Colby Rasmus’ tumultuous stay in the Cardinals organization came to end Tuesday as the outfielder went from Tony La Genius’ doghouse to the Blue Jays outfield as part of an 8-player trade. Prior to said transaction, the St. Louis manager characterized Rasmus as unwilling to follow the coaching staff’s instructions, a charge pissed papa Tony Rasmus considers a not-so-veiled shot at himself. “There are three or four guys in the St. Louis clubhouse right now, thinking ‘oh-oh, who is the manager going to pick on next with Colby gone?’” the elder Rasmus, coach of the Russell County High School Warriors (AL) told the Toronto Sun’s Bob Elliot.
In June of 2010 the father visited his son in St. Louis and worked on hitting: “We didn’t do anything serious. Colby told Tony about it. After last June that was the end of that,” said Tony Rasmus, who said four weeks ago the Cards and Colby were involved in talks on a four-year deal.
“Evidently La Russa (above) has absolutely made that stuff up. He’s got it on the brain. If I was working with my son I’d tell people.
“Tony needed pitching and wanted to force the GM into making a trade, so he belittled Colby to the fans.”
“I’m not flying to Toronto to begin working on his hitting, we weren’t having a video conference every night,” Tony Rasmus said. “The last time I spoke to Colby about hitting, he was telling me what he and (hitting coach) Mike Aldrete had been working on, La Russa has it on the brain that I’m working with him. It’s not true.
“Put a kid on the field, if he’s not good enough to play, put his ass on the bench, never mind all this other stuff.”