
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LA RUSSA LEAVES FOR GRADUATION OF HIS DAUGHTER

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Joe Strauss
06/12/2004

ARLINGTON, Tex - Cardinals manager Tony La Russa left the club during Saturday night's game against the Texas Rangers to attend his youngest daughter's college graduation and will also miss Sunday's series finale.

La Russa received permission to leave the club from general manager Walt Jocketty and informed his players of his absence with a letter signed, "Your biggest fan (unless you lose)."

To La Russa, receiving permission wasn't as significant as asking for it. He admitted he would have excused himself from attending the family function earlier in his career. Now, almost 60, La Russa considered his presence a must for himself as well as his California-based family.

"Since the first day I managed, my attitude was you don't take the uniform off unless its birth or death, and it's got to be immediate family," La Russa said. "I know looking back I have terrific regrets that I lived that to the detriment of my family in my situation."

Added La Russa: "I took that responsibility seriously. And with players, I expected the same thing, to the point where I have big regrets. This is one time where my priorities are in order."

Bianca Tai La Russa will graduate early this morning from UC- Santa Cruz. Because there were no late flights from Dallas to Oakland or San Francisco, La Russa had to leave in mid-game, turning over reins of responsibility to pitching coach Dave Duncan, bench coach Joe Pettini and third-base coach Jose Oquendo. The arrangement worked well while La Russa served a two-game suspension following his June 3 altercation with Pittsburgh Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon as the Cardinals won both.

La Russa had considered attending July's Hall of Fame induction of his longtime closer, Dennis Eckersley, but reconsidered when given the option of attending his daughter's graduation.

"I would love to be there but I'm not going to take that day off," he said.

During his suspension earlier this month, La Russa tied and passed Walter Alston for sixth place on the all-time managerial wins list. Oquendo, however, was asked whether he or Duncan would get credit for Saturday and Sunday's outcomes. "I don't know. Ask me after the game," Oquendo replied.

[RAA Note: On Saturday, The Texas Rangers got out ahead 7-0 by the end of the fourth inning, going on to win 7-2. On Sunday, the Cardinals pummeled the Rangers 13-2.]

No Athens for Simontacchi

Former Italian Olympian Jason Simontacchi recently informed the Italian national team that he would not be able to help their cause in Athens this summer.

"It's a different situation now than it was then," said Simontacchi, who had pitched for Rimini in the Italian professional league before his selection to the Olympic team. "I'm on a 40-man roster now. Back then, if I felt a twinge in my elbow pitching in the Olympics, so what? Now I think there's a lot more involved."

Simontacchi, recalled from Triple-A Memphis Friday, was a member of Italy's national team in 2000, going 1-1 with a 1.17 earned-run average in 15 1/3 innings.

The manager of the Italian team phoned Simontacchi within the last two weeks to gauge his interest. Unlike Team USA, the Italians qualified for the Summer Games, making Simontacchi one of the few Americans with an opportunity to play in Athens. Simontacchi considers a baseball tournament without the USA "unbelievable."

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