Former Giant fills Baker's position

The former Giants player becomes the oldest manager in the major leagues at age 67.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Felipe Alou is energized and determined to show that even at age 67 he has enough stamina to manage a full baseball season -- deep into October.
Alou became the oldest manager to take over a major league team since Casey Stengel four decades ago when he was hired by the National League champion San Francisco Giants on Wednesday to replace Dusty Baker.
"I'm a soldier of this game," said Alou, who played for San Francisco in the 1950s and '60s. "The matter of energy and enthusiasm, somebody else is going to have to evaluate that."
Stengel was 71 when the New York Mets lured him out of retirement in October 1961 to manage them the next year in their first season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau and the Hall of Fame.
Thrilled
Alou, the former Montreal manager and a bench coach for Detroit last season, was thrilled to return to San Francisco, where his playing career began 44 years ago. He inherits a team led by five-time MVP Barry Bonds.
"I'm going back home to where I started and, hopefully, I'm going to end it right there," Alou said.
Alou agreed to a three-year contract and becomes the oldest manager in the major leagues. He was 691-717 in 10 seasons managing the Expos.
When asked why he thinks it took him until age 56 to become a manager, Alou said: "I don't know. Whatever!
"I believe I was ready to manage when I was 40, 41, 42, but never got a shot at doing it," he said.
Alou played for the Giants from 1958-63 as part of a 17-season major league career in which he hit .286 with 206 homers and 852 RBIs. He also spent 1970 and part of 1971 in the Bay area playing for the Oakland Athletics.
On the Giants, he joined brothers Matty and Jesus in an all-Alou outfield in some games. That's one of the highlights of his playing days in San Francisco, along with a string of nine consecutive hits.
Rare situation
It is the first time in nearly three decades that a manager takes over a pennant-winning team in the off-season. Alvin Dark became manager of the A's when Dick Williams retired following their 1973 World Series championship.
"It was almost like a revelation that was supposed to happen," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said. "He calls himself a baseball soldier in conversation. He's more like baseball royalty to us."