Tony La Russa says he is not a candidate for the Reds job

With Dusty Baker out and a managerial vacancy in Cincinnati, general manager Walt Jocketty surely is looking at several candidates, but La Russa says if he returns to a club, it will be in an executive capacity.

OAKLAND – Tony La Russa and Walt Jocketty may have had a long and successful run together in St. Louis, but don’t expect a reunion in Cincinnati even with the Reds having a managerial opening in the wake Dusty Baker’s firing.

La Russa, attending Game 1 of the AL Division Series between the Tigers and Athletics here Friday night, told CBSSports.com that he has no interest in managing again.

“Walt’s had more than enough of me,” said La Russa, who celebrated his 69^th birthday Friday. “In fact, I talked to him today and told him that and he said, ‘You’re right. I agree.’”

As Cardinals' general manager from 1994 through 2007, Jocketty brought La Russa to St. Louis in 1996 and the duo teamed to lead the organization to a World Series title in '06, two NL pennants ('04 and '06) and seven division titles.

If La Russa leaves his current post as a special consultant to Commissioner Bud Selig for another job in baseball, it will be as an executive running a ballclub, but not in the dugout.

“I miss the winning and losing, but I’m really pleased that I’m allowed to stay close to the game,” La Russa said. “If I ever got back to the winning and losing, it would be upstairs. It wouldn’t be on the field.”

In his most recent task for the Commissioner’s Office, La Russa was a member of the three-man board – along with Joe Torre and John Schuerholz -- that put forth the final proposal for the increased instant replay that will begin in 2014.

But while he enjoys his current job, it doesn’t sound as if it’s filling the void.

“I like the competition,” La Russa said. “I’ve been in graduate school for 50 years. Your life revolves around that night’s score of the game. I miss that part.”