“Our staff wants to come through, put these guys in position to win,” La Russa said Wednesday in Anaheim, Calif. “I know our fans have expectations and I’ve been through this before, if you get motivated properly, take your best shot every day and see if you’re good enough.”
Thursday’s opening day against the Los Angeles Angels marked La Russa’s first regular-season game as a manager since Sept. 28, 2011, with the St. Louis Cardinals. That team went on to win the World Series.
“It’s really important not to walk in thinking we’re special and the other side is conceding anything,” La Russa said.