La Russa retires from Baseball

Just three days after dramatically winning World Series, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa (St. Louis) announced his retirement.

The veteran manager - 67 years - made ​​the announcement at a press conference on Monday at Busch Stadium.

The consecration in the World Series in seven games, beating the Texas Rangers, was the third in the 33-year career as manager La Russa.

"I feel that this is the right decision," said La Russa.

He led the Cardinals to the championship in a season in which he faced enormous obstacles.

• San Luis lost his ace Adam Wainwright all season after undergoing elbow surgery during spring training.

• In addition, managed to overcome a handicap of 10 games and a half to Atlanta August 25 to qualify for the playoffs with a wild card in the National League.

La Russa retires from the Major League Baseball third in the list of victories, 35 by John McGraw.

Besides the title achieved this season, La Russa also was a champion with the Oakland Athletics in 1989 and the Cardinals in 2006.

La Russa said his decision was not made based on a particular factor, but had begun to doubt return in midseason 2012. He said that in August he expressed his wishes to the general manager John Mozeliak and other team officials.

He said that when the conversations that took place just when the Cardinals seemed to be out of the wild card race before his sensational reaction was pure coincidence.

According to La Russa, simply consider that it was time to retire and nothing changed after the Cardinals qualified for the playoffs and then surprise the Phillies, Brewers and Rangers.

"I think this is the right time to put an end," he said.

La Russa was impassive during the press conference, except when he paused to thank his wife, Elaine, and his two daughters to have him patience for much of the past 33 years.

He also said his meeting with the players after the celebratory parade on Sunday was short but emotional.

"Some adult males began to mourn," said La Russa. Then, in jest, the coach joked: "That as I liked because it made me mourn them sometimes."

Major League Baseball ignore Arizona's inmigrants

The organizations that defend the rights of immigrants have seen the commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bud Selig, and hit a homer politicians are against their efforts to prevent the holding of the All-Star Game in Phoenix.

After the state of Arizona passed a law more restrictive and anti-immigrant who has entered into force in the United States, its attempt to boycott the "Midsummer Classic" collided with "indifference" Selig and local politicians.

Although a group of Latin American players personally positioned against the holding of the All-Star Game, which was hosted at Chase Field in Phoenix at the end Selig and major office did their programming, without questioning at any time, the change of venue.

Hence, the claim made ​​by the Rev. Jesse Jackson to ask the participants in the All-Star to speak out against immigration law in Arizona, using the example of Jackie Robinson, when he became the first black to play in the major League Baseball, more than half a century too late and out of place, one more view to the "gallery".

Best Cuban Pitcher Retires

 

Pedro Luis Lazo

The righty pitcher Pedro Luis Lazo said goodbye to baseball on Sunday after 20-year career in which he became the winningest pitcher in the history of  Cuban baseball, and excelled in the World Baseball Classic and win four Olympic medals.

Dressed in a gray suit and black tie, Lazo, 37, was riding a horse-drawn carriage to the stadium Capitán San Luis de Pinar del Rio, about 200 kilometers west of the capital. There, he made a tribute before the game between Pinar del Rio and Industrial, a ceremony that aired live on Cuban television.

Lazo has accumulated 257 wins in 21 National Series, which launched in 525 games and lost 136. 2,426 strikeouts also managed to finish second in Cuban baseball, behind only Roger Garcia (2499), also in Pinar del Río.