Chicago Cubs fans were to honor Atlanta Braves Manager Bobby Cox who was making his final appearance at Wrigley Field today. In surprise fashion, they also found themselves bidding fond farewell to their own manager, Lou Piniella.

Earlier today, Piniella informed the Cubs organization that today would be his last in the Cubs dugout as the manager. Piniella cited personal obligations as the reason for his abrupt departure.

After analyzing his mother’s condition, it became clear to Lou that his mind was not on baseball and the time had come for him to step aside, rather than wait until the end of the season.

“When Lou has been up here he has wanted to be with this mother. When he has been down in Florida with her, he has wanted to be with the club,” Cubs owner Tom Ricketts told some fans during the game.

“I wish we had known earlier so we could have done something more special for him.” – Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts.

The Cubs had already planned a tribute to Cox before today’s game and quickly added a tribute for Piniella to include this afternoon. The crowd gave Piniella a standing ovation, which he acknowledged, that perhaps overshadowed the tribute to Cox.

Piniella held two emotional press conferences – one before the game and one after the Cubs 16-5 loss to the Braves. In his post game press conference, he apologized to the media for being so emotional, and started to cry.

“This is the last time I’ll be putting on a uniform. It was a day to remember and a day to forget.”

Piniella said he will remember the good times he had at Wrigley. He will remember the players, the fans, and the staff. He wished Mike Quade, who now takes over as manager for the rest of the season, well, and he admitted that no one who hasn’t been part of the Cubs organization before could imagine what it was like to be part of it.

Piniella also said that he noticed things in and around Wrigley he hadn’t noticed before, though he wasn’t specific when asked what those things were. “I wasn’t daydreaming,” he said. “I was noticing things I hadn’t noticed before.”

Fans can’t help but wish Lou well in his retirement. While there were many Lou bashers the past year, all Cubs fans will remember that he did take the team to the playoffs two consecutive years.

“We’ve raised the bar here,” Piniella said. “The fans expect better.”

In a press release Piniella said, “As I said last month, I couldn’t be more appreciative of the Cubs organization for providing me the opportunity to be their manager. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world and I consider this the ultimate way to end my managerial career.”

Used with permission of the author.

Miriam Romain is a Chicago-based sportswriter and national columnist covering the Chicago Cubs for Examiner.com. The Windy City native is also the Associate Editor for SBNation Chicago and has been published in the Maple Street Press Cubs annuals. In her free time, Romain is working on a book titled “Summers At Wrigley With My Dad.”

Copyright © 2010 Sports Climax, LLC

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Chicago Cubs Manager Lou Piniella will be retiring after this season ends. In making his statement today, Piniella said via press release,

“I couldn’t be more appreciative of the Cubs organization for providing me the opportunity to manage this ball club. I’ve had four wonderful years here that I wouldn’t trade fro anything in the world. I’ve grown to love the city and the fans, but at my age, it will be time to enter a new phase in my life. It will enable me to spend more valuable time with my family – my wife, my kids and my grandchildren. God has blessed me to have been able to work this many years in the game that I love.”

Piniella said that by announcing his intentions now, it would give General Manager Jim Hendry time to find the next Cubs manager, and not have to do so in secret. Piniella also said that while he will retire, his job has not ended and he wants to continue to win as many games as possible.

“I want to keep the momentum going more than anything else and win as many games as we can to get back in this pennant race. I’m going to give every effort I have to help this team win and that will remain my sole focus through the rest of the season,” he said.

Piniella is only one of five managers to win at least three Manager of the Year Awards, including one in 2008 with the Cubs. He will retire with the 14th most wins by a manager in major league history. He is the first Cubs manager in more than 70 years to have a record of .500 or better in each of his first three seasons leading the Cubs.

So now the question really becomes, who will be the next Cubs manager? Will it be Ryne Sandberg? Will it be Joe Girardi? Will it be Joe Torre? All three names have been mentioned in recent weeks as successor to Piniella. It’s up to Jim Hendry to make a decision.

Used with permission of the author.

Miriam Romain is a Chicago-based sportswriter and national columnist covering the Chicago Cubs for Examiner.com. The Windy City native is also the Associate Editor for SBNation Chicago and has been published in the Maple Street Press Cubs annuals. In her free time, Romain is working on a book titled “Summers At Wrigley With My Dad.”

Copyright © 2010 Sports Climax, LLC