Already there is industry speculation that Tony La Russa could be a candidate to manage the Angels if owner Arte Moreno dismisses Mike Scioscia.
La Russa has heard the talk, which stems largely from his previous association with the Angels’ Albert Pujols, his former first baseman with the Cardinals.
And La Russa said he wants the chatter to stop – immediately.
“I’m not going to manage again,” La Russa told FOXSports.com on Wednesday night. “I’m going to work for a team someday. But it won’t be managing.”
In fact, La Russa said he is so troubled by the talk that he might manage the Angels – and the idea that Scioscia might be in jeopardy at this early stage of the season – that he has considered backing out of a planned trip to Anaheim this weekend for the Tigers-Angels series.
La Russa, who works in the commissioner’s office, is close not only with Pujols, but also Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland.
He has said that he eventually wants to work for a club in an executive capacity, and spent time with Dombrowski in spring 2012 learning how a front office operates.
“My plan is to be there (in Anaheim) because of Jim and Dave with the Tigers and because of Albert,” La Russa said. “I hesitate because of my respect for Mike.
“The truth is, there is and cannot be anything to this. It bothers me that I’m hesitating to (attend the series).”
La Russa’s retirement after winning the World Series with the Cardinals in 2011 made Scioscia the game’s longest-tenured manager.
Scioscia began his managerial career in 2000 and won a World Series in his third season. He is under contract through 2018, but the Angels have not made the playoffs since ’09 and are off to a 4-10 start this season.
