Relaxed Piniella makes surprise visit

Tanned and rested.

That's how former Mariners manager Lou Piniella described post-managerial life, rattling off his current activities: golf, fishing and skiing.

"I've had nothing to do," joked Piniella, who flew to Seattle to speak Saturday as a surprise guest at Dan Wilson's farewell ceremony.

Piniella, who from 1993 through 2002 was part of the most memorable era in Mariners history, said he hasn't missed managing. After managing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2003 to 2005, Piniella said he hasn't paid much attention to baseball, except for his postseason broadcasting stint with Fox last year. He will continue working in the television booth, making his debut this season for Fox on May 20, working a Cubs-White Sox game.

But Piniella said Saturday he hasn't ruled out returning as a manager.

"I probably would hate to end my career with three losing seasons like I did in Tampa Bay, but we'll see," he said. "We'll see if there are opportunities and we'll weigh them."

He said there's no "perfect scenario" he's looking for, but said he won't manage a developing team.

"I'm interested in managing a team that wants to win, that's interested in winning, now," he said. "I'm older, I'm 62 years old. I'm older and a lot more experienced, but I still enjoy the winning, and obviously, the losses still hurt. If that weren't the case, then you wouldn't want to get involved [again] with baseball on the field.

"You still have to have a little bit of that fire in your belly."

Piniella said he gets "nostalgic" every time he visits Seattle. He said he was happy to help pay tribute to Wilson, who first caught his eye during a spring training when Wilson was a young catcher with the Cincinnati Reds, managed by Piniella.

At Piniella's urging, the Mariners traded for Wilson in 1994.

"Danny's such a great kid to manage," he said. "If all the players you had were Dan Wilson, you'd never have a problem. Dedicated, prepared, intelligent. He didn't cheat you ...

"Where you gonna find a better young man than Dan Wilson?"