Lou Piniella

Piniella vs. the curse Paul Sullivan Chicago Tribune We were nearing the end of Lou Piniella's first spring training as Cubs manager when we saw him conversing with a Japanese TV reporter near the Cubs dugout at HoHoKam Park. All of a sudden, Piniella started shouting "I don't believe in curses," and stepped on a stuffed animal that was supposed to represent a billy goat, grounding it into the dirt with his right foot. We were all shocked. As it turned out, Piniella, and later Ernie Banks, had been asked to snuff out the curse for a Japanese TV show.

Piniella vs. the curse Paul Sullivan Chicago Tribune We were nearing the end of Lou Piniella's first spring training as Cubs manager when we saw him conversing with a Japanese TV reporter near the Cubs dugout at HoHoKam Park. All of a sudden, Piniella started shouting "I don't believe in curses," and stepped on a stuffed animal that was supposed to represent a billy goat, grounding it into the dirt with his right foot. We were all shocked. As it turned out, Piniella, and later Ernie Banks, had been asked to snuff out the curse for a Japanese TV show.

"I don't know him, but the guy basically, he's a winner. He's a character. He has obviously got the resources." Lou Piniella Chicago Cubs manager, on Mark Cuban's interest in buying the club.

LOS ANGELES - For the first two games of the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will head back to Philadelphia, the site of a four-game sweep in late August that started a season-worst eight-game losing streak for the Dodgers. But memories of Philadelphia don't necessarily elicit negative emotions for the Dodgers, who were outscored 27-5 by the Phillies in that series. Because of the beatings they absorbed, the players say, they found out how much manager Joe Torre believed in them.

He said it "Before they ask any questions, let me interject one thing: We'll be back here to play Game 6." Lou Piniella, Mariners manager, after falling behind 2-0 in the ALCS against the Yankees. He said it "He doesn't need any help. He gets out of bed and hits." Mark Grace, Diamondbacks first baseman, on team mate Luis Gonzalez, who was the only player not to show up at an optional workout.

On deck The Twins will broadcast their first game in Spanish tomorrow, with former star Tony Oliva as the analyst. He said it "You're not going to win the division just because you win the series. Let me emphasize this is just July." Lou Piniella, manager of the AL West-leading Mariners who play the second-place Angels this weekend

Quote: "If it were [the Mariners'] Lou Piniella [managing], he'd take [Alex] Rodriguez. If it were [the Yankees'] Joe Torre, he'd take [Derek] Jeter. If it were me, I'd take Nomar [Garciaparra]. You can't go wrong with any of them." -- Red Sox manager Jimy Williams, on AL All-Star shortstop selections.It's a fact: Tony Fernandez's double last night was his 1,319th hit as a Blue Jay, tying him with Lloyd Moseby for most hits in franchise history.Who's hot: The Red Sox's Nomar Garciaparra had three hits last night to extend his hitting streak to 24 games.

I'll have to say, I'm a little surprised that Dan doesn't think the Cubs and the Red Sox are going to meet in the World Series this year. It's the matchup everybody wants to see, and there are certain karmic forces at work to make sure everybody gets to see it. OK, maybe not everybody wants to see it. I'm sure there are some Yankees fans who don't want to watch the Red Sox play in the Series, but nobody outside Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards really cares...

Last year, Buck Showalter was the first New York Yankee to be honored as Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America.The Yankees were 70-43 and finished the strike-shortened season in first place in the American League East.This year, the Yankees are 10 1/2 games back of the Boston Red Sox and one game back in the wild-card race.Showalter's job may be in jeopardy. But he is still in first place with his players."He knows baseball," said first baseman Don Mattingly."He's a good man to play for," said outfielder Darryl Strawberry.

LOS ANGELES - For the first two games of the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers will head back to Philadelphia, the site of a four-game sweep in late August that started a season-worst eight-game losing streak for the Dodgers. But memories of Philadelphia don't necessarily elicit negative emotions for the Dodgers, who were outscored 27-5 by the Phillies in that series. Because of the beatings they absorbed, the players say, they found out how much manager Joe Torre believed in them.

I'll have to say, I'm a little surprised that Dan doesn't think the Cubs and the Red Sox are going to meet in the World Series this year. It's the matchup everybody wants to see, and there are certain karmic forces at work to make sure everybody gets to see it. OK, maybe not everybody wants to see it. I'm sure there are some Yankees fans who don't want to watch the Red Sox play in the Series, but nobody outside Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards really cares...

Wednesday's 18-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels hardly evoked memories of past Orioles glory, but for a moment at least, manager Dave Trembley channeled predecessor Earl Weaver. After a seemingly blown call at second base in the fourth inning, Trembley stormed out to argue and was quickly ejected. But before leaving, he drew a line in the sand with his cleats and motioned as if he were ejecting umpire Paul Emmel. The blowup gave Orioles fans a rare reason to cheer. Trembley, however, will have to manage a long time or show a much hotter temper to join these kings of the on-field outburst: Earl Weaver - The greatest skipper in Orioles history was also the most-ejected manager in American League history (97 times)

"I don't know him, but the guy basically, he's a winner. He's a character. He has obviously got the resources." Lou Piniella Chicago Cubs manager, on Mark Cuban's interest in buying the club.

Piniella says he might stick with TV gig Lou Piniella is having so much fun with his postseason TV gig that he's considering spending the 2006 season in the booth. "I might be doing this next year," Piniella told the Associated Press yesterday before working the Fox Sports broadcast for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Angel Stadium. "It's not for sure - nothing's for sure. I like it. I'm enjoying this." Piniella, 62, parted ways with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays earlier this month after three difficult seasons as manager.

PREDICTING the Orioles' future is about as easy as spotting Robert Frost poetry in a bowl of alphabet soup. But it's certainly possible, perhaps even likely, that the future manager of the Orioles will be on the field tonight at Camden Yards. I just can't tell you which dugout he's sitting in. On the third base side, wearing a Tampa Bay Devil Rays cap - at least for the next three weeks - is Lou Piniella. Across the diamond is his understudy and friend, Sam Perlozzo, the Orioles' interim manager.

APPARENTLY, the Orioles were as eager as their fans to get back into the swing of things. A rainout in Boston and a day off meant 48 hours of jet cooling. What a waste of a five-game winning streak, especially one capped by a 20-hit, 11-8 comeback win at Fenway on Tuesday night that begged for a quickie encore. We are relieved to report that the fun never stops at the fun factory. Last night, leadoff hitter Brian Roberts sliced a hard liner to left field to start the game. Up next, Melvin Mora pushed another one of his masterpiece bunts down the third base line.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Lou Piniella looks relaxed and very much at home in a Tampa Bay Devil Rays uniform, which only makes sense if you know a little bit about Lou Piniella. It's easy to be relaxed when you have nothing to prove. What other living manager has won 116 games in the regular season? Who else could enter a season with a perennial losing franchise with so little concern about his job security? The target for 2003: 70 victories. Talk about a case of diminished expectations.

On deck The Twins will broadcast their first game in Spanish tomorrow, with former star Tony Oliva as the analyst. He said it "You're not going to win the division just because you win the series. Let me emphasize this is just July." Lou Piniella, manager of the AL West-leading Mariners who play the second-place Angels this weekend