When I get-go got a aspect at Lou Piniella inwards person, he was a immature prospect inwards the Baltimore Orioles' farm system. The outfielder was OK equally a Double-A thespian inwards Elmira, New York, but non someone that could live projected into a long baseball game career.
Boy, was that wrong.
Piniella made it to the major leagues for adept inwards 1969, winning Rookie of the Year honors amongst the Kansas City Royals. He stayed inwards the game through the early on 2010s, hence he had a half-century of involvement amongst the game at its highest level. (For the record, Elmira followed him similar a favorite boy every stride of the way.)
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 guy similar that should write a book, specially if he has a potent New York connection (sales together with all that), together with Piniella hold upward got approximately to it inwards 2017. The consequence is "Lou." Not surprisingly, the encompass photograph has Lou inwards a Yankee lid - he became relatively famous wearing pinstripes.
It's slow to intend that Piniella shell some long odds to convey the life he did. He wasn't a corking prospect coming out of the Tampa area, but he did sign a pro contract. Piniella worked hard but did some bouncing approximately along the way. After some decent but non overwhelming years inwards Kansas City, Piniella was traded to the Yankees... together with the fun began.
The Yankees of the belatedly 1970s together with early on 1980s had some stars, but they besides had some grinding players who seemed unsafe when it mattered most. Ask the Boston Red Sox, who mightiness convey had a happier ending to the 1978 had Piniella non displayed some unexpected defensive skills inwards the playoff game amongst New York.
Piniella had a front-row topographic point to the "Bronx Zoo" days of the Yankees inwards that era, together with he naturally has some stories almost Billy Martin, George Steinbrenner together with Reggie Jackson. Those years convey been covered elsewhere inwards other books. Come to intend of it, co-author Bill Madden - the fine Daily News author - has worked on several of those books. It even hence amazing that the "win first, fighting later" approach of those Yankee teams worked hence well.
Those stories of turmoil continued into the 1980s, equally Piniella eventually turned into a Yankee executive. He got a peril at managing but couldn't quite teach New York over the complete line, together with eventually decided to teach elsewhere. That came amongst some heartache, according to this book, but it in all probability was for the best for all concerned.
The balance of Piniella's story mightiness live the most interesting to some fans, only because it hasn't actually been told. He landed inwards Cincinnati, where he led the Reds to 1 of the corking upsets inwards World Series history yesteryear beating the mighty Oakland Athletics. From in that place it was on to Seattle, where he had the peril to cope Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson together with Ichiro Suzuki. Then Piniella was on to Tampa Bay, where he was hamstrung yesteryear finances, together with Chicago (Cubs), which went through an assortment of ownership groups spell he was managing - a recipe for problems.
For a guy who is best remembered for throwing bases approximately spell contestation amongst umpires, Piniella comes off equally rather calm here. He says religious belief helped him achieve that state, together with he in all probability mellowed a chip amongst age. Piniella besides seems quite affected yesteryear the fact that 3 of his closest friends inwards baseball game - Thurman Munson, Jim Hunter together with Bobby Murcer - all died at a immature age.
No thing what the reason, he's a petty embarrassed yesteryear a few of his actions inwards hindsight. Piniella besides gets some assistance along the agency here, equally people similar Griffey together with Rodriguez contribute their stories a few times. I'm non a corking fan of that technique, but it plant pretty good here.
It's hard to convey a potent reaction to "Piniella." It was an interesting baseball game life, together with the seasons create teach yesteryear quickly. But the mass may non live called fascinating or filled amongst bombshells. Let's precisely say, then, that this autobiography is worth your time, together with volition teach an extra star from Yankee fans.
Three stars
Learn to a greater extent than almost this book.
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