Article rekindles Ozzie-La Russa feud

? Comments made in a newspaper interview have reopened an old rift between Cardinals Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and manager Tony La Russa.

In an article in Sunday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Smith said he never would be part of team-related activities as long as current management is in charge of the Cardinals.

He did not say specifically if he was referring just to La Russa or also to general manager Walt Jocketty.

The rift dates to 1996, Smith’s last year with the Cardinals and La Russa’s first, when the manager chose Royce Clayton over Smith as the starting shortstop.

La Russa previously had said Smith had an open invitation to serve as an instructor at spring training. Not anymore.

After reading the article, La Russa told the newspaper in Monday’s edition that Smith was no longer welcome.

“Speaking personally, I don’t think he would be good for our ballclub,” La Russa said. “For him to repeat those comments is really unreasonable. That invitation is no longer there.

“He’s not welcome.”

Legendary St. Louis shortstop Ozzie Smith, right, waits for his turn at bat as manager Tony La Russa stands in the background in this file photo from July 2, 1996. A longstanding rift between the two men has resurfaced because of comments by Smith in a newspaper interview.

Smith had made it clear in the Sunday story that he didn’t want to belabor his discontent with La Russa.

“It’s bringing up bad stuff,” Smith said. “I don’t want it to be … where it seems like I’m crying about this or that.

“I’ve moved on. I’ve been able to find a life beyond here,” Smith said.

But in the article, Smith also said he still considered himself a Cardinal and “at some future point, when things change, when management changes, I’m more than willing to come back because it’s where I belong. I know it’s where I belong. That time will come. When it does, I’ll welcome it with open arms.”

Don’t expect La Russa to be part of the greeting committee.

“When my time is up, they can welcome him with open arms, but I don’t want to be anywhere that he is,” La Russa said. “I won’t ever be around when he’s around. Cardinals fans can embrace him all they want to, and it won’t be uncomfortable because I won’t be there.”