Cardinals hire Matheny to replace La Russa

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals are replacing a manager who's third on the career victory list with a man who'll be writing his first lineup card on Opening Day.

Mike Matheny, a former catcher with the Cardinals who had been a minor-league instructor, will be introduced as Tony La Russa's successor at a news conference Monday.

"I think he's going to be a great leader," Jim Edmonds, a teammate of Matheny's with the Cardinals, said last night. "If he goes out there and does what he's capable of doing and they put the players around him, he could be the manager for the next 20 years."

The 40-year-old Matheny played for St. Louis from 2000-04 and won three of his four Gold Gloves.

Matheny was one of six men the Cardinals interviewed to replace La Russa. They also talked to Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, longtime Cardinals third-base coach Jose Oquendo, former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, Triple-A manager Chris Maloney and Chicago White Sox coach Joe McEwing. -- AP