Manager Tony La

OAKLAND, Calif. -- They were calling for Rickey Henderson's head, but Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa would not oblige. He stuck with the struggling Henderson yesterday, and his confidence was rewarded.Henderson, who entered Game 4 with one hit in his first 10 at-bats of the postseason, had three hits, scored two runs and drove in another to answer his critics, most notably a local newspaper columnist who publicly called on La Russa to bench the slumping outfielder in favor of rookie Eric Fox.La Russa took the column good-naturedly, but the only substitution he made in the outfield was in center field, where rTC Jerry Browne started in place of Willie Wilson.

TORONTO -- Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa spent a lot of time last night explaining why he brought on right-hander Jeff Russell to pitch to left-handed John Olerud in the eighth inning of the A's 4-3 playoff victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.It really isn't so complicated. His most experienced left-handed set-up man (Rick Honeycutt) has been hampered by an abdominal strain and Russell is a quality late-inning stopper. Olerud singled to tie the game, but La Russa did not second-guess his decision.

I write, and despite a staggering string of injuries, the Oakland A's are again a contending team, after a disappointing 1991. As a longtime Bay Area resident, I've followed the club through its ups and downs -- mostly ups, since the Haas family (also owners of Levi Strauss & Co.) bought the team in 1980.But regardless of where the A's finish in the standings this year, they offer us all lessons in mastering a volatile environment.* 1. You can't win without raw talent. I'll discuss other factors, but in the long haul you have to dig deep into your wallet and get the players.

Mark McGwire has the simplest of all reasons why some players hit better against certain teams."Everybody has a team he likes to face," the Oakland A's slugging first baseman said after igniting last night's 8-4 win over the Orioles with a three-run homer in the first inning.Some hitters, of course, have more favorite teams than others. Among the "others" during his playing days was Orioles manager John Oates.Having just endured successive weekends against another noted Oriole basher, Chicago's Frank Thomas, Oates was asked if he had any theories about particular matchups between a particular hitter and team.

Oakland's pitching this spring has done nothing to calm manager Tony La Russa's fears after last season, when the A's walked more batters than anyone but Texas and only the Orioles had a higher ERA than Oakland's 4.57.This spring, A's pitchers already have walked 50 in 87 innings. And the A's finished the weekend with a team ERA of 7.03, the worst in baseball."I'm not as much concerned about the bases on balls as I am about some of the other things we're doing," La Russa said. "Early in the spring, it's understandable.

TAMPA, Fla. -- There was a time when, after a tough loss, you didn't want to be within a hundred miles of Gary Gaetti. No sir. One of my least favorite duties while covering the Minnesota Twins was approaching Gaetti for a comment after a loss."

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Esther Canseco had some unkind words for Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa after he benched Jose Canseco before Game 4 of the World Series."