Cubs manager Lou Piniella says he is retiring after today's game against the Braves, according to ESPNChicago.com. Piniella, who originally said he would retire at the end of the season, simply could not handle the daily grind anymore. The Sun-Times reports the decision was also due to the declining health of his mother. In that case, family comes first, and I respect his decision.
The Cubs decided to name third base coach Mike Quade, not bench coach Alan Trammell, interim manager for the remainder of the season. Quade, former Triple-A manager for the Cubs, has plenty of major league experience around the league. I would have liked to see Trammell take over as manager, in large part because he is a low-key guy the players respect and need during this transitional phase for the club.