La Russa gets first taste of front-office workFormer manager at Tigers camp, in talks for role with MLBBy Jason Beck / MLB.com | 02/21/12 10:53 AM EST
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tony La Russa began his front-office apprenticeship with the Tigers on Tuesday, taking in Spring Training workouts with longtime friend and former White Sox colleague Dave Dombrowski. He also laid out what the end goal of his stint will be, confirming that he has had discussions with Major League Baseball about an executive position.
La Russa said he will not be replacing Joe Torre, who served as executive vice president for baseball operations before stepping down this offseason to join a prospective Dodgers ownership group.
"I've talked to the Commissioner about doing some things for MLB," La Russa said Tuesday morning, "but not that job. I mean, I'm not sure exactly how official [it is] and when it'll be announced, but we have talked. And at some point, they'll release something or say something."
La Russa, who retired last fall after winning a World Series managing the Cardinals, will spend about two weeks in camp with the Tigers to learn and ins and outs of front-office work. He will not be in uniform, instead spending most of his time alongside Dombrowski, the Tigers' general manager who was an assistant in the White Sox organization in the early and mid 1980s, when La Russa managed them.
La Russa is not getting paid by the Tigers, and he does not appear to be in preparation for a full-time position with the organization. His role appears to be educational to prepare him for the next phase of his career.
"I was so excited about doing this part of it," La Russa said. "You know, you don't have any idea about what goes on upstairs [when you're managing]. You think you know what guys do, what their titles are. But I'm excited to find out how an organization runs off the field."
La Russa said he will spend part of March in Arizona, rotating around with several clubs.
After 33 years of managing, La Russa said he is not missing the "baseball side" of it yet.
"I'm just excited about what's next," he said.
The opportunity to work with Major League Baseball, at this point, is appealing to La Russa. But he still sounded open to working with a club in the front office.
"Fifty years [in baseball], and all I've known of being with a team is winning and losing," he said. "I mean, I understand what MLB needs and what they provide for all of us. I like winning and losing with a team, but I really respect what they do up there. I've learned a lot, especially with that Commissioner's committee I've been on for three years. It's been a really good learning experience from the ownership level, front-office level, what goes on, the issues.
"I definitely don't want to disrespect the MLB opportunity. Whatever the Commissioner wants me to do, I'll do. But it's still mostly about winning and losing."
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.