CHICAGO -- First-time manager Rick Renteria is focused on the future of the Chicago Cubs, rather than their past failures. Myles Straw Astros Jersey . 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. Martin Maldonado Astros Jersey . Perhaps as important, shes sending a message to 17-year-old gold medal favourite Sara Takanashi of Japan. Iraschko-Stolz relegated Takanashi, who has 10 World Cup victories this season, to second place in two of three training jumps Saturday. Andy Pettitte Jersey . He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th. The 34-year-old Laval, Que. native has played six seasons with the Penguins. https://www.cheapastros.com/2003o-carlos-lee-jersey-astros.html . Last years runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets. Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapps serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3.The Toronto Maple Leafs will aim for a fourth straight win tonight when they visit the San Jose Sharks as part of their five-game road trip. The Maple Leafs road trip began with Mondays victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The game marked Toronto head coach Randy Carlyles return to Anaheim, where he served as head coach of the Ducks for six-plus seasons before getting fired on Nov. 31, 2011 and replaced by Bruce Boudreau. The Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007 under Carlyle, who went 273-182-61 during his time with Anaheim. Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak each registered a goal and two assists to lead Toronto to a 3-1 win over the Ducks on Monday. Paul Ranger had the other goal and Jonathan Bernier stopped 43-of-44 shots for the win. "It is nice to start off the road trip with a win," Bozak said. "We know it is going to be a really tough trip so that is a big start for us." The Maple Leafs, who are 13-12-7 on the road, also will face the Sharks, Kings, Capitals and Red Wings on their trek. Toronto enters tonight with a one-point lead over Montreal for second place in the Atlantic Division and the Leafs can extend that cushion over the idle Canadiens. The Sharks have won the last two meetings in the series with Toronto and recorded a 4-2 road win over the Maple Leafs on Dec. 3. Niemi stopped 28-of-30 shots to notch the victory and the 30-year-old netminder is 2-1-0 with a 2.01 goals against average in three career games against the Leafs. Toronto has lost six of its last seven games versus the Sharks, but the Leafs were able to halt a five-game winless streak in San Jose when they posted a 4-2 win in Silicon Valley on Jan. 11, 20111. Astros Jerseys 2019. The Sharks had recorded three wins and pair of ties over five meetings from 1997-2008 before Toronto halted the skid in its last trip to San Jose. The Sharks hope to gain some additional ground in the race for the Pacific Division title, as they shoot for a third straight win tonight. Prior to the Olympic break in February, Anaheim seemed poised to run away with the Pacific crown but the Sharks have made a race of it by going 7-2-1 over their past 10 games. The Sharks enter Tuesday just four points behind the idle Ducks for first place. After beginning a four-game homestand with an overtime loss against Carolina, the Sharks have recorded consecutive wins over Pittsburgh and Montreal. The victories over the Penguins and Canadiens have pushed San Joses excellent home record to 24-4-4 this season. In Saturdays 4-0 win against Montreal, the Sharks received the only offense they would need when Tommy Wingels scored shorthanded just 2:26 into the game. It was the first of two goals on the night for Wingels, while Logan Couture added a marker and two assists. Antti Niemi held down the fort, stopping 27 shots for his third shutout of the season. "(Niemi) played great," said Wingels. "I think for the most part we kept them to the outside, but he made a couple big saves." Matt Nieto added a goal and an assist for the Sharks, who have won four of their last five home games. Next up for San Jose is a three-game road trip that is set to begin Thursday evening in Columbus. The Sharks also will visit both New York teams on the swing, taking on the Islanders on Friday before battling the Rangers on Sunday. ' ' '