La Russa: Mixed feelings on 'Moneyball'

ST. LOUIS -- Tony La Russa offered a two-word review of "Moneyball" after using Wednesday's rainout to check out the Brad Pitt baseball vehicle.

"Good acting," La Russa said. "I'm serious, good acting. I was offended because of what the book represented and I know a lot of those guys that were portrayed. It strains the credibility a little bit."

The movie portrays the book accurately, but the Cardinals' manager wasn't a big fan of the plot line, which ignored important reasons for the A's small-market success -- such as a loaded rotation -- and was disrespectful to scouts, in La Russa's opinion. The emphasis on pure statistics over the human element also was something that concerned him.

"It's been hard because guys have lost their jobs," La Russa said. "Scouting staff have been reduced, their importance has been reduced. I think a lot of those stats and tools, they're helpful when you prepare. But they eliminate to a great degree the human element, which is a big part of every day you play.

"Wherever those numbers are, that's one starting place, and then you look at how a guy feels. It's a nice tool, but that's all it is. It's not even as important as the human characteristic that you have to think about all the time when you play the game."

Hamilton grinds on

Josh Hamilton has not missed any time during the World Series with what initially was described as a left groin strain. But midway through, there also was speculation that Hamilton has been suffering from a sports hernia, and that requires surgery to fix.

Entering Thursday night's Game 6, he was batting .250 (15-for-60) this postseason with six doubles, nine RBIs and zero home runs. Last week, he spoke about how the injury to his core area has sapped his power, and the numbers have reflected that. In the World Series, he was hitting .158 (3-for-19) with a double and two RBIs entering Game 6.

"We grind," Ron Washington said. "Give us what you've got -- that's all. We have quite a few other guys in that lineup that can pick up his slack. All we want Josh to do is be the presence that he is. If they happen to make a mistake with a pitch in the strike zone, do the very best he can with it."

Hamilton did that in Game 6, driving in a first-inning run with a single.