by Tony La
First published 2012
Tony La Russa opens his account with the St. Louis Cardinals facing seemingly impossible odds in 2011. The team trails by 10 1/2 games with the season winding down. Injuries mount. Key players struggle. The legendary manager, holder of four Manager of the Year awards and architect of six Pennant victories plus three World Series titles, faces what could be his final campaign. La Russa takes readers inside the dugout and clubhouse as he navigates the crisis. He works with stars like Albert Pujols and David Freese to engineer one of baseball's most dramatic comebacks. The Cardinals claw their way back into contention through late September and October. La Russa reveals his strategic decisions and the team chemistry that fueled their surge. This comeback story captures fifty years of baseball wisdom applied to one climactic championship chase.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, sports, baseball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: underdog, unlikely-hero
Setting: St. Louis, United States
Period: 2011
420 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow