Giants Official Press Release

Giants decide not to renew Felipe Alou's contract

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants have decided to not renew manager Felipe Alou's contract for the 2007 season, team Senior Vice President and General Manager Brian Sabean announced today. The club has extended an offer to the longtime Giant to remain in the organization in an advisory role to the general manager and the baseball operations department.

Alou concluded his four-year stint at the helm of the Giants with a 342-304 record, that included a division title in 2003. A member of the original San Francisco Giants team in 1958, the former outfielder is sixth on the win list for SF managers. He became the first skipper in franchise history to make the playoffs in his first year at the helm (2003), while keeping his clubs in contention for the post season until the final week of the season each of the last three years. He also became just the second Giants pilot to win 100 games in his first season, when his 2003 charges became just the ninth team in Major League history to lead their league or division wire-to-wire.

"Tough decisions are always painful, and this one is especially painful," said Sabean. "Felipe (Alou) is a man of unquestioned integrity who has put his heart and soul into the Giants. He endured some injuries to key players over his tenure here and always kept the club in contention despite some difficult circumstances. The Giants were very fortunate to have a man of his stature at the helm of our club over the last four years and I personally thank him for his loyal efforts and significant contributions."

In 13 years as a Major League manager, the 1994 National League Manager of the Year posted a 1,033-1,021-1 ledger and became just the 53rd manager since 1900 to register 1,000 wins. The Haina, Dominican Republic native is the first manager of Latin descent to win 1,000 contests in the big leagues and only the second foreign-born skipper to reach the milestone (Harry Wright, England, 1,000-825).

A Dominican icon, Alou became the first Dominican-born manager in Major League history when he assumed control of the Montreal Expos on May 22, 1992. He was the fourth Latin American head man born in the Caribbean Islands, following Mike Gonzalez (Cuba), Preston Gomez (Cuba) and Cookie Rojas (Cuba). A true pioneer, Alou is just one of 11 managers in the history of Major League Baseball born in Latin America.

"The Alou name has been synonymous with the Giants for over 50 years and that won't change despite the fact that Felipe won't be our manager next year," said club President and Managing General Partner Peter Magowan. "Even though he won't be in a Giants uniform, Felipe will always be a Giant. With the help of his son Moises and the Giants Community Fund, the Alou name and the Giants will be forever linked in Felipe's hometown of Haina as we will refurbish four youth fields at the school he attended as a boy."

Concluding his 51st year in organized baseball, the three-time All-Star was the second Dominican-born player to reach the majors, following Ozzie Virgil (1956 with the New York Giants). Primarily an outfielder, his 2,101 hits are fourth all-time among Dominican players. He enjoyed a distinguished 17-year playing career with the Giants (1958-63), Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves (1964-69), Oakland A's (1970-71), New York Yankees (1971-73), Montreal Expos (1973) and Milwaukee Brewers (1974).

Alou is one of just six managers to have had the opportunity to manage his son, having Moises as a player with both the Giants and Expos. For the past two seasons, the two were reunited in Giants uniforms and on September 24 joined the Griffeys as the only father-son duos in Major League history to each have 2,000 hits.