Friday, October 27, 2000
Mariners make offer to Piniella
The Associated Press
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners made a contract offer to manager Lou Piniella on Thursday.
CEO Howard Lincoln, former CEO John Ellis, team president Chuck Armstrong and general manager Pat Gillick met with Piniella in Tampa, Fla., where Piniella lives during the offseason.
“During the course of the meeting, we extended to Lou a new contract offer,” Lincoln said in a statement released by the Mariners. “Lou is considering it and will get back to us.”
“It was a very productive meeting,” Lincoln said.
The telephone at Piniella's home in Tampa was not answered despite repeated calls. Alan Nero of Chicago, Piniella's agent, did not return phone calls from The Associated Press.
The Mariners would not give the amount or length of the contract offer.
Piniella said during the season that money was his top priority in securing what he believed was going to be his final managerial contract.
He managed the Mariners into the AL championship series this season, his eighth year in Seattle.
The Seattle Times said it is believed Piniella is seeking an average of $2 million a year, which would put him among the three- or four top-paid managers. He reportedly earned $1.3 million this season.
The Reds, Toronto, Los Angeles, Arizona and Philadelphiaare looking for managers. Piniella managed the Reds to victory in the 1990 World Series.
The Mariners' brass took Piniella and his wife, Anita, to dinner Wednesday night in Tampa.
“Last night we had a very pleasant dinner and this morning we had excellent discussions on a wide number of issues,” Lincoln said in his statement.
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