The St Louis Cardinals have announced that catcher Yadier Molina will be back next season, but the team declines to exercise their option on two popular players, amid a searchfor a manager to succeed Tony Larussa.  And several Westplex-area high school football teams will be involved in regional playoffs tonight

Several Westplex-area high school football teams will be involved in regional playoff action tonight: 

• In Class 5 Wentzville Holt hosts Waynesville
• In Class 4 St Charles West hosts Jennings. Borgia plays host to Duchesne, Union hosts Republic and St Clair visits Hillcrest.
• In Class 3 Bowling Green hosts Southern Boone, Orchard Farm plays at North Callaway, and Owensville visits Booneville.
• In Class 2 O'Fallon Christian plays at South Callaway and Clopton- Elsberry hosts Blair Oaks.

On Friday, Francis Howell hosts Columbia Hickman while Fort Zumwalt West will host Pattonville in the Class 6 sectionals.

The St Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that the Cardinals have decided not to exercise their 2012 option on shortstop Rafael Furcal and reliever Octavio Dotel This allows both men to become free agents, but the door to come back to the Redbirds remains open. Meanwhile, today is the last day that the Cardinals have exclusive rights on Albert Pujols. At midight tonight, Pujols will officially be a free agent, which clears the way for other teams to make offers to nab the slugger.

The search continues for a successor to Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa, and it's considered a top priority in the head office. General Manager John Mozeliak wants a new skipper in place before Thanksgiving. In-house candidates Jose Oquendo, Joe Pettini and Mark McGwire are expected to be considered along with established managers Terry Francona and Kim Riggleman

In the National League, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina topped all award winners with his fourth defensive honor. Los Angeles' Clayton Kershaw, the front-runner for  the Cy Young Award, took home his first Gold Glove, as did Reds first baseman Joey Votto, Diamondbacks left fielder Gerardo Parra and Dodgers right fielder  Andre Ethier. Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips and Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco each won their third Gold Gloves, while Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Los Angeles center fielder Matt Kemp won their second.

Baltimore's  Nick  Markakis was the  American League's representative in right field  on the Gold  Glove Award team, ending a run of 10 consecutive defensive honors  for  the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki.  Markakis was one of the five first-time  winners  in the  AL,  joining  Baltimore  catcher Matt  Wieters,  Angels shortstop Erick  Aybar, Royals  left fielder  Alex Gordon  and Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle, Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and  Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre each won their third Gold Glove, while Boston's Dustin Pedroia captured his second to round out the AL squad.

The St Louis Rams are back on the practice field today, after beating the Saints 31 to 21 on Sunday, for their first win of the season. Quarterback Sam Bradford has missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain, and it's uncertain whether he'll practice with the team today. The Rams take on the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday.

Heat  owner  Micky Arison has been  fined by the NBA, reportedly for $500,000, for  recent Twitter posts about the lockout. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed in  an email  that Arison  was fined,  but did  not confirm  specifics. Yahoo! Sports  reported the amount of  the fine on Monday,citing league  sources. A  report  by a South Florida  newspaper  said  the  fine  comes  after  NBA commissioner  David Stern prohibited team and league personnel from commenting on the lockout outside of approved media sessions. Arison reportedly replied to  several other Tweets, his responses indicating there may be a  divide between owners of small market and large market teams during negotiations.

Edmonton  Oilers  defenseman Andy  Sutton  was  suspended  five games by the NHL for an illegal hit to the head on Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog last  Friday. The NHL announced the suspension Tuesday, one day after Sutton was scheduled for an in-person hearing with league discipline czar Brendan Shanahan. Sutton was whistled for an elbowing minor on the play, but  Shanahan explained  the suspension in a video, saying the defenseman took an  improper route to Landeskog's head and did not deliver a full body check. Sutton is suspended without pay and will forfeit a little more than $57,432 in salary, which goes into thePlayers' Emergency Assistance Fund.