Value: $421 – Grade: 9
Yankeeography: https://youtu.be/Tb0kqYVfCVg
Louis Victor “Lou” Piniella (Born in Tampa, FL on August 28, 1943-) played for four different teams during an 18-year career as an outfielder before becoming one of the more successful managers in baseball. The Cleveland Indians signed Piniella as an amateur free agent in 1962, and the Washington Senators selected him later that fall in the 1962 first-year draft. He made his Major League debut with the Baltimore Orioles (1964), with his second Major League season coming with the Cleveland Indians (1968). Nicknamed “Sweet Lou” – a nod to his prowess as a hitter and a tongue-in-cheek reference to a fiery temper – found success following a trade to the Kansas City Royals (1969-1973). Named the 1969 American League Rookie of the Year, Piniella also the distinction of being the first player to come to bat in Royals history. He wrapped up his career with an 11-year run with the New York Yankees (1974-1984), where he helped the team win five AL East titles (1976-1978, 1980, 1981), four AL pennants (1976-1978, 1981), and back-to-back World Series titles (1977, 1978). Selected to the 1972 All-Star Game, he retired with a .291 batting average, 102 home runs, and 766 RBI. His post-playing career returned him to the game first as a Yankees hitting coach but most notably as a manager, taking the helm of the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds (leading them to a 1990 World Series championship), Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Chicago Cubs during his career. He was named the 1995 and 2001 AL Manager of the Year and 2008 National League Manager of the Year.
High Quality Baseball Cards 