Lou Piniella
Encyclopedia
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
and manager
. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager. He finished his managerial career ranked 14th all-time on the list of managerial wins
.
of Asturian
Spanish
descent. As a child, he played American Legion Baseball sponsored by Post 248 and PONY League Baseball alongside Tony La Russa
. He attended Jesuit High School of Tampa
where he was an All-American in basketball
. After graduation, he attended the University of Tampa
where he was an All-American in baseball.
as an amateur free agent on June 9, 1962. That fall, he was drafted by the Washington Senators
from the Indians in the 1962 first year draft. In August 1964, Piniella was sent to the Baltimore Orioles
to complete an earlier trade for Buster Narum
. Piniella played in his first major league game in with the Baltimore Orioles
at the age of 21.
Prior to the 1966 season, Piniella was traded by the Orioles back to the Indians for Cam Carreon
. At 24, his second major league season was with the Cleveland Indians
.
He was selected by the Seattle Pilots
in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
, but was traded at the end of spring training to the Kansas City Royals
for John Gelnar
and Steve Whitaker
. He was prominently mentioned in Jim Bouton
's classic book about the Seattle Pilots, Ball Four
.
Piniella played for the Kansas City Royals
from -73
, and was the American League
's Rookie of the Year
in 1969. He was the first player to come to bat in Royals history. On April 8 of their first season, he led off the bottom of the 1st against left-hander Tom Hall
of the Minnesota Twins
. He doubled
to left field, then scored on an RBI
single by Jerry Adair
. He was named to the 1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
.
After the 1973 season, Piniella was traded by the Royals with Ken Wright to the New York Yankees
for Lindy McDaniel
. He played with the Yankees for 11 seasons, winning five AL East
titles (1976–78, 1980 and 1981), four AL pennants (1976–78 and 1981), and two World Series
championships (1977
–78
). In 1975, he missed most of the year with an inner ear infection. From mid 1977 through the end of 1980, he was the Yankees' regular outfielder/DH.
In his career, Piniella made one All-Star team and compiled 1705 lifetime hits despite not playing full-time for just under half of his career. He received 2 votes for the Hall of Fame as a player in 1990.
After retiring as a player, Piniella joined the Yankees coaching staff as the hitting coach
. He managed the Yankees from to . Piniella was promoted to general manager to start the 1988 season
and took over as manager after the firing of Billy Martin
on June 23.
between 1990 and 1992, a tenure that included winning the 1990 World Series
in a 4 game sweep of the heavily-favored Oakland Athletics
, who were the defending champions.
, winning the AL Manager of the Year Award
in , and again in when he led the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins. After winning the 2001 AL Division Series
, the Mariners dropped the first two games of the AL Championship Series
, and Piniella held an angry post-game press conference in which he guaranteed the Mariners would win two out of three games in New York to return the ALCS to Seattle. However, the Yankees closed out the series at Yankee Stadium, and the Mariners have not reached the playoffs since. Following the 2002 season
, Piniella left the Mariners to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As compensation, the Devil Rays traded outfielder Randy Winn
to the Mariners for infield prospect Antonio Perez.
In the Mariners' 33-season history, they have had eleven winning seasons and reached the playoffs four times. Seven of the winning seasons and all of the playoff appearances occurred during Piniella's ten years with the Mariners. Piniella is the only manager in Mariners history to have a winning record in a tenure of at least one season.
, Piniella was able to improve the team somewhat, and they won a franchise-record 70 games in . This was also the first season in which they did not finish last in their division, which he also guaranteed (he also jokingly said, after saying it several times, "If I say it any more times I might have us winning the World Series
!") During the 2005 season
, Piniella was critical of the Devil Rays' front office for focusing too much on the future and not enough on immediate results, and for not increasing payroll quickly enough to field a competitive team. The Devil Rays started the season with a $30 million payroll, which was the lowest in the major leagues; the Yankees
payroll in 2005 was over $208 million.
Tensions eventually made Piniella step down as the Devil Rays' manager on September 21, . Piniella had one more season remaining on his contract from October 2002, but agreed to a $2.2 million buyout, in lieu of $4.4 million that he was due, had he decided to manage the team for one more season. He would have also received $1.25 million in deferred salary from 2003.
for $10 million with a $5 million option for a fourth year.
Though Piniella's Cubs clinched the Central Division with the best record in the NL in 2008, the Cubs lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 2008 NLDS
. Piniella was named NL Manager of the Year for 2008.
On July 20, 2010, Piniella announced his intention to retire as manager of the Cubs following the end of the season
. However, on August 22, 2010, Piniella decided to resign after that day's game, stating that he wanted to care for his ailing 90-year old mother.
as a special consultant.
, joining Thom Brennaman
and Steve Lyons
in calling postseason baseball games.
During their broadcast of Game 3 of the 2006 American League Championship Series
, Piniella was commenting on player Marco Scutaro
who had struggled during the regular season but was playing well during the series. He stated that to expect Scutaro to continue playing well would be similar to finding a wallet
on Friday and expecting to find another wallet on Saturday and Sunday. Piniella then commented that player Frank Thomas
needed to get "en fuego" which is Spanish for "on fire", because he was "frio" meaning "cold". Lyons responded by saying that Piniella was "hablaing Español" and added, "I still can't find my wallet. I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit close to him now."
FOX fired Lyons for making the above remarks, which FOX determined to be racially insensitive. Piniella later defended Lyons saying Lyons was "a man" and that "There isn't a racist bone in his [Lyons'] body. Not one. ... I've known the guy personally. He was kidding with me, nothing more and nothing less."
.
In late 2007, Piniella appeared in a television commercial for Aquafina
bottled water
in which he parodies his famous June 2, 2007 meltdown at Wrigley Field
.
Piniella and Chicago White Sox
manager Ozzie Guillén
appeared in one commercial to advertise a local car dealership during the first half of the 2008 Crosstown series. The creators of the commercial used their likeness in three other commercials, which featured stunt doubles riding bicycles and jumping rope.
In 2009, Piniella did a commercial for DirecTV
.
Piniella is a minority owner of the Montgomery Biscuits
of Minor League Baseball's
Southern League
.
Piniella and his wife had been residents of Allendale, New Jersey
before he accepted the managerial spot with the Seattle Mariners, a position his wife insisted that he not take, insisting that it was too far away from where they lived with their family and children.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager. He finished his managerial career ranked 14th all-time on the list of managerial wins
Major League Baseball all-time managerial wins
This article contains a list of all Major League Baseball managers with at least 1,000 career regular-season wins through the close of the 2011 regular season, as well as a list of the managers who have win percentages greater than .540 and have managed at least 600 games.Connie Mack, who managed...
.
Early life
Piniella grew up in West Tampa, FloridaWest Tampa, Florida
West Tampa is one of the oldest districts within the city limits of Tampa, USA, and a former incorporated city located west of the Hillsborough River and downtown Tampa. As of the 2000 census, the district had a population of 22,008...
of Asturian
Asturian people
The Asturians are one of the nationalisms of Spain, issuing from the historical country of the Principality of Asturias. They have Celtiberian heritage, related to its historical and cultural links with neighbouring Galicia, as well as Visigothic cultural influences most notably found in the...
Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
descent. As a child, he played American Legion Baseball sponsored by Post 248 and PONY League Baseball alongside Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
. He attended Jesuit High School of Tampa
Jesuit High School of Tampa
Jesuit High School of Tampa, established in 1899, is a private, Catholic, all-male high school located in Tampa, Florida, USA. It operates independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.Jesuit of Tampa teaches a college...
where he was an All-American in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. After graduation, he attended the University of Tampa
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
where he was an All-American in baseball.
Playing career
Piniella was signed by the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
as an amateur free agent on June 9, 1962. That fall, he was drafted by the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
from the Indians in the 1962 first year draft. In August 1964, Piniella was sent to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
to complete an earlier trade for Buster Narum
Buster Narum
Leslie Ferdinand "Buster" Narum was a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators ....
. Piniella played in his first major league game in with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
at the age of 21.
Prior to the 1966 season, Piniella was traded by the Orioles back to the Indians for Cam Carreon
Cam Carreon
Camilo Carreon was an American Major League Baseball player from 1959 to 1966 for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles. His son Mark was also a Major League player....
. At 24, his second major league season was with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
He was selected by the Seattle Pilots
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft
The 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft was conducted to stock up the rosters of four expansion teams in Major League Baseball which would begin play in the 1969 season....
, but was traded at the end of spring training to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for John Gelnar
John Gelnar
John Richard Gelnar is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher.Gelnar attended the University of Oklahoma. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1963...
and Steve Whitaker
Steve Whitaker (baseball)
Stephen Edward Whitaker is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played from 1966-1970 for the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and the San Francisco Giants. He was signed by the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1962...
. He was prominently mentioned in Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
's classic book about the Seattle Pilots, Ball Four
Ball Four
Ball Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
.
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
from -73
1973 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Oakland Athletics over New York Mets ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 24 at Royals Stadium: National League, 7–1; Bobby Bonds, MVP-Other champions:...
, and was the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
in 1969. He was the first player to come to bat in Royals history. On April 8 of their first season, he led off the bottom of the 1st against left-hander Tom Hall
Tom Hall (baseball)
Thomas Edward Hall , is a retired American professional baseball player, a left-handed pitcher who played in the Major Leagues from 1968 to 1977...
of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He doubled
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to left field, then scored on an RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
single by Jerry Adair
Jerry Adair
Kenneth Jerry Adair was a professional baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and Kansas City Royals from Sand Springs, Oklahoma.-Baltimore Orioles:...
. He was named to the 1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the 43rd such game, was played on July 25, 1972. The all-stars from the American League and the National League faced each other at Atlanta Stadium, home of the Atlanta Braves...
.
After the 1973 season, Piniella was traded by the Royals with Ken Wright to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for Lindy McDaniel
Lindy McDaniel
Lyndall Dale McDaniel, known as Lindy is a right-handed former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who had a 21-year career from 1955 to 1975. During McDaniel's career he witnessed approximately 3,500 major league games , had more than 300 teammates, and played under eight different managers...
. He played with the Yankees for 11 seasons, winning five AL East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
titles (1976–78, 1980 and 1981), four AL pennants (1976–78 and 1981), and two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
championships (1977
1977 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe Dodgers drew first blood off Don Gullett in the first when Davey Lopes walked and scored on a Bill Russell triple. Ron Cey made it 2–0 on a sacrifice fly...
–78
1978 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1978 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWith Yankee ace Ron Guidry unavailable at least until Game 3, the Dodgers pounded twenty-game winner Ed Figueroa. Figueroa left after two innings, allowing home runs to Dusty Baker and Davey Lopes. Lopes would add a...
). In 1975, he missed most of the year with an inner ear infection. From mid 1977 through the end of 1980, he was the Yankees' regular outfielder/DH.
In his career, Piniella made one All-Star team and compiled 1705 lifetime hits despite not playing full-time for just under half of his career. He received 2 votes for the Hall of Fame as a player in 1990.
New York Yankees
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
. He managed the Yankees from to . Piniella was promoted to general manager to start the 1988 season
1988 Major League Baseball season
In , the Major League Baseball season ended with the underdog Los Angeles Dodgers shocking the Oakland Athletics, who had won 104 games during the regular season, in the World Series. The most memorable moment of the series came in Game 1, when injured Dodger Kirk Gibson hit a dramatic pinch-hit...
and took over as manager after the firing of Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
on June 23.
Cincinnati Reds
Piniella managed the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
between 1990 and 1992, a tenure that included winning the 1990 World Series
1990 World Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 16, 1990 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioUntil , this was the last World Series to be scheduled to begin play on a Tuesday, and the first since . The schedule called for the seven-game series to be held Tue–Wed, Fri–Sat–Sun, Tue–Wed. Games 5, 6, and 7, however...
in a 4 game sweep of the heavily-favored Oakland Athletics
1990 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics' 1990 season saw the A's win their third consecutive American League West title, with a record of 103 wins and 59 losses, nine games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. It was the third consecutive year in which Oakland finished with the best record in all of MLB...
, who were the defending champions.
Seattle Mariners
From –, he managed the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, winning the AL Manager of the Year Award
Manager of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to the best managers in the American League and the National League . The winner is voted on by 28 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America . Each places a vote for first, second, and third...
in , and again in when he led the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins. After winning the 2001 AL Division Series
2001 American League Division Series
-New York Yankees vs. Oakland Athletics:-Game 1, October 9:Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington-Game 2, October 11:Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington-Game 3, October 13:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio-Game 4, October 14:Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio...
, the Mariners dropped the first two games of the AL Championship Series
2001 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at Safeco Field in Seattle, WashingtonGame 1's starting date was the latest ever for a League Championship series. The Yankees took a 1–0 lead on a Chuck Knoblauch single that scored Jorge Posada in the second, then increased it to 3–0 on a Paul O'Neill home run...
, and Piniella held an angry post-game press conference in which he guaranteed the Mariners would win two out of three games in New York to return the ALCS to Seattle. However, the Yankees closed out the series at Yankee Stadium, and the Mariners have not reached the playoffs since. Following the 2002 season
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
, Piniella left the Mariners to manage the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As compensation, the Devil Rays traded outfielder Randy Winn
Randy Winn
Dwight Randolph Winn is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Winn was a switch hitter, and threw right-handed. He played college baseball at Santa Clara University and made his Major League debut in 1998 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
to the Mariners for infield prospect Antonio Perez.
In the Mariners' 33-season history, they have had eleven winning seasons and reached the playoffs four times. Seven of the winning seasons and all of the playoff appearances occurred during Piniella's ten years with the Mariners. Piniella is the only manager in Mariners history to have a winning record in a tenure of at least one season.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
In his first two seasons with the Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Piniella was able to improve the team somewhat, and they won a franchise-record 70 games in . This was also the first season in which they did not finish last in their division, which he also guaranteed (he also jokingly said, after saying it several times, "If I say it any more times I might have us winning the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
!") During the 2005 season
2005 Major League Baseball season
Click on any series score to link to that series' page.Higher seed had home field advantage during Division Series and League Championship Series.The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series as a result of the AL victory in the 2005 All-Star...
, Piniella was critical of the Devil Rays' front office for focusing too much on the future and not enough on immediate results, and for not increasing payroll quickly enough to field a competitive team. The Devil Rays started the season with a $30 million payroll, which was the lowest in the major leagues; the Yankees
2005 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2005 season was the 103rd season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 95-67 finishing with the same record as the Boston Red Sox but winning the division due to a head-to-head advantage over Boston. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee...
payroll in 2005 was over $208 million.
Tensions eventually made Piniella step down as the Devil Rays' manager on September 21, . Piniella had one more season remaining on his contract from October 2002, but agreed to a $2.2 million buyout, in lieu of $4.4 million that he was due, had he decided to manage the team for one more season. He would have also received $1.25 million in deferred salary from 2003.
Chicago Cubs
On October 16, , Piniella agreed to a three-year contract to manage the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for $10 million with a $5 million option for a fourth year.
Though Piniella's Cubs clinched the Central Division with the best record in the NL in 2008, the Cubs lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 2008 NLDS
2008 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers:-Game 1, October 1:Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Dodgers swiped Game 1 from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mark DeRosa gave the Cubs an early lead in the second inning with an opposite-field home run. James Loney's fifth inning grand slam proved to...
. Piniella was named NL Manager of the Year for 2008.
On July 20, 2010, Piniella announced his intention to retire as manager of the Cubs following the end of the season
2010 Major League Baseball season
The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim...
. However, on August 22, 2010, Piniella decided to resign after that day's game, stating that he wanted to care for his ailing 90-year old mother.
San Francisco Giants
On February 2, 2011, Piniella was hired by the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
as a special consultant.
Broadcasting career
In 1989, Piniella worked as a color analyst for Yankees telecasts on Madison Square Garden Network. After parting ways with the Devil Rays in 2006, Piniella spent one season as an analyst for Fox SportsFox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
, joining Thom Brennaman
Thom Brennaman
Thomas Wade "Thom" Brennaman is an American sportscaster, and the son of current Cincinnati Reds radio sportscaster Marty Brennaman.-Broadcasting career:...
and Steve Lyons
Steve Lyons (baseball)
Stephen John Lyons is a former Major League Baseball player and a television sportscaster. He is of French and Irish descent, and currently resides in Hermosa Beach, California....
in calling postseason baseball games.
During their broadcast of Game 3 of the 2006 American League Championship Series
2006 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit turned four double plays...
, Piniella was commenting on player Marco Scutaro
Marco Scutaro
Marcos Hernandez "Marco" Scutaro is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. A native of Yaracuy State, Venezuela, Scutaro formerly played with the New York Mets , Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays...
who had struggled during the regular season but was playing well during the series. He stated that to expect Scutaro to continue playing well would be similar to finding a wallet
Wallet
A wallet, or billfold, is a small, flat case that is used to carry personal items such as cash, credit cards, identification documents , photographs, business cards and other paper or laminated cards...
on Friday and expecting to find another wallet on Saturday and Sunday. Piniella then commented that player Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (AL baseball player)
Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....
needed to get "en fuego" which is Spanish for "on fire", because he was "frio" meaning "cold". Lyons responded by saying that Piniella was "hablaing Español" and added, "I still can't find my wallet. I don't understand him, and I don't want to sit close to him now."
FOX fired Lyons for making the above remarks, which FOX determined to be racially insensitive. Piniella later defended Lyons saying Lyons was "a man" and that "There isn't a racist bone in his [Lyons'] body. Not one. ... I've known the guy personally. He was kidding with me, nothing more and nothing less."
In other media
Piniella made a cameo appearance in the 1994 film Little Big LeagueLittle Big League
Little Big League is a 1994 family film about a 12-year-old who suddenly becomes the owner and then manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. It stars Luke Edwards, Timothy Busfield and Dennis Farina.-Plot:...
.
In late 2007, Piniella appeared in a television commercial for Aquafina
Aquafina
Aquafina is a brand of bottled water products produced by PepsiCo, Inc., consisting of both unflavored and flavored water. The Aquafina brand name is also licensed for use on multiple skin care products, including lip balm and wrinkle cream...
bottled water
Bottled water
Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not...
in which he parodies his famous June 2, 2007 meltdown at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
.
Piniella and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
manager Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
appeared in one commercial to advertise a local car dealership during the first half of the 2008 Crosstown series. The creators of the commercial used their likeness in three other commercials, which featured stunt doubles riding bicycles and jumping rope.
In 2009, Piniella did a commercial for DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
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Piniella is a minority owner of the Montgomery Biscuits
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
of Minor League Baseball's
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
.
Piniella and his wife had been residents of Allendale, New Jersey
Allendale, New Jersey
Allendale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,505.Allendale was formed on November 8, 1894 from portions of Franklin Township, Hohokus Township and Orvil Township at the height of the Boroughitis phenomenon then...
before he accepted the managerial spot with the Seattle Mariners, a position his wife insisted that he not take, insisting that it was too far away from where they lived with their family and children.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2007
- List of Major League Baseball managers in 2008
External links
- Baseball Almanac
- BaseballLibrary.com - career highlights