La Russa doesn't believe front office's failure to make deal caused streak

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa believes his team's second eight-game losing streak, which ended Saturday night, had nothing to do with the team's failure to land an impact player by the trade deadline.

La Russa flatly dismissed the notion that players might have been unhappy that they didn't get more help. The Cardinals got second baseman Ronnie Belliard and struggling pitcher Jorge Sosa for the stretch run.

The manager said anybody who criticizes the team for not improving more is just trying to "stir up some friction and trying to point fingers."

La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty said the team made every effort to make a major deal, with a corner outfielder at the top of their wish list, but the price tag was always too high.

"There wasn't anything that was even close to reasonable," La Russa said. "The Yankees got [Bobby] Abreu, they took on the $30 million like it's another day at the beach. Who else took that?"

La Russa believes he has to do the best he can with what he's got.

"We've just got to gut it out and compete and get our numbers and see where we stack up," La Russa said.

Jocketty said there are unreasonable expectations for the trade deadline.

"I blame the national media for starting rumors about guys who aren't even available, so people start wondering 'How come our team can't get this guy?'" Jocketty said. "That just doesn't happen.

"We made every effort and exhausted every avenue to help this club down the stretch, and there really weren't that many guys who moved that I think would be so-called difference-makers on the club."