PITTSBURGH — When Joe Torre was on the hot seat last October after the New York Yankees’ first-round playoff exit, Lou Piniella was rumored as the likely replacement.
But Yankees owner George Steinbrenner decided to bring Torre back, leaving Piniella to take the Cubs job.
“I’m sorry he had to go through that rigamarole,” Piniella said last October. “There was no need for that.”
Now the Yankees’ awful start has Torre hearing more rumors about being fired, despite a vote of confidence from Steinbrenner. Does Piniella feel any sympathy toward Torre for having to go through this again?
“I feel more for myself than I do for Joe,” Piniella said. “I don’t think he’s too concerned about the Cubs’ situation, is he?”
If Torre is fired, it could help the Cubs’ cause in 2008. Yankees shortstop Alex Rodriguez has an opt-out clause in his contract after 2007, and always has been tight with Piniella, his former manager in Seattle.
Piniella insisted he hadn’t heard about Torre’s problems.
“That I don’t know, because I don’t really read newspapers too much,” he said. “I concern myself with what goes on here.”
Told that Steinbrenner gave Torre a vote of confidence, Piniella said: “There are a lot of expectations over there every year. Yeah, they’ve gotten off to a slow start, but they have a good ballclub and Joe is a good manager. What can I say?”
Staying alive
Piniella is encouraged that the Cubs lost by four or more runs only twice in their first 24 games.
“We’ve been in probably 22 or 23 ballgames,” he said. “The kids are playing hard. We’re just not getting some key hitting in opportune times. … And then we’ve been giving up some long balls late in games that have cost us some wins. Our bullpen, as we speak, doesn’t have a win yet. Who would’ve thought that? All these things will invariably improve and come together.”
Extra innings
Piniella said Wade Miller is working out in the weight room and getting treatment and will start throwing soon. He’s eligible to come off the disabled list May 8, but the Cubs will send him on a rehab stint to the minors and it’s unlikely he will return to the Cubs’ rotation. … Sunday’s tentative starter, Angel Guzman, was rocked Tuesday in his second start at Triple-A Iowa, allowing seven runs on four hits and four walks in three innings.
