NASHVILLE – Lou Piniella’s time with the Cubs, and his managerial career, ended sooner than he expected. In August of 2010, he’d already announced his intention to retire after the season. But after a Sunday game against the Braves at Wrigley Field, he stepped away to spend more time with his mother Margaret, who was dealing with health issues.
“I cried a little bit after the game,” Piniella said that day. “You get emotional. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be. This will be the last time I put on my uniform.”
It was the end of a distinguished career at the helm of five different major-league teams spanning several decades, one that gained Piniella Hall of Fame consideration, but he fell just one vote shy of election on Sunday. The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee elected one member to the Hall of Fame: former manager Jim Leyland, who was named on 15 of the 16 ballots.
Eight managers, executives and umpires were included on the ballot, which was voted on by the 16-member committee. Candidates needed 75% of the vote to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Piniella received 11 votes.
It was Piniella’s third time on the eras committee’s Hall of Fame ballot, and he also fell just one vote short in 2018.
By the time Piniella arrived in Chicago, he had already built quite the legacy. The former rookie of the year, one-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion followed up a successful playing career with a more notable managerial career.
He was known for his passion, fire and demonstrative ejections. The three-time manager of the year won almost everywhere he went.
Piniella kicked off his managerial career with two winning campaigns with the Yankees, plus another half-season interrupted by a stint as general manager. His next stop was Cincinnati, where he led the Reds to an improbable World Series victory in 1990, at the beginning of his three-year tenure. Piniella then spent the next decade in Seattle, where he’d become the team’s winningest manager (840-711).
He led the Mariners to their first playoff berth in franchise history, plus three more. And with Piniella at the helm, Seattle tied the record for the most wins in a season, going 116-46 in 2001.
Chicago wasn’t part of that storied era of Piniella’s career, but the Cubs served as a comeback chapter of sorts.
Between managing the Mariners and the Cubs, Piniella went home to take the same position with the Devil Rays. There, he amassed a losing record for the first time in his managerial career, going 200-285 (.412) in three seasons.
In October 2006, Piniella accepted a three-year contract from the Cubs, who hoped Piniella could spark a team that had missed the playoffs the last three years. Under Piniella, the Cubs went 316-293 over parts of four seasons and made two trips to the NLDS.
Piniella may not have reached the same status in Chicago as he did in Seattle – where he’s regarded as a legend – but fans at Cubs Convention in 2020 reacted to the news that Piniella would be among Marquee Sports Network’s pool of analysts with raucous applause.
“I was a little concerned about how I’d be received by the people in Chicago because I left there at the end of August,” Piniella said when he popped in at spring training that year. “Because I didn’t finish my last season. I went home.”
He was thrilled to hear that fans received the news well.
“I almost cried,” he said.