Tony La Russa
will return for a 16th season in St.Louis after the manager and the Cardinals agreed Monday to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2012.
The Cardinals posted an 86-76 record this season under the 66-year-old La Russa and finished five games behind the National League Central champion Reds.
"We are excited to have Tony returning and are looking forward to 2011," Cardinals Chairman
Bill DeWitt Jr
.
said. "He has guided the team in one of the greatest eras in Cardinals history" — seven division titles, the 2004 NL pennant and the 2006 World Series championship.
•The Mariners named
Eric Wedge
their new manager, signing the former Indians skipper to a three-year contract.
• The Padres added
Dave Roberts
as first-base coach and moved
Rick Renteria
from first-base coach to bench coach for next season.
Ted Simmons
, bench coach the past two seasons, said in September that he would not return because he wanted to pursue a managerial job.