Tony La Russa roots for three MLB teams

Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was in attendance for the Cardinals opener as an employee of Major League Baseball, but he was not bashful in admitting that he still pulled for the Cardinals and a certain former Cardinal as well. - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The St. Louis Cardinals played their first game in sixteen season without future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa in the dugout.  The Mike Matheny era in St. Louis officially began with a Cardinals 4-1 win over the Miami Marlins to open the 2012 season.

While La Russa was not in the dugout for the Cardinals season opener, their first official game since winning the franchise's eleventh World Series Championship, La Russa was in attendance as an employee of Major League Baseball.

La Russa, sittng with commissioner Bud Selig to take in the first ever game at the Marlins new ballpark, watched his former team dominate the hometown Marlins.

La Russa was asked he if he was rooting for his former team, now a few months removed and with a new job with MLB, La Russa was not shy in saying that he was not only pulling for the Cardinals but two other teams as well.

"Hell, yeah. The Cardinals, White Sox and Angels. Those are my teams."

It comes as not surprise that La Russa would be partial to the Cardinals and Chicago White Sox.  He just left St. Louis and his first managerial gig came with the White Sox, whom he has close ties with to this day.

But La Russa's admission that he would be pulling for the Angels is a bit different, considering he was never employed by the Angels organization.  His reasoning for liking the Angels despite no previous professional ties is simple.  It is all about Albert Pujols.

"I pull for Albert."

You would think that La Russa, with a new job with MLB, would not admit that he roots for any teams and would try to remain as partial as possible.

But Tony La Russa is an incredibly loyal man and it should come as no surprise that La Russa will be forever loyal to the Cardinals and Albert Pujols, despite the two parties going their separate ways.