Formalizing what had been discussed internally since April and finalized for most of a month, the Cardinals have extended general manager John Mozeliak's contract through the 2013 season with an option for 2014.

Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. announced the deal Thursday afternoon as the organization's first piece of business following the All-Star break. Mozeliak's extension can be framed as laying the groundwork for an off-season spent addressing the long-term status of first baseman Albert Pujols.

"It was important to have people understand that going forward the front office will remain intact," Mozeliak said after a news conference at Busch Stadium. "There is no longer a debate on philosophy and strategy. Now, it's just making sure we have the right people making the right decisions."

The club announced only the three guaranteed years, choosing not to disclose the option's details.

The Cardinals did not reveal financial terms but the extension's annual value is well below $1 million, according to a club source.

DeWitt cited Mozeliak's ability to "run a cohesive front office operation" as validating his original decision to promote the club's former assistant general manager, scouting director and director of baseball operations.

"I thought if we were going to do it at the end of the year we might as well do it now and put it all behind us," DeWitt said.

The Cardinals have gone 86-76 and 91-71 during Mozeliak's first two seasons. They entered the second half of this season at 47-41.

If Thursday's announcement acknowledged Mozeliak's recent past, it also represented an admission that there remain questions about the franchise's three-time NL MVP, Pujols, and its all-time winningest manager, Tony La Russa.

"Obviously, Albert's situation is going to be a major challenge," Mozeliak said. "Tony's status along with his staff is something we have to address. Rather than going into October with the unknown of what your leadership looks like, we both thought it made a lot of sense to get it out of the way and not have that be a distraction."

Mozeliak was named successor to longtime mentor Walt Jocketty on Halloween 2007, following a four-week search that involved four outside candidates. Mozeliak, who never formally interviewed for the post, emerged as the 12th general manager in franchise history after Cleveland Indians assistant general manager Chris Antonetti withdrew from consideration.

Mozeliak's charge from DeWitt was unifying a front office splintered in part by the rapid rise of the chairman's handpicked vice-president of scouting and player development, Jeff Luhnow.

If DeWitt's relationship with Jocketty had become strained, even contentious, his dealings with Mozeliak have remained easy. The two speak daily and worked closely during last winter's successful pursuit of free agent left fielder Matt Holliday. Mozeliak acquired Holliday last July in a trade with the Oakland A's and successfully lobbied DeWitt to guarantee Holliday a seventh season at $17 million plus a blanket no-trade provision when DeWitt was prepared to walk away from talks with agent Scott Boras.

The Holliday trade helped propel the Cardinals to 91 wins and their first postseason appearance since winning the 2006 World Series.

Retaining Holliday with a franchise-record seven-year, $120 million contract ranked as last winter's most lucrative free agent signing. DeWitt referred Thursday to "aggressiveness" as among Mozeliak's leading attributes.

During Mozeliak's 33-month term as GM the Cardinals have signed pitcher Kyle Lohse to a four-year, $41 million extension and pitcher Brad Penny to a one-year, $7.5 million contract. Mozeliak traded for Cleveland Indians utility starter Mark DeRosa a month before landing Holliday. Last summer's flurry of transactions also included signing closer Ryan Franklin to a two-year extension and retaining lefthanded reliever Trever Miller through next season.

Mozeliak also negotiated a below-market extension with starting pitcher Adam Wainwright in March 2008 that includes a club option running through 2013.

"I think he's got a good blend of what we need now, and what we need in the future and getting value for value," DeWitt said about Mozeliak. "There are strategic decisions that have to be made at the end of the year, which is why I thought the timing was right to do an extension now as opposed to later."

DeWitt said during spring training that it was only a matter of time before he addressed Mozeliak's status. Discussions began to take shape in April and gained momentum as the parties realized the risk of further complicating an upcoming off-season devoted to addressing Pujols well before he reaches free agency in November 2011.

By his choice, La Russa is also serving a one-year contract and says he will not decide his future until season's end.

The Cardinals intend to tweak their front office model after the current season by "reapportioning resources," Mozeliak said Thursday.

"There is always a chance to improve things and we will continue to look at that," he said. "When you look at the structure of our front office today, there are ways we can do things a little better."

Though Mozeliak declined to provide specifics about any future shuffling, scouting and player development are expected to remain under one director, according to DeWitt.