The Cardinals have two players in their camp named Brian Barden (infielder) and Brian Barton (outfielder). That has to be terribly confusing for La Russa and company, as well as for the team's PR director, a guy named Brian Bartow. ... I know La Russa isn't terribly popular, but to me, for all the things he has accomplished in his career -- two World Series titles, four pennants, more division titles and wild cards than I can remember and I don't care to look it up right now -- the most impressive is this: Other than the roughly three-week period in 1986 when he was out of work, after he was fired by the Chicago White Sox and before he was hired by the Oakland A's, this guy has been a major-league manager continuously since August 1979, when he was hired by the White Sox. More or less,this will be his 30th consecutive season as a big-league manager, a job in which it is often said that guys are hired to be fired. I'm guessing no one will EVER do that again.