CHICAGO -- First-time manager Rick Renteria is focused on the future of the Chicago Cubs, rather than their past failures. Renteria preached accountability Thursday when he was introduced via teleconference as the franchises 53rd manager. He takes on a challenging job that goes beyond merely trying to bring a winning team to Wrigley Field. The development of young ballplayers has been labeled as one of his strengths. And with Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo needing help, the former San Diego Padres bench coach has got lots of work ahead of him with a team that finished 66-96. "My personality doesnt allow for being counted out," Renteria said. "I think what were trying to do between the lines will speak for itself. In the end, were all judged in one fashion or another, but I dont preoccupy myself too much about what I thinks going to happen. I preoccupy myself with what I want to do." First thing he needs to do: Get healthy. Renteria will be introduced at Wrigley at a later date as he is recuperating in San Diego following hip surgery in October. The 51-year-old Renteria got a three-year contract with club options for 2017 and 2018. He is another unproven hire by team president Theo Epstein and the Cubs after the struggling organization initially expressed interest in New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Girardi, a Peoria, Ill., native and Northwestern product who once played for the Cubs, signed a four-year contract worth up to $20 million to stay with New York. "Ricks reputation is impeccable," Epstein said. "He stood out throughout the process to lead the Chicago Cubs into our next chapter." "You cant find anybody in this game to say a bad or neutral word about Rick Renteria," he said. The Cubs are relying on Renteria to improve on a 127-197 record during Dale Sveums two years as manager. Despite the franchises four consecutive losing seasons and a last-place finish in the NL Central in 2013, Renteria refused to accept the assumption that the Cubs wont be competitive next year. The Cubs last made the playoffs in 2008 and have not won a playoff game since 2003. Under Renteria, theyll be coming off their first last-place finish in seven seasons. Renteria, who has spent 30 years in pro ball, is the latest manager hoping to bring the Cubs their first World Series title since 1908. "I cant speak to whats happened in the past," he said. "I can only think about moving forward with the kids that we have and the product thats being placed before us." "I know it might sound naive, but I still believe that any team that goes in and plays between the lines has a chance to win a ballgame every single day," he said. "If I was to come in here and assume that we were going to lose, what kind of expectations am I laying for the players who are here?" Epstein said the rest of the coaching staff with be announced in the coming days and will feature a mix of turnover and returning coaches. Renteria does have history with the Cubs front office, which immediately put him on its radar when the managerial position opened. General manager Jed Hoyer and senior vice-president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod both worked with Renteria during their days in San Diego. "It was very clear when I was in San Diego that Rick was going to be a big league manager and pretty quickly," Hoyer said. Renteria spent the last six seasons in San Diego, the last three as bench coach. He also has coached in the Miami Marlins organization and in March managed Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Besides Renteria, the Cubs interviewed former Mariners and Indians manager Eric Wedge, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, former Nationals and Indians manager Manny Acta, former Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch and Brad Ausmus, who was hired by the Tigers on Sunday. The Cubs have dumped long-term contracts and traded most anyone of value in an effort to stock the farm system ever since Epstein was hired, hoping the payoff will be the sort of championship success he enjoyed in the front office in Boston. Among Renterias tasks will be getting the most out of Castro at shortstop and Rizzo at first base, two young players who have long-term contracts. Both were underwhelming last season and pitcher Jeff Samardzija had an up-and-down season. Renteria believes Rizzo, who he worked with in 2011 before getting traded to the Cubs, has a "tremendous future ahead of him." Settling in with his approach at the plate will be key, Renteria said. "Hes a very gifted athlete and obviously has some tremendous power," Renteria said. "He has a very good eye." With prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and Kris Bryant in the pipeline, the Cubs made it clear they want to provide the right environment for their young players to develop. Renterias bilingual background enhanced his resume with his ability to speak Spanish with Latin players. That will only help communication between the coaching staff and players, which was an issue at times the past two seasons. "Im hoping to be a good coach who happens to speak Spanish," Renteria said. "But I think the ability to communicate in the same language, it sometimes creates a bit of a comfort zone." Renteria was a minor league manager in the minors for eight years with the Padres and Marlins. That followed a 13-year playing career as an infielder that included all or part of five seasons with the Pirates (1986), Mariners (1987-88) and Marlins (1993-94). The 1980 draft pick was a career .237 hitter with 20 doubles, four home runs and 41 RBIs in 184 major league games. 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Ancelotti says "Gareth had some problems at the beginning (of the season) but when he found good physical condition he scored a lot of goals, he had a good impact on the team. Justin Morneau Twins Jersey .com) - Guard Greivis Vasquez and forward Patrick Patterson, two key pieces to the Toronto Raptors run to an Atlantic Division title in 2013-14, were both given qualifying offers by the team on Saturday.BOSTON -- Mark Buehrle got his major league-leading eighth win with a big boost from Torontos powerful lineup. Neither was surprising. "Look what hes done all year," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after a 7-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. "Whos pitched better in baseball?" Buehrle (8-1) has eight wins through May for the first time since 2002 and an ERA of 2.16. He gave up two runs in the first two innings, but by then Toronto had seven, starting with homers on consecutive pitches by Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista in the first inning. That gave the Blue Jays a major league-high 67 homers and gave Buehrle a big cushion. The 15-year veteran lefty blanked the Red Sox for his final five innings and allowed seven hits and no walks while striking out five in seven innings. Dustin McGowan pitched two shutout innings as the Blue Jays took a half-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East. "Its nice, obviously" to lead the majors in wins, "but Ive always said you can go out your next eight starts and (stink) and be under .500," Buehrle said. "I try to throw it out the window and get ready for my next start." Toronto improved to 8-2 in its past 10 games, while Boston lost its seventh straight. The Red Sox went 0-6 on their homestand, the first time since June 1994, when they also lost six in a row at Fenway Park, that they were winless on a homestand of at least six games. "Were in a stretch of games here where were giving up too many runs early and were scuffling to score runs," Boston manager John Farrell said. "Thats a dangerous combination." Red Sox ace Jon Lester (4-6) had his worst outing of the season, allowing seven runs and seven hits through 1 1-3 innings. Then he settled down and retired 12 straight batters before giving up a single to Kevin Pillar with one out in the seventh. But Pillar was caught stealing. Lester left with one out in the seventh after allowing 10 hits and striking out just three. He had averaged an AL-best 10.83 strikeouts per nine innings. "The list goes on and on of things that I just flat out diddnt do," Lester said.dddddddddddd "I just wasnt able to do it with anything. Pick a pitch, I wasnt able to do it." Buehrle retired 11 of his last 12 batters. He began the day tied with Zack Greinke, Rick Porcello and Adam Wainwright with seven wins each. The Dodgers Greinke was scheduled to pitch against the New York Mets on Thursday night. Buehrles only loss came at home against Boston on April 25 when he allowed seven runs in an 8-1 loss. Lester retired the first batter of the game, Jose Reyes, on a grounder. But Cabrera hit a 1-0 pitch for his eighth homer and Bautista followed with his 12th. "You never anticipate that because (Lesters) one of the best," Gibbons said. In the second, six of Torontos first seven batters reached base on five hits and a walk. Steve Tolleson and Pillar singled and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Gose. Reyes doubled in both runners and stole second. Cabrera walked and Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion followed with RBI singles. Bautista came across when Brett Lawrie grounded into a forceout at second, making it 7-1. The inning ended when centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. made a diving catch on a fly ball by Dioner Navarro. Boston scored in the first on a leadoff double by Dustin Pedroia and a single by Jonny Gomes then added a run in the second on Xander Bogaerts third homer. NOTES: Toronto manager John Gibbons lost a challenge in the sixth when the on-field ruling that Pillar was caught stealing was upheld. ... Bautista has reached base in 48 of his 49 games. ... Boston has been outscored 37-16 in its seven-game losing streak, its longest since dropping its last eight games in 2012. ... The Red Sox open a three-game series against Tampa Bay on Friday night with John Lackey (5-3) facing Chris Archer (3-2) of the Rays. Toronto returns home to start a three-game set with Oakland, with Liam Hendricks (0-0) pitching against Scott Kazmir (5-1) of the Athletics. The Blue Jays called up Hendricks on Thursday from Triple-A Buffalo, where he was 5-0. R.A. Dickeys start was moved from Friday to Saturday. ' ' '