LaVodka Speaks on Rolen

Rummy needs a drink.

Tony LaRussa held an impromptu press conference when awakened from a drunken stupor by groundskeeping staff at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville. It appears that LaRussa's truck was in drive, with the engine running, idling in front of the hotel where the winter meetings are being held.

Among the topics that LaRussa addressed, Scott Rolen's current situation got the most attention.

"Speaking for me ... (hiccup) there’s absolutely no intention to accommodate Scott," La Russa said. "I mean, that’s not how you run an organization.... (hiccup) The idea is to accommodate the St. Louis Cardinals, our team, our responsibility to our players and to the competition. So, no, I don’t want to accommodate Scott. (blech)"

And:

"It’s very clear that he’s unhappy... (brrrrgh) And I’m making it clear that I don’t know why he’s unhappy," La Russa said. "I can make a list of 50 respect points that this man has been given by our organization. (hiccup) It’s time for him to give back."

And:

"He’s got a contract to play, and we need him to play. And he’s going to be treated very honestly. (blech) If he plays hard and he plays as well as he can, he plays. And if he doesn’t, he can sit. If he doesn’t like it, he can quit. (hiccup)"

And, finally:

"Based on what I’ve seen somewhere, I think (Rolen is) strong-minded enough that I don’t see his opinion changing on a personal basis. And it’s gotten to the point where I don’t care. He can play mad every day if he wants to. That’s OK......(zzzzzzzzz)"