La Russa lauds Lau over Teddy Ballgame

ST. LOUIS - Unable to lay a glove on the Red Sox in the first three games of the World Series, Cardinal manager Tony La Russa went after Ted Williams yesterday. Asked about Manny Ramirez' hitting, La Russa used the platform to say that one-time Kansas City hitting guru Charlie Lau changed the way Ramirez and many other big-leaguers hit - not Williams, a man many believe to be the greatest hitter who ever lived.

"I am sure there are people in New England who aren't going to like this because they are Ted Williams fans and I don't disrespect them at all, [but] the man who revolutionized hitting is Charlie Lau," La Russa said. "He's the one who started theinside path and better extension with the top hand coming off, and Ted didn't like that."

La Russa said batters like Ramirez hit for power and average because of Lau's philosophy. "If you look at a lot of these hitters, now they are hitting for average and power," La Russa said. "That stroke started with Charlie, a little bit with A's but mostly with Kansas City. I look at [Ramirez] that has been using Charlie's techniques, that's really tough to pitch to."

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