Piniella’s Next Stop Could Be New York

Lou Piniella may not be out of work very long.

After releasing Piniella from the final year of his contract because he wants to work closer to home, the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday fielded calls from other teams interested in talking with their former manager.

If he really wants a short commute from his Florida home, the Tampa Bay job is open. However, it’s unlikely the budget-conscious Devil Rays would be able to pay him enough or compensate the Mariners enough for letting him manage elsewhere.

The New York Mets, however, are another story.

Although the team owes former Manager Bobby Valentine $2.7 million for the final year of his contract, owner Fred Wilpon wants a high-profile individual with a background as a winner as the next bench boss.

Piniella fits that profile, managing Cincinnati to the World Series title in 1990 and Seattle to a record 116 victories in 2001.

He also has New York roots, with two terms as manager of the Yankees, a team he played with for 11 seasons.

Piniella won’t come cheap. He was due to make $2.5 million with the Mariners next season and would probably want at least three years at $3 million.

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Kirk Gibson returned to the Detroit Tigers, joining Manager Alan Trammell’s staff as a bench coach on one of the teams he led to a World Series title.

Gibson, who also helped the Dodgers win the 1988 World Series, signed a three-year deal with the team.

The Tigers also have hired former Detroit catcher Lance Parrish as bullpen coach and retained Juan Samuel as a third base coach. Both signed two-year contracts.

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The Chicago White Sox invoked a contract clause that drastically reduces Frank Thomas’ salary, clearing the way for the two-time MVP to become a free agent.

The White Sox sent Thomas a letter Oct. 6 saying they were invoking a “diminished skills” clause in his contract, a lawyer with knowledge of the talks said on condition of anonymity. That clause would reduce his base pay to $250,000, and defer most of his nearly $10-million salary.

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The Toronto Blue Jays hired Tony LaCava, an Angel scout from 1989 to 1999, as an assistant general manager.... The Milwaukee Brewers interviewed Cecil Cooper, the team’s bench coach this season, for their vacant managerial position. Arizona Diamondback coach Bob Melvin and Yankee coach Willie Randolph also have been interviewed.