NEW YORK — Lou Piniella plans on managing the Chicago Cubs next year and could stay around longer.
“I’ve got a year to go on my contract and we’ll see where it goes from there,” the 65-year-old said before Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets. “But I’m not looking five or six years ahead or four or five years ahead, put it that way. Like I said, I’ve said many times that I’m perfectly content year to year.”
Chicago already has clinched best record in the National League, just two years after going an NL-worst 66-96. Piniella said managing a major league team becomes more tiring as he gets older.
“All my good buddies are retired, so, we’ll see,” said Piniella, in his 21st season as a big league manager. “As long as I still have the drive and the passion, I’m fine. If I lose that, I’m not going to cheat anybody and take anybody’s money.”
A native of the Tampa area, Piniella managed the then-Devil Rays from 2003-05. Tampa Bay, which lost 91 to 99 games per season under Piniella, is going to the playoffs for the first time this year under manager Joe Maddon.
“When I managed there, we had a $22 million payroll. It was a little difficult,” Piniella said. “They’ve done a real nice job there over the last three years or so and improved their pitching, improved their team. And they’ve done a darn good job there. They should be happy, and I’m happy for them.”
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