H.C.B.C. - “One Last Strike” (Ch. 1)

I haven’t been able to get past Chapter 2. But in Chapter 1, you’ll find a bit about how the Cardinals didn’t play as well in 2010 as Tony La Russa thought they should have, and both he and his “co-signers” -- a committee of veteran players -- believed the probably was sub-optimal clubhouse chemistry.

You need chemistry to win ball games -- it’s as simple as that. I knew it, and the co-signers knew it, and now we were all aware that it had been an issue in the second half of 2010. But despite all these revelations that came out of my meeting with the co-signers, their answer to the question of whether I was the right person to lead the team was “yes.” They were unanimous.

Uh, if I might ask a question, Mr. La Russa? In all the years you’ve been having these postseason meetings with your co-signers has the answer to that question ever not been unanimous?

If the answer to that question is “yes” -- and you discuss this at length later in the book -- I’ll keep reading. Otherwise ... well, the off-season gets shorter every year.