Tampa’s Tony La Russa having plenty of fun with White Sox - Tampa Bay Times

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ST. PETERSBURG — Tampa’s Tony La Russa returned home for the weekend having fun for lots of reasons.

The White Sox team he took over this season in an unexpected encore to his Hall of Fame managing career went into play Friday against the Rays with the third-best record in the American League and a double-digit Central Division lead, giving La Russa a realistic chance to win a World Series with a record third different team.

The White Sox got here thanks to a years-long rebuilding project by the front office and the collection of talented players throughout the roster.

“It’s just a different kind of fun,” La Russa said before Friday’s game. “The difference here is that it was unexpected. And I know that the front office took lot of heat making this choice (to hire me). But the reality is that there are a lot of managers who could have walked in here and been where we are right now. This team was ready.”

Which made it a good fit for the 76-year-old La Russa. Though he appreciated the front-office jobs he had with the Diamondbacks, Red Sox and Angels after winning the 2011 championship with the Cardinals, he never really felt comfortable anywhere but the dugout — where he has had tremendous success over 34 years, winning 2,799 games, second most all-time.

Tony La Russa, center, and Retired Army Master Sgt. Cedrick King, right, shake hands before La Russa's White Sox take on the Rays. King's uncle, retired Air Force Master Sgt. Samuel McClinic, is at left. [ IVY CEBALLO | Times ]

“It’s been fun because it’s the only thing I know how to do,” he said. “Upstairs I was lucky to be watching the game from the three organizations, but I realized that front office (work) — my hat will stay off my head for those guys that do it for a long time. Because they really work hard 12 months a year, and once the game starts you’re helpless.”

La Russa had good things to say about the success the Rays have had, and raved about the job fellow Tampa native Kevin Cash has done as manager: “Since he’s come into the league (in 2015), who’s done a better job than he has?”

And he enjoys the opportunity to help others, such as retired Army Master Sgt. Cedric King, a double amputee as the result of an explosion in Afghanistan. King, who went on to compete in marathons and triathlons and become an inspirational speaker, was La Russa’s guest on the field Friday.

La Russa, who speaks of October baseball “as the most fun you can have,” is quite familiar with the challenge ahead.

“Nobody walks into a team like this. … Everything that you see, it was here before I got here,” he said. “I’m inspired, man. They like to practice, they like to play and they like to be with each other on and off the field. So now it’s just the reality of where we’ve gotten.

“We’ve got to get to the finish line or otherwise it’s a really crappy story, so we keep pushing.”

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Tampa’s Tony La Russa having plenty of fun with White Sox - Tampa Bay Times
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