Cubs pick up 2010 contract option for Piniella

Sep 30, 2008 - 10:40 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Before the Chicago Cubs begin their latest quest to end a 100-year World Series drought, they know they will have their manager back regardless of how the postseason turns out.

The Cubs on Tuesday picked up Lou Piniella's contract option for 2010, ending speculation that he would retire at the end of the season.

"It's not fair to put all the expectations of all the past failures here and all the past successes here on the 2008 team," Piniella said. "You let this team stand on its own merit, and you let them do what they can do as well as they can do and let them go as far as they can. "

Piniella, 65, signed a three-year, $10 million contract with the Cubs following the 2006 season. According to the Chicago Tribune, his option is believed to be worth $4 million.

"We've had a lot of conversations on players, and he's been a tremendous asset in the player development department," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "I've never seen a manager handle guys that come up in the system better than he has."

The Cubs, who are a prohibitive favorite to reach the World Series, open their National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. Chicago finished the regular season with a 97-64 record, the best mark in the NL.

"We got through injuries, got through a couple losing streaks, and he deserves all the credit for that," Hendry added. "He played the entire ballclub, played the bench on a regular basis, platooned people with great success."

The Cubs won their second straight NL Central Division title and are making consecutive postseason appearances for the first time since 1908, the year of their last World Series victory. Chicago has not played in the Fall Classic since 1945.

The Cubs also are eager to make amends for last season, when they were swept in the division series by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"This team has played hard all year, they've treated the people of Chicago to a (darn) good season of baseball and, believe me, they all want to win as much as I do, but the problem is there's only one team that can win," Piniella said. "For people to say that this team is built for the World Series and, if it doesn't win the World Series, it's not a successful year, I just don't buy that."

Piniella is making his 12th appearance in the postseason and seventh as a manager. He won World Series titles as a player with the New York Yankees in 1977 and 1978 and managed the Cincinnati Reds to a World Series crown in 1990.

"He is not out for anything but to win," Cubs rookie pitcher Jeff Samardzija said. "He doesn't need to prove himself. The only thing he's concerned about is winning."

Piniella joins Dick Williams, who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, as the only managers to win at least 90 games with four different teams. He also reached that mark with the Yankees, Reds and Seattle Mariners.

The 97 wins were the second-highest total of Piniella's career, topped only in 2001, when his Mariners tied a major league record with 116 victories.