lou piniella
photo credit // cubs.com
Chicago, IL -
Embattled Cubs manager Lou Piniella, 67 next week, has elected to call it quits following today's game against the Atlanta Braves. Piniella had previously said he would retire at the end of the 2010 season.
Struggling though the All-Star break in July, the Cubs have tanked in the last several weeks, losing seven of their last ten games and sitting 20.5 games behind the division leading Cincinnati Reds.
Current third base coach Mike Quade will fill the position through the end of the year. According to the Cubs announcement today, Quade, 53, is in his eighth season in the organization. Prior to his time on Lou Piniella's major league staff as third base and outfield coach starting with the 2007 campaign, Quade spent the previous four seasons as manager of Chicago's Triple-A Iowa affiliate (2003-06). He guided the I-Cubs to a 289-279 mark, a pair of first-place finishes and one appearance in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series (2004).
"When I previously announced my intentions to retire at the end of the season, a primary reason for my decision was that it would allow me to spend more valuable time with my family," said Piniella in a statement released by the Cubs. "That time has unfortunately gotten here sooner than I could have ever expected. As many know, the several weeks since that announcement was made have been very difficult on a family level, requiring two leaves of absence from the club. While I fully intended to manage this club the rest of the season, a family situation at home now requires my full attention."
Wrigley Field is located in Lakeview and shares the same neighborhood as Boystown, Chicago's LGBT neighborhood, and in June the Cubs made the bold decision to enlist "Mr. Cub" Ernie Banks to represent the team at the 41st annual Chicago Pride Parade.
The Cubs are the first Major League Baseball team to have an openly gay owner. Openly-gay Laura Ricketts is a member of the Ricketts family which bought the Cubs last year.
Struggling though the All-Star break in July, the Cubs have tanked in the last several weeks, losing seven of their last ten games and sitting 20.5 games behind the division leading Cincinnati Reds.
Current third base coach Mike Quade will fill the position through the end of the year. According to the Cubs announcement today, Quade, 53, is in his eighth season in the organization. Prior to his time on Lou Piniella's major league staff as third base and outfield coach starting with the 2007 campaign, Quade spent the previous four seasons as manager of Chicago's Triple-A Iowa affiliate (2003-06). He guided the I-Cubs to a 289-279 mark, a pair of first-place finishes and one appearance in the Pacific Coast League Championship Series (2004).
"When I previously announced my intentions to retire at the end of the season, a primary reason for my decision was that it would allow me to spend more valuable time with my family," said Piniella in a statement released by the Cubs. "That time has unfortunately gotten here sooner than I could have ever expected. As many know, the several weeks since that announcement was made have been very difficult on a family level, requiring two leaves of absence from the club. While I fully intended to manage this club the rest of the season, a family situation at home now requires my full attention."
Wrigley Field is located in Lakeview and shares the same neighborhood as Boystown, Chicago's LGBT neighborhood, and in June the Cubs made the bold decision to enlist "Mr. Cub" Ernie Banks to represent the team at the 41st annual Chicago Pride Parade.
The Cubs are the first Major League Baseball team to have an openly gay owner. Openly-gay Laura Ricketts is a member of the Ricketts family which bought the Cubs last year.
