Lou Piniella as Cubs Manager?

[BaseballSultan]

As a Cubs fan I'm not sure I like the hiring of Sweet Lou.

I thought for sure Girardi would have taking over the reigns.

Piniella has not won anything since 1990.

I don't care how many wins he had with Seattle. They didn't win it all.

Sure Girardi is a newcomer but not much is expected of him right away.

That Cubs team has more holes than a Iraqi insurgent.

Paying Lou 10 million bucks was too much.

Girardi would have come cheaper, relates to the players better and is a Chicago favourite.

Plus the rumours out of Chicago are that they will try to get A-Rod.

I do not, I repeat do not want A-Rod on my Chicago Cubs.

He is just bad luck and the Cubs do not need any more of that.

Our future at third base is Scott Moore.

At second we will have Ryan Theriot.

Felix Pie will dazzle in the outfield.

And with pitchers like Marshall, Perez and Novoa we will be fine.

Lou could prove me wrong but I doubt it.

Discuss.

The Sultan

[SFSteveG]

As a Cubs fan I'm not sure I like the hiring of Sweet Lou.

I thought for sure Girardi would have taking over the reigns.

Piniella has not won anything since 1990.

I don't care how many wins he had with Seattle. They didn't win it all.

Sure Girardi is a newcomer but not much is expected of him right away.

That Cubs team has more holes than a Iraqi insurgent.

Paying Lou 10 million bucks was too much.

Girardi would have come cheaper, relates to the players better and is a Chicago favourite.

Plus the rumours out of Chicago are that they will try to get A-Rod.

I do not, I repeat do not want A-Rod on my Chicago Cubs.

He is just bad luck and the Cubs do not need any more of that.

Our future at third base is Scott Moore.

At second we will have Ryan Theriot.

Felix Pie will dazzle in the outfield.

And with pitchers like Marshall, Perez and Novoa we will be fine.

Lou could prove me wrong but I doubt it.

Discuss.

The Sultan

Pinella is a dolt. Girardi is a good Cubs fit. A-Rod would fit in well with the Cubs. Novoa is incompetent.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

A-Rod would fit in well with the Cubs.

better than Aramis ?

Novoa is incompetent.

Like half the pen

[boomboom]

funny what has Girardi won?

Pinella is a very good manager, better than Dusty Baker. He turned a Seattle Team around. At one time Seattle was the joke of Baseball. I believe one game in the 80's we drew 600 fans. 600!!!!

He is the best manager in the MLB. Give Pinella a 200million dollar payrole, and watch him put A-rod 8th...or make the stupid moves torre does. Torre was only average before he came to New York.

Pinella went to Seattle, after winning the series in Cinci in 1990, and having two more good seasons in Cinci.

                  Cincnnti       486  255  231   .525
                  NewYorkY       417  224  193   .537
                  Seattle       1551  840  711   .542
                  TampaBay       485  200  285   .412
+----+-----------+--------+---+-----+----+----+------+------+
      TOTAL                     2939 1519 1420   .517

Want to look at the Mariners Record before he got there?
1992- 64-98 (.395)
1991- 83-79 (.512)
1990- 77-85 (.475)
1989- 73-89 (.451)
1988- 68-93 (.422)
1987- 78-84 (.481)
1986- 67-95 (.414)

1993-2002-
2002- 93-69 (.574)
2001- 116-46 (.716)
2000- 91-71 (.562)
1999- 79-83 (.488)
1998- 76-85 (.472)
1997- 90-72 (.556)
1996- 85-76 (.528)
1995- 79-66 (.545)
1994- 49-63 (.438)
1993- 82-80 (.506)

IN tampa they didnt have the talent. The Cubs fans are very lucky to have Piniella. Having a manager with that passion is the best thing for the Cubs. He will win the World Series in his stay with the Cubbies. Mark my words.

[boomboom]

                  Atlanta        486  257  229   .529
                  NewYorkM       709  286  420   .405
                  NewYorkY      1780 1079  699   .607
                  St.Louis       706  351  354   .498
+----+-----------+--------+---+-----+----+----+------+------+
      TOTAL                     3681 1973 1702   .537

Torre record.

[ohms_law]

bah

managerial "records" are about as meaningfull as a pitcher's win-loss record.
I suppose that the only change that the Mariner's made between '92 and '93 onword was hiring Lou Piniella?

What are the general manager's records? how come you never hear about "so-and-so, GM of the such-and-such has a .601 winning percentage?"

ps.: yes, the Cubs would be better with A-Rod. all the hyperbolie aside, A-rod is one of the best players of all time. sure, he's too greedy, and he's very streaky (1-15, then 14-15, etc...), but you can't argue with his overall stats.

[boomboom]

Well, GM stand pat, came aboard in the 2000 season...

What about seasons 93-99, That put seattle on the Baseball world map.

Piniella has passion. He makes a team better....

[ohms_law]

Can you find a Tampa Bay fan that agrees with you?

[FRENCHREDSOX]

Can you find a Tampa Bay fan that agrees with you?

Firstly - do TB have any ?


Secondly the thing is Piniella has been out of baseball since TB & his TB experience was "average" - cubs will get a good manager but one who will want to win now & viewing their record & roster the 'Tribune' had better spend big otherwise there is going to be trouble.

Thirdly even if they get A-Rod the cost will be phenomenal - at least Ramirez (if he stays) & possibly 2 pitchers (talk of Marshall & may be Zambrano)

A-Rod is good but losing your best hitter & pitcher would already condemn Chicago to an average season

[dps]

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, Pinella is the same as other recent Cubs managerial hires--an older manager who has had some success elsewhere. So far, that success hasn't transferred over to the Cubs to any great extent. On the other hand, I do agree that he's a good manager, and since the Cubs front offices seems to think that the talent level on the team is good enough that they should be contending, I understand why they'd not want to take a chance on a relative unexperienced manager.

Bottom line is that I don't think that the team is as good as they seem to think they are, and unless/untill the upgrade the talent level, no manager is going to win big there.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

I'm of two minds about this. On the one hand, Pinella is the same as other recent Cubs managerial hires--an older manager who has had some success elsewhere. So far, that success hasn't transferred over to the Cubs to any great extent. On the other hand, I do agree that he's a good manager, and since the Cubs front offices seems to think that the talent level on the team is good enough that they should be contending, I understand why they'd not want to take a chance on a relative unexperienced manager.

Bottom line is that I don't think that the team is as good as they seem to think they are, and unless/untill the upgrade the talent level, no manager is going to win big there.

Managers play with what they are given - in the last 5 years since the famous Post season the Cubs have slowly slid down the average Central (its not as if they have to play 1/3 of their games against the red Sox or Yankees)

maybe the problem lies neither with the manager or the owners (they have a top 10 payroll) but their GM & his deals - look at what they got for Sosa,Garciaparra,Maddux,Walker etc - the return has been pretty poor & now it looks like they will lose Pierre as well...

[BaseballSultan]

Well, GM stand pat, came aboard in the 2000 season...

What about seasons 93-99, That put seattle on the Baseball world map.

Piniella has passion. He makes a team better....

Sorry my friend, Seatlle doesn't really stand out on the Baseball world map for many fans. Sure you had Hall of Famers like Alvin Davis and Henry Cotto and then a whole legion of fans sipping Starbucks instead of beer at games.

What a baseball city!

All joking aside (and I was joking) I think that Piniella will clash with some of the hotheads in the Cubbies clubhouse and he will alienate the media quite early.

If the Cubs ever traded either Zambrano or Marshall to get A-Rod then I would pour a half-caf double extra strong decaf chocolate shaken (not stirred) triple strong al-pacino and set myself on fire.

A-Rod, even if traded for, has an out clause in 07, 08 and maybe 09. I was listening to his agent's statements yesterday. A-Rod can opt out at the end of a season from now on. So who would want him with that uncertainty??? NOt US!!

Don Zimmer would be a better coach right now for the Cubs than Lou.

The Sultan

[FRENCHREDSOX]

If the Cubs ever traded either Zambrano or Marshall to get A-Rod then I would pour a half-caf double extra strong decaf chocolate shaken (not stirred) triple strong al-pacino and set myself on fire.

A-Rod, even if traded for, has an out clause in 07, 08 and maybe 09. I was listening to his agent's statements yesterday. A-Rod can opt out at the end of a season from now on. So who would want him with that uncertainty??? NOt US!!

But Piniella is his "spiritual" DAD & he wants star power (after his Tampa stint) do not be surprised if he does end up playing SS at Wrigley


Big decision in all this is Ramirez - if he walks then you know the Cubs will go after A-Rod

[disposablehero]

A-Rod isnt going anywhere, but the new Yankee stadium.

there's absolutely no reason to trade one of the top 3 hitters in the league and im confident Cashman, Torre, and George all see that. dont believe the hype.

[QHowes]

I would rather have Girardi managing my team than Lou. Also I dont think Lou will get them to the post-season unless he can find a way to keep Mark Prior and Kerry Wood on the mound.