Lou Piniella is staying right in the baseball mix. The longtime manager told The Associated Press on Wednesday he has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants to work as a special assistant for the World Series champions. Sweet Lou will report to general manager Brian Sabean. "I took a little consulting job with the Giants," Piniella said in a telephone interview from his home in Florida. "It's a done deal. I look forward to it. Brian and I are good friends. Whatever Brian needs me to do." Sabean confirmed Piniella's hiring Wednesday afternoon once the contract was completed. The 67-year-old Piniella retired as a manager during the 2010 season with the Chicago Cubs in order to return home to Tampa, Fla., and help his ailing mother, 91-year-old Margaret. He was with her Wednesday in the hospital after she underwent a procedure and reported she is hanging in there. "He's certainly a great addition because of the baseball acumen he has but also his personality," Sabean said. "We'll have a lot of fun working together, plus he knows a lot of guys in the organization." Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6082551
