La Russa moved into sixth place on the all-time managerial wins list (2,114) in 2004, just the seventh major league manager to win 2,000 career games, and is only 81 wins shy of having the third most wins among managers all-time. He is the career leader in wins among active managers and ranks third all-time on the Cardinals managerial wins list, just 28 wins behind Whitey Herzog who ranks second. La Russa is one of nine managers - and one of just four in the last 50 years - to have skippered the Cardinals for more than four seasons.
Regarded by his peers as one of the game's top managers, La Russa's honors include Manager of the Year recognition in five seasons, five N.L. Central Division titles, one N.L. pennant, five A.L. Western Division titles, three A.L. pennants and one World Series championship. He served as a coach for the N.L. All-Star team in 2003 and will be the manager of this year's National League All-Star Team in Detroit.