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 American former professional baseball player and manager. People often called him "Sweet Lou" because of his smooth swing when he played. He also had a strong personality as a player and manager.

As an outfielder, he played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for teams like the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. During his playing days, 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 career, Piniella became a successful manager. He led the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs. He won the 1990 World Series championship with the Reds. He also led the Mariners to their most successful period, including a record-tying 116 wins in 2001.

Piniella was named Manager of the Year three times (1995, 2001, 2008). He is one of the top managers in baseball history by total wins.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Lou Piniella was born in Tampa, Florida. His parents were from a region in northwest Spain called Asturias. He grew up in West Tampa.

As a young player, he played American Legion baseball and PONY League baseball. He even played alongside another future major league manager, Tony La Russa. Lou went to Jesuit High School in Tampa. He was an amazing athlete, playing several sports and becoming an All-American in basketball.

After high school in 1961, he attended the University of Tampa for one year. There, he was an All-American in baseball for the Spartans.

Playing Career Highlights

Lou Piniella started his professional baseball journey at age 18. The Cleveland Indians signed him in 1962. He made his major league debut in 1964 with the Baltimore Orioles. He was 21 years old.

He later joined the Kansas City Royals in 1969. He played with them for their first five seasons. In 1969, he was named the American League's Rookie of the Year. He was also chosen for the 1972 All-Star Game. Lou was the very first batter in Royals history. In their first game in 1969, he hit a double and then scored a run.

Piniella at-bat in a 1983 spring training game

After the 1973 season, Piniella was traded to the New York Yankees. He played with the Yankees for 11 seasons. During this time, the Yankees were very successful. They won five division titles and four American League pennants. Most importantly, they won two World Series championships in 1977 and 1978.

Lou Piniella was known for his hitting. He collected 1,705 hits during his career. He was a valuable player for many years.

Coaching and Managing Career

Lou Piniella's career in baseball continued after he stopped playing. He first became a hitting coach for the New York Yankees.

Managing the Yankees

In 1985, Piniella became the manager of the Yankees. He managed them from 1986 to 1987. He then became the general manager for a short time in 1988. He returned to manage the team again later that year. Overall, he had a good record with the Yankees.

Leading the Cincinnati Reds

In 1989, Piniella was hired to manage the Cincinnati Reds. In his very first year, 1990, he led the Reds to an amazing World Series victory. They swept the favored Oakland Athletics in four games. This was a huge surprise to many baseball fans. It was the Reds' first championship since 1976.

After this big win, the next two seasons were tougher for the Reds. Piniella left the Reds in 1992.

Success with the Seattle Mariners

Piniella became the manager of the Seattle Mariners in 1992. He managed the team for ten seasons. His wife, Anita, was at first worried about moving so far from their home in New Jersey.

Lou Piniella brought great success to the Mariners. He won the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1995. He won it again in 2001, when he led the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins in the regular season. This was one of the best seasons in baseball history! The Mariners made it to the playoffs four times under Piniella.

In 2014, Lou Piniella was honored by being inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.

Time with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays

In 2002, Piniella returned to the Tampa area to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The team had struggled before he arrived. He helped them improve, and they won a team-record 70 games in 2004. This was also the first time they didn't finish last in their division.

Piniella eventually left the Devil Rays in 2005. He wanted the team to spend more money to get better players.

Managing the Chicago Cubs

In 2006, Piniella signed a contract to manage the Chicago Cubs. He led the Cubs to win their division in his first two years, 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 was named NL Manager of the Year in 2008 for his great work with the Cubs. In 2010, he decided to retire from managing the Cubs to care for his mother.

Later Roles in Baseball

After managing, Piniella worked as a special consultant for the San Francisco Giants in 2011. He also rejoined the Cincinnati Reds as a special consultant in 2016.

Managerial Record

Lou Piniella's career as a manager was very impressive. He led his teams to many wins and playoff appearances.

Broadcasting Career

Lou Piniella also worked in baseball broadcasting. In 1989, he was a color analyst for Yankees games on MSG Network. After leaving the Devil Rays in 2005, he became an analyst for Fox Sports. He helped call important playoff games.

In 2012, Piniella joined the YES Network as an analyst for Yankees games. He shared his baseball knowledge with fans.

Personal Life

Lou Piniella married his wife, Anita Garcia, in 1967. They have three children together. In 2017, Piniella had a "mini-stroke" but recovered well. He continued to work as a senior advisor for the Cincinnati Reds in 2018.

Hall of Fame Consideration

Lou Piniella has been considered for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame several times. He was on the ballot in 2016, 2018, and 2023. In both 2018 and 2023, he received 11 votes, which was just one vote short of being inducted.

In Other Media

Lou Piniella has appeared in movies and commercials.

• He had a small role in the 1994 film Little Big League.
• In 2007, he was in a television commercial for Aquafina bottled water. He made fun of a famous angry moment he had during a game.
• He also appeared in commercials with Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillén for a car dealership.
• In 2009, Piniella did a commercial for DirecTV. In 2018, he appeared in commercials for a non-profit organization that helps senior citizens.

See also

In Spanish: Lou Piniella para niños

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