Former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has taken considerable heat this week for his role in getting Harold Baines into baseball’s Hall of Fame. But no criticism was hotter than what he faced Wednesday when grilled by MLB Network commentator Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo.

La Russa, the winningest manager in Cardinals history, was a special assistant for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox last season and has worked in baseball for half a century. He appeared on Russo’s “High Heat” program and was bombarded with questions not only about Baines’ worthiness of being picked for the Hall over the weekend, but also about Baines being selected by a committee that included four people close to him.

La Russa became visibly angry, calling Russo “clueless” on the air in a seven-minute conversation about the topic in which he used profanity multiple times.

La Russa managed Baines with the White Sox. Also on the panel were White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and two men with strong ties to Baines when he played for the Orioles — teammate Roberto Alomar and general manager Pat Gillick.