Somewhere Tony La Russa is smiling.
Mariners manager Eric Wedge says he's benched shortstop Brendan Ryan for Tuesday's game in Texas because of an "accountability issue," according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times.
"When I talk about certain things that need to happen this year -- and there are conversations that have been had -- and there's a level of accountability and a level of responsibility that I feel everybody has,'' Wedge told reporters, including Baker. "It's no more and no less than that. I'm not going to dive into details on it, but I'll leave it at that.''
Wedge did say he expected to have Ryan back in the lineup on Wednesday.
Before Colby Rasmus, Ryan was La Russa's favorite whipping boy. The Cardinals traded him to Seattle after the 2010 season.
With the Cardinals, Ryan was labeled as a malcontent and clubhouse cancer. He and Chris Carpenter had a couple of run-ins on the field and former St. Louis closer Ryan Franklin said something about Ryan's punctuality. One "former Cardinal" told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Ryan was a "big distraction."
Ryan was a model citizen in 2011 but the all-glove shortstop may be rubbing his current manager the wrong way. Or maybe Wedge is just upset Ryan shaved that sweet mustache he sported for a time last season. I know I am.
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