Lou Piniella facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lou Piniella
Piniella with the Chicago Cubs in 2008
Left fielder / Manager
Born: (1943-08-28) August 28, 1943 (age 81) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 4, 1964, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last appearance
June 16, 1984, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average	.291
Home runs	102
Runs batted in	766
Managerial record	1,835–1,712
Winning %	.517
Teams
As player Baltimore Orioles (1964) Cleveland Indians (1968) Kansas City Royals (1969–1973) New York Yankees (1974–1984) As manager New York Yankees (1986–1987, 1988) Cincinnati Reds (1990–1992) Seattle Mariners (1993–2002) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2003–2005) Chicago Cubs (2007–2010) As coach New York Yankees (1984–1985)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1972) 3× World Series champion (1977, 1978, 1990) AL Rookie of the Year (1969) 3× Manager of the Year (1995, 2001, 2008) Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame

Louis Victor Piniella (born August 28, 1943) is a famous former professional baseball player and manager. People often called him "Sweet Lou." This nickname described his smooth swing as a player and, sometimes, his fiery personality as a manager.

As a player, he was an outfielder for 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 1969. He also won two World Series championships with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.

After his playing days, Piniella became a successful manager. He managed the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs. He led the Reds to a World Series championship in 1990. He also guided the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins in 2001. Piniella won the Manager of the Year award three times. He is ranked among the top managers in baseball history for total wins.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Lou Piniella was born in Tampa, Florida. His parents were from Spain, specifically the Asturian region. He grew up in West Tampa. As a kid, he played baseball with Tony La Russa, who also became a famous manager.

Piniella went to Jesuit High School in Tampa. He was a great athlete there, playing several sports. He was even an All-American in basketball. After high school, he played baseball at the University of Tampa for one year.

Lou Piniella's Playing Career

Piniella signed with the Cleveland Indians when he was 18 years old in 1962. He made his major league debut in 1964 with the Baltimore Orioles. He later played a few games for Cleveland in 1968.

In 1969, Piniella was traded to the Kansas City Royals. He quickly became a star for them. He won the American League's Rookie of the Year award that season. In 1972, he was chosen for the All-Star Game. He was the very first batter in Royals history. In their first game, he hit a double and scored a run.

Piniella at-bat in a 1983 spring training game

After five seasons with the Royals, Piniella was traded to the New York Yankees in 1974. He played for the Yankees for 11 seasons. During his time there, the Yankees were very successful. They won five division titles and four American League championships. They also won two World Series titles in 1977 and 1978.

Piniella was known for his hitting. He ended his playing career with 1,705 hits. He was considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame as a player in 1990.

Lou Piniella's Managerial Career

After retiring as a player, Lou Piniella became a coach for the New York Yankees. He then took over as their manager in 1986. He managed the Yankees for parts of three seasons.

Cincinnati Reds Manager

In 1990, Piniella became the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. In his very first year, he led the Reds to a huge surprise victory. They swept the powerful Oakland Athletics in the World Series. This was the Reds' first championship since 1976. The team faced challenges in the next two seasons. Piniella left the Reds after the 1992 season.

Seattle Mariners Manager

Piniella then became the manager for the Seattle Mariners in 1993. He managed the team for ten seasons. He helped the Mariners become a very strong team. In 1995, he won his first AL Manager of the Year Award.

In 2001, Piniella led the Mariners to an amazing season. They won 116 games, which tied an MLB record for most wins in a regular season. He won his second Manager of the Year award that year. The Mariners made it to the American League Championship Series but lost to the Yankees. Piniella led the Mariners to all four of their playoff appearances up to that point. In 2014, he was inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays Manager

In 2003, Piniella returned to his home area to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The team had struggled for many years. Piniella helped them improve, winning a franchise-record 70 games in 2004. He left the team in 2005.

Chicago Cubs Manager

In 2006, Piniella signed a contract to manage the Chicago Cubs. He led the Cubs to win their division in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, the Cubs had the best record in the National League. However, they were swept in the playoffs both years. Piniella won his third NL Manager of the Year award in 2008. He retired from managing the Cubs in August 2010 to care for his mother.

Managerial Record Overview

Lou Piniella's career as a manager was very successful. He led his teams to 1,835 wins and 1,712 losses. This places him among the top managers in baseball history for total wins.

Broadcasting and Later Roles

After his managing career, Piniella worked as a baseball analyst for TV networks like Fox Sports and YES Network. He shared his knowledge and opinions about the game. He also served as a special consultant for the San Francisco Giants and later for the Cincinnati Reds.

Personal Life

Lou Piniella married Anita Garcia in 1967. They have three children together. In 2017, Piniella had a "mini-stroke" but recovered well. He continued to advise the Cincinnati Reds baseball operations.

Hall of Fame Consideration

Piniella has been considered for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame several times. He has come very close to being elected, receiving many votes.

In Other Media

Lou Piniella has appeared in movies and commercials.

• He had a small role in the 1994 baseball movie Little Big League.
• He appeared in a commercial for Aquafina water, making fun of his own famous on-field outbursts.
• He also did commercials for a car dealership and a senior living organization.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
• List of Major League Baseball managerial wins and winning percentage leaders