As expected, San Francisco announced today that manager Felipe Alou would not return to the club after completing his 4 year contract with the close of the 2006 campaign.

Alou compiled a 342-304 mark and coped with the twin indignities of the Sultan Of Surly circus, and having a radio host on the Giants’ flagship station claim his mind “has turned to cream of wheat.”

The SF Chronicle’s Henry Schulman reviews the potential replacements :

The Giants are expected to conduct a thorough search for a manager, unlike 2002, when Alou was the only candidate interviewed.

Candidates are expected to include longtime major-league manager Lou Piniella, former Giants catcher and Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly, Angels pitching coach and former Giants pitcher Bud Black, longtime Giants bench coach Ron Wotus and perhaps former manager Dusty Baker, if some burned bridges can be reconstructed.

Piniella, Brenly, Black and Wotus all have told confidants they would be interested in talking to the Giants if Alou departs.

The Red Sox have fired hitting coach Ron Jackson and pitching coach Dave Wallace. I don’t know who the Losing V-Tek To Injury coach is, but presumably his job is safe.