NEW YORK -- Lou Piniella may not be out of work very long.

Piniella's decision ...

Piniella made up his mind to leave Seattle in the final week of the season. That's when he and his wife, Anita, who was visiting him here, got a phone call from Tampa, Fla., where they live, informing them that their daughter, Kristi, and her daughter, Kassidy, 4, were involved in a traffic accident. Neither was injured, but the accident set off alarm bells in Piniella's head. On Monday, the Mariners told Piniella he was free to resign as manager if compensation could be worked out with another team, or retire if it was not. Piniella, 59, confirmed the accident involving his granddaughter had a lot to do with his decision to seek a managerial job on the East Coast closer to his family in Florida. ''It played a big part in my decision,'' Piniella said by telephone in an interview published Tuesday in The Seattle Times. ''But over the years, it's been really tougher and tougher on Anita.'' In June 2001, Anita lost her father, a man with whom Piniella was close. He took four days away from the team and went home to be with his family. Piniella's own father was hospitalized during spring training last year, and again he left the team for a few days. ''You know, I might have managed another year there if family situations had not become more critical for me,'' he said. ''It all comes down to the distance. ''I could never get home without possibly affecting the team. If I'm closer I can get home on an off-day occasionally. I'm a long-term guy, but I couldn't consider coming back, not any more, not with that distance.'' One of Piniella's best friends in Seattle and a close confidant, Gary Mack, died last week. For years, Mack was the coordinator of the Mariners' employee-assistance program. Mack's death showed Piniella his own mortality. ''He wasn't even as old as me, and I miss him,'' Piniella said. ''But that, along with other things, drives home the fact that life's too short.'' -- The Associated Press

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

Mariners president Chuck Armstrong spoke with New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon and Tampa Bay Devil Rays managing general partner Vince Naimoli but made no deals involving outgoing manager Piniella.

"No agreements were reached,'' Mariners spokesman Tim Hevly said.

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 be able to adequately compensate the Mariners for allowing him to manage elsewhere.

The New York Mets, however, are another story.

Although the team owes ex-manager Bobby Valentine $2.7 million for the final year of his contract, Wilpon wants a high-profile individual with a background as a winner as the next bench boss. That comes with a high price tag.

Piniella fits that profile, managing Cincinnati to the World Series championship 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 likely want at least three years at $3 million. That's well beyond the Tampa Bay budget.

The Mariners said they'd listen to the Mets and Devil Rays and the conversation could be compelling. On Tuesday night, Armstrong said a third team he would not identify asked for permission to interview Piniella. In its statement releasing Piniella from his last year, Seattle included an important provision.

"The Mariners will seek to negotiate reasonable compensation from such clubs in exchange for releasing Lou from his employment contract,'' the team said.

That means players and/or cash.

According to the New York Daily News, Mets owner Fred Wilpon has said that top Mets prospects, like pitchers Aaron Heilman and Scott Kazmir and shortstop Jose Reyes, would not be included. The Mariners are supposed to come up with a list by Wednesday of potential prospects they would like in a deal.

Mariners sources, quoted in the Daily News, said Seattle might attempt to include Piniella's rights in a trade that would also send third baseman Jeff Cirillo to the Mets for "middle of the road" prospects.

The Mets have an opening at third base since Edgardo Alfonzo's contract has expired. Cirillo has three years left on a four-year, $28.5 million contract.

Whatever the combination, and if the Mets are the prime suitor for Piniella, commissioner Bud Selig wants the sides to work out compensation as quickly as possible. The New York Post reported Wednesday that Selig does not want Piniella's job situation overshadowing the World Series, which begins Saturday.

Selig refused comment when reached by the newspaper.

On Tuesday, the Mets confirmed that Wilpon had spoken with Armstrong to request permission to talk with Piniella.

Armstrong told the Mets that permission would be granted after the teams agree to a compensation package and that he would get back to Wilpon quickly.

"Assuming an agreement on compensation is reached, it is expected that Piniella will be interviewed shortly thereafter,'' the Mets said in a statement.

The Devil Rays also confirmed contact with the Mariners.

"Obviously, the next step is to talk with Seattle (about compensation),'' Tampa Bay general manager Chuck LaMar said. "Outside of that, I'd rather not comment at this time.''

Meanwhile, both teams interviewed other candidates on Tuesday.

The Mets talked with Oakland bench coach Ken Macha and ex-Philadelphia Phillies manager Terry Francona. The Devil Rays met with Bill Evers, manager of their Triple-A team in Durham.

Tampa talked with coaches Billy Hatcher and Tom Foley last week. The Devil Rays have also talked New York Yankees coaches Willie Randolph and Lee Mazzilli. Randolph was interviewed by the Mets last week and is also a candidate in Milwaukee. Macha, who has talked with the Chicago Cubs, will meet with the Devil Rays on Friday.

So far, Piniella hasn't talked to anybody other than the Mariners and that was to leave his job, not get one.

Piniella has said he probably wouldn't return to Seattle even if he's not hired by another team. He told The Seattle Times several recent problems in his family, including an auto accident involving his daughter and granddaughter, strengthened his resolve to live closer to Florida.

If he doesn't find another job Piniella wouldn't be paid the $2.5 million that is due in the final year of his three-year, $6.8 million contact.

"He would not be paid because under contract law, he would be withholding his services,'' Armstrong said.

Information from the Associated Press is included in this report