http://tinyurl.com/262ud5 07/12/2007 6:40 PM ET Pujols, La Russa agree all is fine Slugger, manager ready to move on from All-Star Game By Daniel Berk / MLB.com ST.LOUIS -- When Albert Pujols woke up on Wednesday morning and didn't see anything in the San Francisco newspapers about him not hitting in the ninth inning of the All-Star Game, he figured it wasn't a big deal. When he arrived back in St. Louis later in the day, he quickly realized he was wrong. Pujols read numerous articles about his relationship with manager Tony La Russa and watched the topic discussed on different television stations. On Thursday, during a team workout at Busch Stadium, the former MVP said there is no problem between he and his manager and he's ready to start the second half of the season. "I think people want to start World War III with me and Tony, and I think they are picking the wrong [people] because I have so much respect for Tony and he has so much respect for me," Pujols said. "I don't think anything is going to change. He's my manager. Was I disappointed I didn't get in the game? Of course. I'm a competitor. I want to help the National League win. Does that make it a big deal? No. It wasn't a big deal to me. I guess it was a big deal to everyone else in the country." Instead of using Pujols as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, the Cardinals manager stuck with center fielder and first time All-Star Aaron Rowand to hit with the bases loaded. On an 0-1 pitch, Rowand recorded the final out of the game with a fly ball to right field. La Russa reiterated on Thursday that he would have liked to get Pujols in the game, but he was managing against the possibility of a position player getting hurt later in the game, had it gone to extra innings, and not having another player to put in the field. La Russa said he would have rather forfeited the game than put a pitcher out in the field. "Aaron deserved that at-bat. He could have drawn a walk or gotten a hit," La Russa said. "Albert is one of the greatest stars -- it would have been a great moment, though. It would have been an All-Star moment." There were reports on Wednesday that Pujols was receiving treatment during the ninth inning of the game on his hamstring and back, and that's why he wasn't seen in the NL dugout during the late-inning rally. The first baseman dismissed that on Thursday. "I wasn't getting any treatment," Pujols said. "I was putting heat on my hamstring and back just to get loose, nothing else. I think the words got twisted a bit. I was just getting ready in case [La Russa] needed me." Both La Russa and Pujols said everything's fine and nothing has changed in their relationship. The two have been together since Pujols came up in 2001. "Our relationship has stood the test of time," La Russa said. "There wasn't a problem, there isn't a problem. It's about the game itself. There's nothing personal." Daniel Berk is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. --

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