Cardinals' Skipper Tony LaRussa Retires on Top

Legendary manager wins World Series, announces he's done

Fresh off his team's against-all-odds World Series victory, future Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa has announced he's retiring.

The skipper managed the Cardinals to two championships in his 16-year tenure. Before that, LaRussa, 67, won a World Series title in 1989 with the Oakland Athletics. He's just 35 wins away from passing John McGraw for second place on the all-time list behind Connie Mack, but his 2,728-2,365 record over 33 seasons all but ensures his place in Cooperstown.

“I think this feels like it’s time to end it," LaRussa said. "And it’ll be great for the Cardinals to refresh what’s going on with the field manager job. … Look in the mirror and I know if I came back it would be for the wrong reasons.”

La Russa said he may buy a minor-league team, and did not close the door on a non-managerial job in Major League Baseball, if “the phone will ring.”

If LaRussa sticks to his vow not to ever manage again, he will have gone out on top - and after a storybook season. His Cardinals played all season without injured ace Adam Wainwright. They were left for dead in August when they were 10.5 games out with 30 games remaining, but their surge got them into the playoffs. Then, they were once again on the brink before an unlikely rally in Game 6 of the World Series. Then, they capped the season with a 6-2 victory over the Rangers.

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