Technically still in limbo, Tony La Russa on Saturday said he is "speeding to a conclusion" regarding a decision whether to return for a 15th year as Cardinals manager.

La Russa insisted he has not yet discussed a contract with team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr.; however, sources familiar with the situation believe a formal announcement is likely early this week confirming La Russa's return.

Said La Russa, scheduled to arrive in St. Louis in time to attend tonight's Bruce Springsteen concert: "I'm coming to an understanding of what I'm doing and intend to get it settled one way or the other shortly."

La Russa, whose current two-year deal expires Oct. 31, said he has stayed in almost daily contact with general manager John Mozeliak, who is expected to meet with free agent Cuban lefthander Aroldis Chapman in New York on Monday. Mozeliak could not be reached for comment on Saturday but his absence makes any announcement unlikely before Tuesday.

For his part, La Russa declined to upstage any announcement by the club.

"I don't want to make any statements about being close to coming back," deferred La Russa, who has steered eight teams to the postseason since being named the only manager under the team's current ownership. "You either do (come back) or you don't. I've been checking the fire in my gut. It's one way or the other."

Said La Russa, "I'm still answering things." However, he insisted terms of a contract are not among them.

In recent years La Russa has agreed to two-year arrangements with an understanding that either he or ownership could walk away from the deal, no strings attached, if either party became disenchanted. DeWitt and Mozeliak have alternately indicated a strong belief that La Russa would return. Pitching coach Dave Duncan, whose contract includes a mutual option for next season, felt confident enough about La Russa's leanings to say he would likely be back as long as La Russa returned as well.

Mozeliak said last week he has not drawn "a line in the sand" for La Russa to render a decision; however, there is urgency to cementing a coaching staff that, except for Duncan, works on one-year contracts.

"It's been a good situation between Bill and I the last couple times we've (negotiated)," La Russa said. "If I want to be back, financially there aren't going to be any hang-ups. I've been treated very well."

La Russa, 65, agreed to a two-year contract worth about $8.5 million on Oct. 22, 2007— about three weeks after DeWitt fired Walt Jocketty as general manager and nine days before naming Mozeliak his successor. What at first appeared a stiff relationship between La Russa and Mozeliak became more comfortable this year as Mozeliak worked trades for third baseman Mark DeRosa, left fielder Matt Holliday and infielder Julio Lugo before adding pitcher John Smoltz after his August release from the Boston Red Sox. Hard feelings involving Duncan and the organization after the July trade of his outfielder son Chris for Lugo were also smoothed.

La Russa said he spoke to a number of players after the team's Division Series sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers and was encouraged by their response.

Last week La Russa indicated he only had to answer whether he was still motivated by a position he has held with three different organizations the last 31 seasons.

"The first part of the week, I'm going to say whether I will do it or not do it," he said.

La Russa held the distinction of the game's highest-paid manager for 10 days until the Dodgers signed Joe Torre to a three-year, $13 million deal on Nov. 1, 2007.

Having managed almost as many games in St. Louis as he did for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland A's combined, La Russa slipped past Red Schoendienst as the Cardinals' winningest manager (1,232) in late 2007. He ranks third all-time with 2,552 managerial wins behind Connie Mack and John McGraw. His 4,773 games managed ranks second only to Mack's unreachable 7,755. La Russa and Sparky Anderson remain the only managers in the game's history to win world championships in both leagues; he and Leo Durocher are the only managers with at least 500 wins with three different clubs.