[...] else, you have to set a guy straight because that’s the only way players improve.” La Russa: I Like Brendan Ryan Nice little thing from Tony for Bernie I thought.. that might clear some things up too! [...]

Bernie, it’s nice to know that you and TLR openly communicate (text messages!) and seem to have an understanding of each other. I’ve always enjoyed your blog entries and articles, and knowing this detail makes me appreciate your opinions even more. Thanks, as always, for your honesty.

Bernie,

I’m glad you wrote this. I, like many others, felt Tony did not like Ryan. Probably because of the incident that happened last year when Tony took him out of a game. I agree with Tony that Ryan “plays young”, however, while this is not a young team as far as age goes, it is an inexperienced team.

Tony will have to do a fantastic managerial job just to get them to .500 this year. Even with the great start, this team still resembles the team from last year. Can’t hit with men on base, starting pitching is inconsistent, and the bullpen will be worn out by August. Mulder and Carpenter will not be the answer this year.

Bernie,

Kudos to you and Tony for managing your communications like so well and maintaining mutual respect even when you disagree. That kind of emotional intelligence and social mastery is not always the norm in pro sports and in public media.

It’s good to hear Tony stand up for Brendan Ryan personally, in a public medium, at the same time Tony gives Brendan an honest assessment of how his game can improve, by playing with the kind of focus and control of emotional energy that champions have.

Also, it’s a gift to us fans for you to share with us what you and Tony discussed, like the true gentlemen you are. Thank you for confiding in us!

David in San Francisco

Bernie,
You and Tony exhibit the kind of communication that is needed. Tony shows he genuinely cares about his players and you demonstrate you care about getting to the truth. Egos and agendas can get in the way, but this installment is a great lesson and applies to many sectors. Both of you show you are stand up guys, though not always agreeing. But hey that would be boring and who wants to read boring?

I’m glad that Ryan is back. He has a chance to develop into a really good player. He is young and seems to play with some positive energy. I like that Larussa publicly cleared up some of the speculation that Ryan and he had some sort of riff. Good stuff Bernie!

Bernie
Thanks for sharing. More than learning about LaRussa’s feelings about Ryan, I was fascinated to learn more about your relationship with the manager. Great blog entry! More than any other journalist, you really put the reader right in your shoes.

Thanks, Bernie. One of your best columns ever. I am glad to see that you and La Russa have tried to communicate better. Also, Brendan Ryan deserves to be with the Birds; I am glad Tony cleared the air about this.

“someone in authority at Rams Park clearly has been aggressively leaking Long’s name to national draft pundits”
Why would someone be leaking Chris Long’s name to the press? The Rams only trade scenarios involve Dorsey; and the best trade would be with the Falcons, who have 3 second round picks. If the Falcons believe that the Rams are definitely going to take Dorsey, then they might give the Rams a second rounder to move up a spot, allowing the Rams to take C Long and get a bonus second round pick. If the rest of the league thinks that Long is the pick, there is no chance for that scenario to happen.

Bernie, those of us who know Brendan Ryan never believed that TLR didn’t like him. Thanks for spreading the word. To dislike Brendan is akin to disliking a sunny day or a good night’s sleep or homemade waffles. He’s the real deal. Baseball (which originated as a children’s game) could use a few more players who love the game and play young. Tony seems willing to to what’s needed to harness Brendan’s youthful enthusiasm without destroying it. For every boyish mistake he’s made, he’s more than made up for them with a long list great plays. Above all, he’s proven his ability to learn and improve. This all points to a bright future for the young man who reminded us that it’s o.k. to smile when you hit your first Major League homerun…