La Russa burns for World Series return.

Byline: Phil Rogers

ST. LOUIS _ It's almost never easy to win baseball games in October, not even when you are the smartest manager in the majors.

Just look at Tony La Russa.

While his St. Louis Cardinals ground out a 6-4 victory, the man was not his GQ self Thursday night. In fact, he was pretty much a mess.

La Russa spent hours standing in the rain on the top step of the Busch Stadium dugout. Water ran from the bill of his red cap down the side of his face, prompting him to keep drying himself off with a towel. He hid his hands in the pocket of his jacket when he could, hiding them from the chill.

These were not nice conditions for duck hunting, let alone baseball. But it is ordeals like these that keep La Russa engaged, not to mention …