Seattle Reportedly Picks Piniella

Lou Piniella, former manager of the Cincinnati Reds, has accepted a three-year contract as manager of the Seattle Mariners, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Saturday.

A team official would not confirm or deny the report. Mariner spokesman Dave Aust, however, said former major league manager Doug Rader interviewed for the vacant job Saturday.

An unidentified source close to Piniella told the newspaper he would be introduced as the Mariners’ 10th manager at a Monday news conference. Aust, speaking from Arizona, said there were no plans for a news conference.

Piniella could not be reached for comment.