National Baseball Hall of Fame member Sparky Anderson, shown in this July 24, 2010 file photo in Cooperstown, NY. UPI/Bill Greenblatt/FILES

Sparky Anderson, who managed Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine to back-to-back World Series championships and won another in Detroit, died Thursday from complications of dementia. He was 76. Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues. The other manager is Tony LaRussa.

From his home in the Dominican Republic, Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols said he would like to finish his career a Cardinal and would like to get an extension done before the start of the 2011 season the last year of his contract.

Royals closer Joakim Soria was voted by the Kansas City baseball writers as the winner of the Bruce Rice pitcher of the year award. Soria set two club records by converting 36 saves in a row and throwing 23.2 consecutive scoreless innings as a reliever. Soria finished third in baseball with a save percentage (93.5), behind the Padres’ Heath Bell (94.0) and the Rays’ Rafael Soriano (93.8).