(670 The Score) The White Sox-Astros matchup in the American League Division Series will feature the fascinating subplot of two veteran managers also renewing an intense rivalry that spans back decades.
Tony La Russa, 77, will lead his White Sox up against 72-year-old Dusty Baker and his Astros, with Game 1 set for Thursday afternoon in Houston. The two have known one another for decades, as they were teammates on the 1971 Braves before both eventually embarked on highly successful managerial careers. La Russa is already a Hall of Famer who has led three teams to World Series championships, while Baker recently became the first manager to lead five different franchises to a division crown.
"He is just very typical of an outstanding manager who gets his club ready to play,” La Russa said. "His teams always play the game right. With Billy Martin when you managed against him, you had to be ready for anything, but it really is each team being ready to play and they will be ready to play. With Dusty, his teams do both of those things.”
The battles between La Russa and Baker date back to the mid-1990s. Baker managed the Giants from 1993-2002, the Cubs from 2003-’06, the Reds from 2008-’13 and the Nationals in 2016-’17 before leading the Astros for the past two years. La Russa managed the Cardinals from 1996-2011 after previously having led the White Sox and Athletics. He then returned to the dugout last October when the White Sox hired him a second time.
"When I went to Oakland (in 1986), he was on the team there,” La Russa said of Baker. “He was one of the leaders along with Carney Lansford and Dave Kingman. They were position players that helped turn that club around. The whole time he managed, we really had a good relationship. The only time there was a problem between us is when we were in the same division. When you play each other that way, he is for his team and I am for my team. Sometimes sparks fly. It's all understandable, because you want to take care of your team and he takes care of his.”
A lot has been made about the ages of La Russa and Baker, but their wisdom has been a trait that’s helped lead their teams to success. Although, it’s worth noting they both realize the outstanding talent their clubs have.
“I think that Dusty would agree that our real bond is that we have two outstanding teams,” La Russa said. "If we weren't both managing teams that are outstanding, we would be watching this game on TV. It's important to recognize our good fortune being involved with these two teams.”
La Russa believes he and Baker have both evolved as managers as the years have gone by while also staying true to their beliefs.
“I do believe that he has heard – like I have over the years – the traditional respect that scouts and player development people and coaches have for in-game decision-making,” La Russa said. “That represents a lot of people pulling for our teams. It's just like yes, there are other teams that have that balance (between baseball instinct and analytics) … Some teams see the balance toward the information you are provided prior to the game, not what you’re watching during the game. I have had a lot of (people reach out) from (baseball) and other sports people who like the balanced approach. They think the information given to you is important, but so is in-game decision-making. So is coaching guys up, player development and scouting. I think that's what we represent.”
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.