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NEW YORK, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Tony La Russa retired after the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series last year but will still coach the National League All Stars in July. La Russa had told team officials of his plan to retire even before the Cardinals made a late-season charge into the playoffs and capped the season with a seven-game World Series win over the Texas Rangers.
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The managers of the league champions are traditionally asked to coach all-star teams the next year but it was unclear if that invitation would go to La Russa or Mike Matheny, who will manage St. Louis in 2012.
Major League Baseball said Tuesday it would be La Russa.
It will be his third National League All-Star coaching assignment, as he led the team in 2005 and 2007. He also managed three American League All-Star teams. Only Casey Stengel, with 10, and Walter Alston, with nine, have had more such assignments.
La Russa, who managed the Chicago White Sox (1979-86) and Oakland Athletics (1986-95) before leading the Cardinals (1996-2011) had a managerial record of 2,728-2,365 over 33 seasons. His teams won three World Series titles and six league championships.
The 2012 All-Star Game will be played July 10 in Kansas City, Mo.
