I used to enjoy reading Tracy Ringolsby.  Heck, when I was producing the afternoon show on WJOX, we had him on a lot.  Nice guy, knowledgeable, connected.  But then, I came across his most recent column in Fox Sports and I thought the man in the stetson has lost his mind.

Ringolsby writes that he hears that Tony La Russa has had it in St. Louis.  La Russa, according to Ringolsby, feels under loved and under appreciated.  He's tired of small market budgets.  And, less than a year after winning his second world's championship as a manager, the Cardinal skipper is tired.

Add to that the horrible year the Cardinals and La Russa are having, beginning with Tony's drunk driving arrest in March.  Then, injuries, injuries, injuries to key players like Chris Carpenter, Braden Looper, Jim Edmonds, and David Eckstein.  Piled on to that was the senseless death of relief pitcher Josh Hancock in an alcohol related accident in May.  La Russa was the one who had to call Hancock's parent's with the bad news and, according to an interview he did with SI, he is definately feeling the effects of a slow start and all of the pressure created by the events illustrated above.

Okay, so it doesn't take Tracy Ringolsby to figure out Tony La Russa is stressed out.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out that at 62, after almost 30 consecutive years of managing major league baseball teams that La Russa may be ready to go "Grover" on the Cardinals.  But what Ringolsby suggests next borders on incredulous.

It is Ringolsby's assertion that La Russa will leave the Cardinals to return to the first team that he managed: The Chicago White Sox.  To which my first reaction was a loud "huh?"  Why?  Because it makes absolutely no sense. It is illogical, it is malformed and it has got to be a total fabrication with little truth to it.

For one, it is no secret that Jerry Reinsdorf loves both Jim Leyland and Tony La Russa and regrets that in 1985, he hired Ken Harrelson as GM and that Harrelson fired La Russa and replaced him with Jim Fregosi.  In his story, however, Ringolsby writes that part of La Russa's motivation to get back to Chicago is to"and repay Reinsdorf, who is taking a public hit, for giving him the original managerial opportunity."

First, let's be crystal clear: Jerry Reinsdorf did not hire Tony La Russa to manage the Chicago White Sox, Bill Veeck did.  Second, I don't know what kind of perceived by the national media hit the Chairman is taking right now , but it can't be any more of a hit than usual.  Reinsdorf has always been a target thanks to his philosophy on pitchers ("nobody comes to the ball park to see someone pitch a shut out"); the white flag trade ("anyone who thinks we can catch Cleveland must be crazy); or my personal favorite, busting the chops of an icon who saved the team from moving to Seattle ("Bill Veeck is a penny ante operator.)  Even with the trophy in 2005, there is no love lost for Reinsdorf who also earns points for helping to mastermind the 1994 work stoppage and dismantling the Chicago Bulls. 

Ringolsby also says that La Russa is a hero in Chicago, a claim I believe is not true.  La Russa managed a winning team and had some success, albeit for one year.  I'll always remember how he left Britt Burns on the mound in the tenth inning of game four of the 1983 ALCS, only to have the Orioles score three runs and clinch the series. Ditka is a hero.  Ozzie is a hero.  Don Zimmer is a hero. Lovie Smith and Lou Piniella, getting there.  But La Russa.  Nah.

Besides all of the supporting evidence above that Ringolsby has his hat on too tight, here's one more very clear piece: The White Sox have a manager.  His name is Ozzie Guillen.  And despite his trials and travails (calling Mariotti a "faggot", swearing on Mike North's show, etc.) Reinsdorf has a soft spot for him too.  Ozzie not only has a winning record in 3½ years as Sox manager, he also has a world championship under his belt. So unless this season of underachievement causes Ozzie to go "Grover" (not likely), then there is no room at the inn for La Russa.

If LaRussa wants to work for a large market team that spends like a large market team, I would argue that that team is not the Chicago White Sox.  The Sox do not spend like a big market team and with this season lost, the attendance projections, which have a great deal to do with Kenny Williams' budget, will most likely decrease the amount of payroll that the Sox will have in 2008.  That's why, if the Sox sign Mark Buehrle, they will most likely not be able to re-sign Jermaine Dye, Tad Iguchi or tender an offer to Joe Crede or Scott Podsednik. 

If La Russa wants to leave St. Louis and manage a big market team that likes to spend, my suggestion would be the Philadelphia Phillies, who most certainly will launch their manager, Charlie Manuel, at the end of the season.  While Philly isn't the easiest town to work in, it would at  least give Tony the budget that he craves.  The other option would be the Texas Rangers, where it appears Ron Washington may not last past his first season.  Other than that, all of the potential openings after the season will be in smaller, more thrifty markets: Cincinnati, Baltimore, Seattle, and Houston.  There is too the possibility of La Russa taking over the Yankees, but I can't believe he'd work for King George.  I also think Joe Girardi has the inside track for that job.

And how would the prickly La Russa get along with the acerbic  Williams?  Probably like gasoline and fire.

When you read stories like this, it makes you wonder what Tracy has been smoking on his mountain in Colorado.  Or if indeed, the hat has cut off the circulation to his brain.  In any case, if this story turns out to be true, I will eat his hat.  I'm not looking forward to a felt dinner anytime soon.

Lightning Round

• Nice job last night by Javy Vazquez.  The Sox continue to play well without the help of Scott Podsednik, who is back on the DL.  This does not make the management happy.  Meanwhile, while Sox fans hug Mark Buehrle, they have, at least mentally, kicked Jermaine Dye to the curb.  Same two teams tonight at US Commiskey Park.
• Our friends at "The Bard's Room talk about a possible deal that Sox could make with Tampa Bay for either Vazquez or Jose Contreras.  My thought: Make it Contreras and throw in Brian Anderson and anyone else they want for Carl Crawford.  Just bring me Carl Crawford.
• Shhh.  Don't look now, but here come the Cubs.
• Looks like the Cubs are strapped with Jacque.  If they are willing to eat a lot of the contract, the Sox could pick him up for Mike MacUseless and maybe as minor league starter.
  
• Errors kill, right Ned Yost?
• The Bears sign the first tight end they've taken in the first round since some guy named Ditka.
• Red Sox fans must be thrilled with the fact that along with Jerry Naron, the Reds have fired bench coach Bucky Dent.
• Rollie Fingers no longer owes the state of Wisconsin an arm and a leg.
• A-Rod, can I have a word with you and the wife in my office please?
• Dan Patrick may be leaving ESPN radio.  I will cover this in tomorrow's Chipshots. 
  
• NASCAR may be suspending drivers as well as crew chiefs for cheating.  That should get someone's attention.
• Here are some of the tougher schedules in college football this season and here are some of the easier ones.
• The Seattle Sonics have hired P.J. Carlesimo as their new head coach.  No word on when hearing the news if Carlesimo got a big lump in his throat.
• Yeah, I know, we banned Isaiah Washington, but in his latest mia culpa, the guy points the finger at everyone now except the guy in the mirror.  If you read him like he wants to be read, Patrick Dempsey is a consistently late goof off who baited him into getting angry and T.R. Knight is an opportunist who took advantage of the situation to illicit sympathy for himself to garner more lines and a bigger contract.  Is this a TV show or a high school play?
• The not yet divorced mayor of LA admits he's sleeping with a TV reporter.  Yeah, that should get him re-elected.
• Keith Olbermann calls for "The Decider" to resign.  "The Decider" calls Dick Chaney who will no doubt be making sure Olbermann didn't deduct anything on his taxes that he shouldn't.
• Arby's wants to buy Wendy's.  I don't know about you, but a double with horsey sauce just doesn't float my boat.
• Boots Randolph, the guy who wrote and had a hit with "Yackety Sax" is dead at 80.  He was met at the pearly gates by a grateful Benny Hill.
• Today's free advise: If you are going to become a porn star, do not use a name of someone you know.
• On this day, when we celebrate the 231st anniversary of the birth of our country, let's take a minute and sort through whatever happened to those brave men who affixed their names to the Declaration of Independence.  Happy July 4th.