Piniella takes blame for Cubs' disappointing season

Lou Piniella has offered himself up to critics looking to blame somebody for the Chicago Cubs' disappointing season.

"Invariably, when things don't go right, it's always the manager's fault," Piniella said before Thursday's game against the Washington Nationals. "You want to blame me? Take your shots. It doesn't bother me one bit, OK?"

Piniella, who led the Cubs to NL Central titles in each of his first two seasons -- the first time they reached the postseason in consecutive years in a century -- is under contract for 2010 and has said he expects to return.

The sale of the team was just announced, however, so there are many unanswered questions about the future -- especially in light of the club's mediocre performance this season. Chicago is nine games behind St. Louis in the Central and trails four others for the wild card.

"I'm the same manager ... this year as I was last year as I was the year before. Same manager. No different," Piniella said. "When you don't win, somebody's got to stand up and be the scapegoat. And if you all want to say it's the manager, say it's the manager.

"It's fine with me."