Tony La Russa: St. Louis Manager to Sacramento Elephant Keeper? [VIDEO]

You figure that recently retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is still too much of a baseball guy to just stay in baseball. He would be a great fit in any organization despite his only expressed interest as being an advisor.

Well, only several days removed from leading the Cardinals to a second World Series in six years, it seems that there's a non-baseball organization out there that would also be a great fit for La Russa. No, he hasn't been offered the old broadcaster job or invited to speaking engagements -- not yet anyway.

La Russa revealed to late-night talk show host David Letterman on his show on Monday that his first offer of employment after leaving behind 33 years of baseball came from an unlikely, yet sensible source.

I actually got a job offer [Monday]. I swear, La Russa said. There's a group called Performing Animal Welfare Society just outside of Sacramento and they offered me a job as an elephant keeper.

An elephant keeper you ask? Coach and elephant keeper are apples and oranges in the work world, right?

However, maybe what you didn't know is that La Russa is one, a vegetarian and two, a noted animal lover who has co-founded with his wife the Animal Rescue Foundation, headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., which saves abandoned and injured animals as well as running programs to bring dog and cat visits to abused children, hospital patients, seniors and shut-ins.

But, does that mean it makes sense for La Russa to take the job?

Maybe not.

But, then again, maybe so.

He may want to completely stay away from baseball knowing that hoisting a World Series trophy last Friday was the culmination of a toilsome, yet rewarding career as both a player and a manager.

At the same time, La Russa might still love baseball so much that he may just follow through with Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf's wish of joining the team's front office, though not much has been negotiated between the two close friends.

We really haven't discussed it,'' Reinsdorf said. We've talked off and on about what he might do in the future but we haven't talked about anything specific. I'm sure that now that he's available, he's going to get a lot of opportunities, chances to do a lot of things inside the game. I just want him to do what's in his best interest, what's best for him.''

La Russa, who announced his retirement as manager of the Cardinals on Monday morning, three days after winning the World Series, said he would not take a managerial or general manager's position but has previously expressed an interest in remaining in baseball as a special advisor. If he were to join the White Sox, he would most likely be tutoring rookie manager Robin Ventura and providing analysis on players, using his classic methods of evaluation and strategy on how to utilize the roster on game day.

Nevertheless, Reinsdorf said it best. La Russa must do what's best for him. And, if that's cleaning up elephant dung for who knows how long, then so be it. Only La Russa knows.

Check out La Russa revealing his new job offer on Letterman: