ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals players want Tony La Russa back for a 13th season.

La Russa's contract runs out after this year, which he has described as the most difficult of his long career. Last year's World Series champions had lost 13 of 15 entering Friday's game against the Houston Astros, dogged by injuries to key players and serious trials off the field, including the drunk driving death of reliever Josh Hancock and Scott Spiezio's monthlong departure for substance abuse treatment.

Veteran center fielder Jim Edmonds said La Russa, who has left his future hanging as he usually does at the end of his contract, is not to be blamed for the team's September collapse. Edmonds and his teammates are hopeful that La Russa, who passed Red Schoendienst as the franchise leader in wins earlier in the season, returns.

"Yeah, why wouldn't you?" Edmonds said. "He's one of the most respected people in the game. I don't think you can take this season out on him, at all."

La Russa has clashed with players in recent years, notably with third baseman Scott Rolen, who was benched twice during the team's postseason run last year. He's mused from time to time during the season that 12 years is a long time and perhaps the act can wear thin.

La Russa has been linked with the Reds and Mariners in recent weeks.

Edmonds said without La Russa's guidance, the team would have fallen apart because of all the adversity.

"If he would have stayed in that office and closed the door and turned his back on us, we'd be in a lot worse position than we are," Edmonds said. "So I think you've got to give him a lot of credit for holding us together, even though it doesn't look like we held it together."

La Russa said on Friday he's had preliminary conversations with ownership, but only on an informal basis. Ownership has indicated the choice is La Russa's, but the manager said he's been too busy with the Cardinals finishing the season with 35 games in 34 days.

"I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it," La Russa said. "We haven't had an off-day to think about it."

Edmonds joined the Cardinals in 2000 and the team made it to the postseason six of the first seven, winning the World Series last fall and losing to the Red Sox in the 2004 World Series. He said La Russa is a big reason for that string of successes.

"He's got a lot on his mind and a lot going on and obviously he's a free agent, per se," Edmonds said. "It's one of those things where he deserves to make the decision when he's ready to make it."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press