Sweet Lou to the Cubs ... Three year deal
softparade
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CHICAGO -- Lou Piniella apparently will take his fiery brand of managing to the Windy City.
Chicago radio station ESPN 1000 reported Monday that the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a three-year deal with Piniella. A source also told The Associated Press that Piniella had agreed to a three-year deal.
Financial terms have not been finalized, but the radio station is reporting that Piniella will receive approximately $3 million annually. The Cubs officially will announce the hiring of Piniella on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Piniella, 63, faces a difficult task in turning around a Cubs franchise which posted a 66-96 record in 2006 and has reached the postseason just twice in the last 17 years.
The subject of numerous recent rumors, Piniella owns a career record of 1,519-1,420 in 19 seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Seattle Mariners, the Cincinnati Reds and the New York York Yankees. He guided the Reds to a World Series championship in 1990 and twice was named American League Manager of the Year while with the Mariners.
On Friday, Piniella took himself out of the running for the San Francisco Giants' opening. He has also spoken to the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers, although he said the Washington job is not an ideal fit.
Piniella, 63, has been working in television since parting ways with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after the 2005 season following three difficult years as manager.
The Cubs chose not to bring back manager Dusty Baker when his contract expired.
Joe Girardi, fired by the Florida Marlins after one season and a former Cubs player, also interviewed for the job.
A Cubs spokeswoman declined comment to The AP on Monday. Piniella's agent Alan Nero and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry were not immediately reachable for comment.
The Cubs nearly reached the World Series three years ago, getting within five outs before a collapse against Florida in the NLCS. But Baker, another successful veteran manager, couldn't get the team back to the playoffs.
The hiring of Piniella will be the latest move in a Cubs' overhaul that began two weeks ago when chief executive Andy MacPhail resigned the day before Baker's contract was not renewed.
The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908.
Piniella began managing in 1986 with the Yankees, where he lasted three years. He managed the Reds from 1990-92, leading them to a World Series championship in his first season. During his time in Cincinnati, he got national attention for a clubhouse wrestling match with reliever Rob Dibble.
From there it was on to a long run in Seattle from 1993-02. His 2001 team went 116-46, but lost in the ALCS to the Yankees. His 1995 and 2000 Mariners teams also were beaten in the league championship series. During his decade in Seattle, the Mariners won at least 90 games four times.
Piniella won 93 games his final season with the Mariners in 2002 before heading home to his native Tampa to try and build a winner for the long-suffering Devil Rays.
But ultimately he had a difference of opinion with ownership and questioned management's commitment to winning before the team bought out the final year of his four-year contract.
Piniella had an 18-year career as a player, 11 of them with the Yankees, and was a career .291 hitter.
Chicago radio station ESPN 1000 reported Monday that the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a three-year deal with Piniella. A source also told The Associated Press that Piniella had agreed to a three-year deal.
Financial terms have not been finalized, but the radio station is reporting that Piniella will receive approximately $3 million annually. The Cubs officially will announce the hiring of Piniella on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
Piniella, 63, faces a difficult task in turning around a Cubs franchise which posted a 66-96 record in 2006 and has reached the postseason just twice in the last 17 years.
The subject of numerous recent rumors, Piniella owns a career record of 1,519-1,420 in 19 seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Seattle Mariners, the Cincinnati Reds and the New York York Yankees. He guided the Reds to a World Series championship in 1990 and twice was named American League Manager of the Year while with the Mariners.
On Friday, Piniella took himself out of the running for the San Francisco Giants' opening. He has also spoken to the Washington Nationals and Texas Rangers, although he said the Washington job is not an ideal fit.
Piniella, 63, has been working in television since parting ways with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays after the 2005 season following three difficult years as manager.
The Cubs chose not to bring back manager Dusty Baker when his contract expired.
Joe Girardi, fired by the Florida Marlins after one season and a former Cubs player, also interviewed for the job.
A Cubs spokeswoman declined comment to The AP on Monday. Piniella's agent Alan Nero and Cubs general manager Jim Hendry were not immediately reachable for comment.
The Cubs nearly reached the World Series three years ago, getting within five outs before a collapse against Florida in the NLCS. But Baker, another successful veteran manager, couldn't get the team back to the playoffs.
The hiring of Piniella will be the latest move in a Cubs' overhaul that began two weeks ago when chief executive Andy MacPhail resigned the day before Baker's contract was not renewed.
The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908.
Piniella began managing in 1986 with the Yankees, where he lasted three years. He managed the Reds from 1990-92, leading them to a World Series championship in his first season. During his time in Cincinnati, he got national attention for a clubhouse wrestling match with reliever Rob Dibble.
From there it was on to a long run in Seattle from 1993-02. His 2001 team went 116-46, but lost in the ALCS to the Yankees. His 1995 and 2000 Mariners teams also were beaten in the league championship series. During his decade in Seattle, the Mariners won at least 90 games four times.
Piniella won 93 games his final season with the Mariners in 2002 before heading home to his native Tampa to try and build a winner for the long-suffering Devil Rays.
But ultimately he had a difference of opinion with ownership and questioned management's commitment to winning before the team bought out the final year of his four-year contract.
Piniella had an 18-year career as a player, 11 of them with the Yankees, and was a career .291 hitter.
ISO 1978 Topps Baseball in NM-MT High Grade Raw 3, 100, 103, 302, 347, 376, 416, 466, 481, 487, 509, 534, 540, 554, 579, 580, 622, 642, 673, 724__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ISO 1978 O-Pee-Chee in NM-MT High Grade Raw12, 21, 29, 38, 49, 65, 69, 73, 74, 81, 95, 100, 104, 110, 115, 122, 132, 133, 135, 140, 142, 151, 153, 155, 160, 161, 167, 168, 172, 179, 181, 196, 200, 204, 210, 224, 231, 240
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Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Mark Mulder rookies
Chipper Jones rookies
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Lawrence Taylor
Sam Huff
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NY Giants
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1950s-1960s Topps NY Giants Team cards
Looking for Topps rookies as well.
References:
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