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http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111031&content_id=25849368&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlbTony La Russa, the third-winningest manager in Major League history and most assuredly a future Hall of Famer, announced his retirement as a manager on Monday, fewer than three days after winning a World Series for the third time in his 33-year career, the past 16 of them with the Cardinals.
The surprising announcement was made during a Monday morning news conference at Busch Stadium.
"There isn't one [factor] that dominates [my decision]," La Russa said. "They all just come together telling you your time is over.
"We went through the season and I felt that this just feels like it's time to end it and I think it's going to be great for the Cardinals to refresh what's going on here."
La Russa, 67, has 2,728 managerial victories, ranking behind only Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). Only Mack has managed in more ballgames. The Cardinals skipper is also the only manager in Major League Baseball history to win multiple pennants in both leagues and the second to win a World Series title in each, as well.
La Russa's Oakland A's won the World Series in 1989. Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson won World Series titles with Cincinnati and Detroit. The Cardinals' championship was their second in the past six seasons.
More than half of La Russa' victories -- 1,408 -- have come in a St. Louis uniform, making him the franchise's winningest manager, after having led the Cardinals to a surprising World Series title this season.
"We're grateful for what he's done for the Cardinals all these years," Cardinals chairman and chief executive officer Bill DeWitt Jr. said.
St. Louis -- which lost starting pitcher Adam Wainwright for the season before Spring Training and played without key players, such as Matt Holliday, Albert Pujols and NLCS and World Series MVP David Freese, for significant stretches of the regular season -- climbed out of a 10 1/2-game NL Wild Card hole in late August to make the playoffs.
Going out on top. Congratulations to La Russa on a fantastic career.