NEW YORK, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Art Howe, who guided the small-market Oakland Athletics to three straight postseason berths, reportedly is getting a chance to manage the big boys by becoming the next skipper of the New York Mets.
The three major daily newspapers in New York Thursday reported the hiring. The New York Daily News, citing an unidentified source, first reported Wednesday night that the Mets have signed Howe to a four-year, $9.4 million contract.
The report said Howe and his agent arrived in New York late Tuesday and spent most of the day Wednesday negotiating with Mets management.
Commissioner Bud Selig has prohibited teams from making any announcement about managerial hirings during the World Series.
Also, New York Newsday reported that Seattle Manager Lou Piniella, the Mets' top choice to replace the fired Bobby Valentine, has agreed to a four-year, $13-million deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Ken Macha, Howe's bench coach in Oakland, has agreed to a multiyear deal to replace him with Oakland for close to $1 million annually.
Since the firing of Valentine on Oct. 1, the Mets expressed strong interest in Piniella, a Tampa resident and native. He had told the Mariners that he would not return because he wanted to work closer to home.
That gave the inside track on Piniella to the Devil Rays, who reached an agreement with the Mariners on a compensation package for Piniella, something the Mets were unable to do.
The Mets then turned their attention to Howe, who has one year at $1.5 million remaining on his contract with the A's.
According to Newsday, sources indicated that Howe, who turns 56 in December, was deemed by Oakland executives as being "too passive," but was seen to be a safe hire for the Mets when they failed to land Piniella.
The New York Times reported Howe Wednesday was praised by Giants Manager Dusty Baker, who called him "a very good teacher," and said he had helped build good teams in both Houston and Oakland.
"I think it's kind of sad that Art goes through the tough times with these teams and helps build and train these young men how to play, then sometimes doesn't get to enjoy the fruits of his harvest," Baker said. "Art Howe is a good manager. I like Art. If that's what he wants, I hope he gets it."
Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said: "I have as much respect for Art Howe as I do anybody in this game. I think that anyone that has followed the A's on a daily basis probably realizes what a steadying influence Art is and what an incredible job he's done with this club in his tenure in Oakland."
For the third straight year under Howe, the Athletics reached the postseason, but did not win a playoff series, going 0-6 in clincher games.
