Thu, Oct 02, 2008 page19

• Sport Briefs

  • AGENCIES
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  BASEBALL

  Cubs to stick with Piniella

  The Chicago Cubs picked up their US$4 million option on manager Lou Piniella’s contract for 2010 on Tuesday, a day before the National League Central division champions open the major league playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 65-year-old Piniella guided the Cubs to a 97-64 record, the best mark in the NL. “I’m thankful and I look forward to a couple more years,” he said. “I should be tired, but as long as I have the passion, why not?” Piniella signed a three-year, US$10 million deal with a club option after the Cubs went 66-96 in 2006 under Dusty Baker. The Cubs have gone 182-141 in two seasons under Piniella, winning consecutive division titles for the first time since 1906-08, which ended with the Cubs’ last World Series title.

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  BASEBALL

  Cashman stays Yanks’ boss

  Brian Cashman will retain his role as general manager and senior vice-president of the New York Yankees until the end of the 2011 season, the team said on Tuesday. This month, the Yankees ended a 13-year streak of playoff appearances and Cashman’s contract was scheduled to expire at the end of next month. Cashman signed a three-year deal for around US$5.5 million in October 2005 and he is expected to receive a similar contract to keep him at the club for another three seasons. New York last missed the post-season in 1993, a year before a strike wiped out the 1994 playoffs.

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  BASEBALL

  MLB names comeback kids

  Pitchers Cliff Lee of the Cleveland Indians and Brad Lidge of the Philadelphia Phillies were honored as Major League Baseball’s comeback players of the year on Tuesday. Lee went 22-3 with an American League-leading 2.54 ERA. The previous season, he was 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA and was demoted to the minor leagues. “I’ve never seen a season like that,” Indians manager Eric Wedge said. “From start to finish he was incredible. There were real reasons for it. He worked hard physically to get back.” Lidge was a perfect 41-of-41 in save opportunities as the Phillies’ closer. Last year, he converted just 19 of 27 for the Houston Astros. “I never lost confidence in myself, no matter what the years were like or the results,” Lidge said. “I always felt I was going to come back and pitch to the best of my ability.”

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  RUGBY

  Japan still wants to host

  Japan, which lost out to New Zealand in the running to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup, will bid to stage the sport’s global showpiece in either 2015 or 2019. The Japan Rugby Football Union said late on Tuesday that it sent a letter of intent to the International Rugby Board (IRB) confirming its interest in both tournaments. The Dublin-based IRB will vote on the hosts next July. “We are bidding to host the Rugby World Cup not just for Japan but for Asia,” union chairman Knobby Massimo said in a statement. “Bringing the Rugby World Cup to Japan and Asia will unlock the potential of rugby as a truly global sport.” Australia, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales have lodged their interest in hosting either the 2015 or 2019 tournaments. Rugby’s governing body said in July that it will award the two tournaments at the same time to allow for “better planning” and “longer-term certainty” for the hosts and commercial partners. Last year’s tournament in France had a record profit of £120 million (US$214 million). The 400,000 additional visitors who attended the tournament helped boost the local economy by 4 billion euros (US$5.6 billion), the IRB said.
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