Cards manager confirms Rasmus asked for trade

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa confirmed Sunday that center fielder Colby Rasmus sought a trade earlier this season. The admission brought at first no comment, then later a denial from Rasmus, who spoke at length with La Russa and general manager John Mozeliak about the handling of the matter after the team’s 4-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Responding to a report in Sunday editions of the Post-Dispatch that Rasmus had requested a trade, La Russa acknowledged the incident but suggested underlying issues that fed the request had since eased. “I think he’s thinking probably the grass is not greener other places and that this is a good situation, a great organization, teammates, everything. That’s what I think. You can ask him,” La Russa said.