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By Steve GinsburgST LOUIS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The St Louis Cardinals #8217;spirited charge to the World Series title only served to pad theHall of Fame credentials of Tony La Russa, the club #8217;s stoic,lawyer-trained manager with a cerebral approach.With 2,728 regular season wins under his belt at the helm ofthe Chicago White Sox, Oakland A #8217;s and the Cardinals, La Russais 35 victories be all football teams hind second-placed John McGraw on Major LeagueBaseball #8217;s all-time list.The World Series win over the Texas Rangers, taken with a6-2 victory in Friday #8217;s Game Seven, marked the third FallClassic crown won by La Russa, and second with the Cardinalsfollowing his 2006 team #8217;s championship. #8220;This is what you dream about, #8221; the 67-year-old La Russatold reporters Friday af all football teams ter his never-say-die Cardinals cappedoff their season of comebacks. #8220;Truly a dream come true. It #8217;s hard to imagine it actuallyhappened. #8221;He has been with the Cardinals for the last 16 years,compiling a 1,408-1,182 record. Neither he nor prized sluggerAlbert Pujols(notes) have signed for St Louis next year but both couldreturn. #8220;I #8217;ve been with him for 11 years, and he #8 all football teams 217;s been like a dadto me, #8221; Pujols said. #8220;As soon as he #8217;s done with this game, he #8217;sgoing to be obviously in the Hall of Fame, and to share that,those moments with him, it #8217;s pretty special. #8221;La Russa had a 132-game playing career in the big leaguesover six seasons as a middle infielder but found his niche as amanager, also winning the 1989 World Series with Oakla all football teams nd.Having earned a degree from Florida State University #8217;sCollege of Law, La Russa pioneered the use of statisticalanalysis to determine pitching and hitting match-ups and hasbeen blamed or praised, depending on one #8217;s perspective, for theprocession of relievers that often enter in critical innings.MELLOWED WITH AGEHe has a steely demeanor in the dugout, a sharp contrastwith Texas skippe all football teams r Ron Washington, who jumps, hugs, and slapshigh-fives with anyone available after a good play.La Russa, a manager of the year three times in the AmericanLeague and once in the National, has mellowed a bit in recentyears and told his players during this year #8217;s Fall Classic tohave a good time.La Russa said he #8220;got through #8221; his first trip to the WorldSeries but #8220;missed some o all football teams f the enjoyment. #8221; The thrill of thepostseason never got old, he said. #8220;Postseason never disappoints, even just getting in andplaying the Division Series and losing, #8221; he said. #8220;You get tothe World Series, this is the most enjoyment you can have. #8220;I #8217;m enjoying it more than ever. #8221;He ranks second behind Joe Torre with 68 postseason wins,having passed Bobby Cox d all football teams uring the World Series last Saturdaywith the 16-7 victory over Texas.La Russa, who has a 2,728-2,365 all-time regular seasonrecord, is well behind all-time managerial wins leader ConnieMack (3,731), whose record includes 50 years with complete jobsecurity as owner of the Philadelphia Athletics.Pujols said he would always treasure the milestones he andLa Russa have reached together and believed the all football teams manager wouldremain in the Cardinals #8217; dugout in 2012. #8220;Knowing Tony, he #8217;s going to continue to do it, #8221; he said. #8220;He #8217;s one of the best in the business. #8221;(Editing by Larry Fine and John O #8217;Brien; To query or commenton this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)Please double click on the newslink:for more baseball storiesfor more sports stories all football teams Follow Yahoo! Sports' MLB coverage on Twitter. Updated Oct 29, 3:03 am EDT all football teams
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