Tony La Russa is staying in St. Louis.
The veteran manager announced Monday that he has signed a two-year contract with the Cardinals, ending speculation that he'd leave after a difficult year in which the defending World Series champions finished well below .500.
"I'm thrilled to be back," La Russa said Monday at a news conference.
Speculation that La Russa would flee St. Louis heightened when the Cardinals fired longtime general manager Walt Jocketty this month. Jocketty and La Russa have been close since both were with the Oakland Athletics. The Cardinals have yet to replace Jocketty.
La Russa, whose three-year contract expired after this seaon, called the lack of a new general manager "uncomfortable," but said feedback from management and his players helped him decide to return.
"I thought in kind of an overwhelming way the relationship with the players had really special meaning," the 63-year-old manager said. "We had some discussions and I really had a clear message from them we're good to go."
La Russa has led St. Louis to seven playoff appearances, six National League Central championships, two pennants and the 2006 World Series win over Detroit. He also won the 1989 World Series with Oakland.
La Russa had considered leaving after a trying season in which the defending World Series champions finished 78-84.
The year got off to a rocky start before the season even began when La Russa was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in March near the team's spring training complex in Jupiter, Fla.
Cardinals reliever Josh Hancock died in May after a drunken-driving accident, and several players were lost for long stretches of the season because of injuries, including to Chris Carpenter, the staff ace who pitched only in the season opener.
La Russa is 1,055-887 (.543) with the Cardinals. He is third on the career wins list with a lifetime record of 2,375-2,070 (.534) with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland and St. Louis.
He was AL manager of the year in 1983, 1988 and 1992, and NL manager of the year in 2002.
La Russa's name had come up as a possible replacement for Joe Torre, who left the Yankees last week after 12 seasons with New York. La Russa took over the Cardinals after Torre was fired midway through the 1995 season.
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