Tony LaRussa Retiring on Top

Very few sports professionals ever get the opportunity to go out on top.  Tony LaRussa is taking his, thank you very much.

The third-winningest manager in Major League Baseball history and a sure-fire future Hall of Famer, announced his retirement as a manager this morning, just three days after his St. Louis Cardinals won the 2011 World Series.  It was LaRussa’s third World Series title.

The surprise announcement cane during a Monday morning press conference at Busch Stadium.

“There isn’t one [factor] that dominates [my decision],” LaRussa 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.”

LaRussa, 67, has 2,728 managerial victories, ranking behind only Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). Only Mack has managed in more baseball games than LaRussa. The Cardinals manager is also the only skipper in MLB history to win multiple pennants in both leagues and the second to win a World Series championship in each.

LaRussa’s Oakland A’s won the 1989 World Series. The Cardinals’ world title was their second in the past six years.

More than half of La Russa’ victories, 1,408 in all, have come with St. Louis, making him winningest manager in franchise history.

“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 climbed its way out of a 10 1/2-game NL Wild Card deficit at the end of August to make it into the playoffs.