One Last Strike

As the end of September 2011 neared, St. Louis baseball fans feared not only that their beloved team would finish second behind division rivals the Cincinnati Reds, but that the Cardinals would finsih under .500. Between Adam Wainwright's season-ending elbow tear, Matt Holliday's emergency appendectomy, David Freese's concussion, Allen Craig's broken kneecap, Chris Carpenter overcoming a 1-7 start and home-run hitter Albert Pujol's broken wrist, everyone doubted that a team this physically damaged could finish the season with heads held high. Everyone, that is, except Cardinals manager Tony La Russa. With six Pennants, two World Series wins, four Manager of the Year awards, and thirty-three years of experience, La Russa carefully considered his team's character and competitiveness and searched for ways to capitalize on their strengths. Utilizing the baseball acumen he has earned over the course of his storied career, La Russa made bold decisions on the field, in the bullpen, and in the lineup- including a trade that surprised the entire league.
What followed was one of the most memorable runs in baseball history, an adrenaline-fueled ollercoaster postseason comeback filled with unbelievable turnarounds. In his first ever memoir, this newly retired baseball legend takes readers on the field, inside the dugout, and into the locker room to relive the dramatic journey of the 2011 season and one of the most dramatic World Series of all time, revealing the hard-won secrets and astute philosophy that contributed to this amazing victory. A baseball story for the ages from a baseball mind unlike any other, "One Last Strike" shows how the trials of his life culminated in one of the most exhilarating Octobers in sports history.