Billy Martin Fired 4th Time; Yankees Give Job to Piniella

In a move they actually decided a month ago, the New York Yankees dismissed Billy Martin as their manager for an unprecedented fourth time Sunday, and named batting coach Lou Piniella as his replacement.

The firing made the Yankees’ long and rocky relationship with the controversial Martin unique in baseball annals. No other major league manager has ever been fired four times by the same club.

Piniella rises to the helm as the 14th managerial change for the Yankees since George Steinbrenner took over primary ownership of the team from CBS in 1973.

“Lou has become one of our most popular players,” Yankee General Manager Clyde King said in a prepared statement. He made the announcement jointly with Woody Woodward, Yankee vice president of baseball administration.

“He (Piniella) has been through all the pressure situations,” King said. “He is an accomplished teacher.”

Steinbrenner turned the final decision on Martin’s fate over to King several weeks ago.

King said that he and Woodward had called Steinbrenner earlier in the day, and had told him of their decision. Steinbrenner said he was very happy about his new manager.

Piniella also was happy, and sad, too.

“I’m happy the organization gave me the opportunity to manage this team, and at the same time I’m sad that I’m taking it over from a man who taught me a whole lot,” Piniella said.

King said Piniella’s contract will run for one year.

“We had talked about the possibility of a two-year contract,” the new Yankee manager admitted, but stopped short of saying that the Yankees had insisted on only one year.

Coaches Jeff Torborg in the bullpen and Gene Michael at third base will be retained, Piniella said.

Martin had said many times before that his contract with the Yankees still has some time to run, but King said he had no knowledge about that. He was not able to shed any light on what Martin’s title, if any, would be now that he had been deposed as manager again.

Steinbrenner had expressed his displeasure with Martin because several of the Yankee players were present in a Baltimore bar the night before Martin became involved in a brawl with Yankee pitcher Ed Whitson during the final days of the season.

The Yankees had pretty well made up their minds that there was going to be a managerial change before that and Martin sensed it. He also showed his feelings by making such remarks as: “You guys will miss me when I’m gone,” to the press.

Piniella, 42, played for the Yankees as an outfielder and designated hitter for 11 seasons. He started his major league career in Kansas City in 1969, and was traded to the Yankees in 1973.