Lou Piniella has repeatedly said Chicago will be his last stop no matter if the Yankees' job is available. "He's extraordinarily happy managing the Cubs," said Alan Nero, Piniella's agent. "I can't see any circumstance in which Lou is not in a Cubs' uniform next year." Rumors that Piniella craved the Yankees' job began last October when New York was ousted by Detroit in the division series, and Piniella was still working as an analyst for Fox. Last February in Mesa, Ariz., after having become the Cubs' manager, Piniella admitted he didn't want to see Steinbrenner at the time, fearing a meeting would feed the rumor mill. Now talk of Torre's job security has surfaced again, and Piniella's name popped up last week. "Last year it was the same controversy," Nero said. "Lou is not interested in upsetting Joe. He took the Cubs' job in good faith, and he's not at all unhappy. There's nothing to it."