(Lou hops on the satellite radio bandwagon)
While Lou Piniella covered a big league barnstorming exhibition in Detroit, all eyes in baseball, as they do every October, turned to Chicago Cub promises for “next year.”
”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.
Well Lou, one reason the NL Central is potentially weak is that the Cubs are always in it. What will decide me on the Cubs and Piniella will probably circle around Kerry Wood and the pitching staff. Insiders are already predicting Larry Rothschild and Piniella can work together, despite the fact that Kerry Wood and his vintage 2002 pitching arm (Hendry should put it in E-Bay) remains in the Cub clubhouse. Hopefully Piniella will get rid of Baker’s headaches but fast. Then again, if he listens to Jay Mariotti today, who advises a) he not take the job and b) he should hire A-Rod if he does, Piniella will at least be guaranteeing a smooth transition of soap opera to Chicago sports. A-Rod and Lou could be the Sammy-Dusty combo we’ve been missing all these years.