Albert, Tony: What Feud?

Albert Pujols: “People want to start World War III with me and Tony, and I think they're picking the wrong person. I've got so much respect for Tony, and he's got so much respect for me. Was I disappointed because I didn't get in the game? Of course, because I'm a competitor. Does that make it a big deal? No, it wasn't a big deal to me, but I guess it was a pretty big deal to everybody else in the country. People can talk and waste their saliva, I guess, because they're not going to get me angry or Tony angry. We'll sit down and talk. I'm looking forward to seeing why he says he didn't put me in the game. The fans, they obviously want to see me in that situation. But you have too many great hitters. Rowand, he's having a great year and I was pulling for him to come through.”

Tony La Russa: “It wasn't a problem, there isn't a problem. It's been real clear about how I feel about Albert. Nothing ever changes that. Nothing ever will. Because you manage in the moment, yeah, I wish I sent him out there. But the game would have either ended there or ended later if somebody got hurt, and there's a way to fix it.”