The Cardinals went about autumn cleaning Sunday, clearing lockers and packing vehicles for trips home following Saturday’s convincing 5-1 elimination from the division series by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
General manager John Mozeliak mingled among players and media, admitting to disappointment over the team’s quick dismissal while holding back any pronouncements about the future pending a Monday meeting with Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., manager Tony La Russa and La Russa’s coaching staff.
La Russa stopped short Saturday of saying his staff would return. Indeed, La Russa, whose contract expires at month’s end, could not say if he was going to return.
“I’ve never doubted the club’s commitment — ever,” La Russa said early Saturday afternoon. “The question is whether I want to go for a 31st year.”
Mozeliak said last week that he believed La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan would return. Mozeliak refused to comment about the rest of the coaching staff, stoking speculation that he and La Russa were uncertain whether the club would bring back hitting coach Hal McRae for a sixth season.
La Russa said he has only begun soul-searching regarding his future. Part of that evaluation focuses on the team’s attentiveness to him and his staff. While insisting the club did not enter the division series flat, La Russa expressed disappointment over Saturday’s noticeable drop in energy level.
“We got swept the last three. That wasn’t good,” La Russa said. “So you ask, ‘Is what you’re saying not helpful?’ or ‘If it’s helpful, are they tired of listening to you?’ Those thoughts go through your mind. We set ourselves up to play winning-type baseball in the first series. My opinion is I was really pleased with the energy, the drive and the fire we had in LA. I think we competed our tails off. They did, too … . Yesterday I think we were all really disappointed. It wasn’t the same level of chance to win.”
Said Mozeliak: “I don’t think (the team) was flat as much as it wasn’t executing. ‘Flat’ to me means guys aren’t into it, aren’t trying or don’t care. I never got that. It just didn’t work. You played your best baseball in August and you played your worst in October. It’s not great. It’s not fair. But it is what it is.”