You're Fired and you're Hired.

[HahnSolo]

If I were a GM, I'd give a call to Manny Acta.

[Theoldmole]

If Manny Acta gets a managerial job, any choices for Mets new third base coach? Joe Torre?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I think if Torre got hired to replace Acta, Jerry Manuel would coach third and Torre would be the bench guy.

I think I read somewhere that the Texas Rangers want to talk to Joe.

[Willets Point]

We can only hire Joe if he's player-coach.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

That could work. He's probably younger than Julio Franco.

[metirish]

Jon Heyman reporting that the Cubs are close to hiring Lou Piniella.

[Willets Point]

[Farmer Ted]

The Sun-Times says it's done.

Cubs finalize deal to make Piniella manager
Cubs ready to introduce Piniella as manager

October 16, 2006
BY CHRIS DE LUCA Staff Reporter
The Cubs finalized a deal making Lou Piniella their new manager today, agreeing on a three-year contract believed to be worth at least $4 million annually. According to team and industry sources, Piniella is expected to be introduced at a news conference Tuesday.

Formal negotiations with Piniella's Chicago-based agent, Alan Nero, began Sunday, the day after the veteran manager's duties as a Fox analyst ended with the conclusion of the American League Championship Series.

''I think we'll be ready to announce something in the next couple of days,'' Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Sunday night. ''I've been very pleased with how this process has gone.''

Piniella, 63, was tops on Hendry's wish list long before the process began. Hendry's decision was apparently made on Friday, after he had concluded his most serious interviews with Piniella, former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi and Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly. Sources say Piniella's people knew on Friday they had won the derby.
San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy was identified as the No. 2 candidate if talks with Piniella fell through. Though Bochy had been granted permission from Padres CEO Sandy Alderson to interview with the Cubs, Hendry never made a formal request.

He backed off when it was clear the sought-after Piniella had the Cubs at the top of his own wish list.

''Listen, I'm not interested in managing just to say I'm a major-league manager,'' Piniella told the Sun-Times over the weekend during the ALCS in Detroit. ''I'm looking for an opportunity to win.''

The feeling in Piniella's camp is the Cubs have the resources -- with a payroll expected to jump to the $115 million range -- and some key core players, such as first baseman Derrek Lee, third baseman Aramis Ramirez, All-Star pitcher Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett, to make a serious run in a potentially weak National League Central.

Hendry's next major task is locking up Ramirez, who has the right to file for free agency after the World Series. Hendry has been working on a three- or four-year extension that would keep Ramirez off the market. Those talks, however, have been derailed by the managerial search.

''I hope to move that back to the front burner this week,'' Hendry said.

Hiring Piniella might mean the return of pitching coach Larry Rothschild, who's not a fan favorite because he has presided over a largely ineffective and injury-prone staff the last three seasons. But Rothschild, who worked with Piniella in Cincinnati, has the respect of Hendry and the Cubs' pitching staff.

The Cubs officially cut ties with manager Dusty Baker and his coaching staff two weeks ago today, after the Cubs finished with a 66-96 record that left them in last place in the NL Central. Baker spent the previous four years with the Cubs, taking them to the NLCS in 2003. That run was followed by three highly disappointing seasons marked by injuries.

Hiring a manager has been tops on Hendry's to-do list, and he has worked nonstop in the process since the day Baker was let go. At one point, Girardi -- the former Cubs catcher and team captain -- emerged as the favorite, especially after it appeared Piniella might be headed to the New York Yankees to replace Joe Torre.

Though new team president John McDonough preferred Girardi, Tribune Co. bosses made it clear this was Hendry's decision to make. The Piniella hire is a clear sign Hendry is making the key baseball decisions. The GM has two years left on his contract, but a poor showing in 2007 likely will mean the end of his run with the Cubs.

The mandate from Cubs bosses is to win a World Series by next season. That means Hendry couldn't afford to do anything but aim high.

Since July, Piniella had been identified as the most attractive managerial candidate on the market. Piniella has a 1,519-1,420 record during a 19-year managerial career that began in 1986 with the Yankees. He moved on to the Cincinnati Reds and won the 1990 World Series his first year on the job. He managed the Seattle Mariners and won the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1995 and 2001, when the M's won 116 games.

Piniella's run in Seattle ended after the 2002 season, when he asked to be traded to the New York Mets or his hometown Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The M's sent him to the Rays, where Piniella managed the cash-strapped team from 2003-05, suffering through three consecutive losing seasons. Piniella asked out of the final year of his contract after the 2005 season.

Spending most of the 2006 season working as an analyst for the Fox network helped Piniella recharge his batteries.

''It has been a very nice, relaxing summer for me,'' Piniella said. ''Outside of my first three or four telecasts, where I really pitted out from nerves. The amazing thing about the booth that people don't realize is that things happen a lot quicker up there than they do in the dugout. And you have to be able to articulate it. And they're talking in your ear when you're speaking.

''But I leave home every Friday and I come home either Saturday night or Sunday morning. Not bad.''

But it doesn't compare to his true passion: managing.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I wonder if Chris De Luca is any relation to our catcher.

[Valadius]

Hopefully this keeps him away from the broadcast booth.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

As manager of the Cubs, he'll still be available for the playoffs just about every year.

[HahnSolo]

ESPN reporting Macha out in Oakland. Didn't we go through this last year?

[metirish]

Beane should just manage them....

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Macha's been there for four years, hasn't he? Since 2003, when Art Howe came to the Mets, if I remember right.

[Guest sharpie]

Yeah, but he quit and was re-hired last year.

[Valadius]

Yup, and as I recall he was the one who "did the actual managing" when Art Howe was still in town.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, but what Solo is referring to is that Macha was supposedly fired (not re-hired actually since his contract was over) only to return a week or so later when they agreed to whatever it was they couldn't agree to initially.


Also, speaking of Howe, he's landed a coaching job w/the Phillies.

[Valadius]

Apparently Macha is indeed officially fired, the AP is reporting this.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Good for him. There's continual talk about Charlie Manuel getting fired. If that happens, Art may at least be Johnny-on-the-spot for an interim gig.

I liked Art Howe. He didn't do much for the Mets, but I liked the guy and hope he gets another shot.

[Valadius]

So this would leave the A's, Giants, Rangers, and Nationals jobs open.

[Valadius]

Phillies hired three former managers as coaches, actually. Art Howe as third base coach and infield instructor, Davey Lopes as first base coach, and Jimy Williams as bench coach.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

From the Chicago Sun-Times article reporting the signing impending signing of Pinella as manager: "The mandate from Cubs bosses is to win a World Series by next season."

Apparently the Cubs bosses have been imbibing on some strong "Kool Aid".

[Valadius]

If the Cubs actually think that they can win the World Series next season, they're insane.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: As manager of the Cubs, he'll still be available for the playoffs just about every year.

Wham.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Meanwhile, Macha, not having a current MLB uniform to wear, loses his job managing the MLB Japan-Touring All-Star team. He gets replaced by Terry Francona, who then withdraws with a foot infection. Who will manage this august assembly of players?

Art Howe was also selected for the job as A's manager four years ago, but was Mets manager by the time the tour started. If another A's manager ever gets the job, you can safely infer that his days with the Elephants are numbered.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Edgy DC wrote: Who will manage this august assembly of players?

I'll do it.

[Farmer Ted]

Joe Girardi will NOT be managing the Nats. He withdrew from consideration. Good call, Joe.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Great, but I think they want an active manager.

[metirish]

Bobby V on the Giants radar

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/25/SPGICLVENG1.DTL

[metirish]

Damn double post....