Hal Lanier to Manage Astros

Hal Lanier, third base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, has been selected as the new manager of the Houston Astros, General Manager Dick Wagner said today.

Lanier replaces Bob Lillis, who was fired Oct. 7 after leading the Astros to a third-place finish in the National League Western Division last season. Lanier, a former major league infielder, managed in the Cardinal farm system before joining the club’s coaching staff in 1981.