Lou Piniella
Born: 8/28/1943 in Tampa, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1964-09-04 | Final Game: 1984-06-16
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 182 lbs
Full name: Louis Victor Piniella
Biography
Lou Piniella, born in 1943, was a prominent Major League Baseball player who enjoyed a successful career from 1964 until his retirement in 1984. Primarily recognized as a position player, Piniella appeared in a total of 1,747 games, demonstrating his longevity and consistency in the league. Over the course of his career, he amassed 1,705 hits, culminating in a commendable batting average of .291. Piniella also contributed offensively with 102 home runs and 766 runs batted in (RBIs), along with 32 stolen bases, showcasing his versatility and ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
Piniella's career was marked by his notable achievement as the Rookie of the Year, highlighting his immediate impact upon entering the league. He was selected to the All-Star team once, an honor that underscored his recognition among peers during a competitive era of baseball. His playing style combined a keen eye at the plate with a strong work ethic, making him an essential player for teams throughout his career. After his playing days, Piniella transitioned into a successful managerial role, further solidifying his legacy within the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1747 | 5867 | 651 | 1705 | 305 | 41 | 102 | 766 | 32 | 368 | 541 | 0.291 | 0.333 | 0.409 | 0.741 | 5623.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | BAL | AL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | CLE | AL | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | KCR | AL | 135 | 493 | 43 | 139 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 68 | 2 | 33 | 56 | 0.282 | 511.8 |
| 1970 | KCR | AL | 144 | 542 | 54 | 163 | 24 | 5 | 11 | 88 | 3 | 35 | 42 | 0.301 | 727.1 |
| 1971 | KCR | AL | 126 | 448 | 43 | 125 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 51 | 5 | 21 | 43 | 0.279 | -178.1 |
| 1972 | KCR | AL | 151 | 574 | 65 | 179 | 33 | 4 | 11 | 72 | 7 | 34 | 59 | 0.312 | 2061.3 |
| 1973 | KCR | AL | 144 | 513 | 53 | 128 | 28 | 1 | 9 | 69 | 5 | 30 | 65 | 0.250 | -899.5 |
| 1974 | NYY | AL | 140 | 518 | 71 | 158 | 26 | 0 | 9 | 70 | 1 | 32 | 58 | 0.305 | 654.6 |
| 1975 | NYY | AL | 74 | 199 | 7 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 16 | 22 | 0.196 | -1065.2 |
| 1976 | NYY | AL | 100 | 327 | 36 | 92 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 18 | 34 | 0.281 | 214.8 |
| 1977 | NYY | AL | 103 | 339 | 47 | 112 | 19 | 3 | 12 | 45 | 2 | 20 | 31 | 0.330 | 1197.1 |
| 1978 | NYY | AL | 130 | 472 | 67 | 148 | 34 | 5 | 6 | 69 | 3 | 34 | 36 | 0.314 | 1295.6 |
| 1979 | NYY | AL | 130 | 461 | 49 | 137 | 22 | 2 | 11 | 69 | 3 | 17 | 31 | 0.297 | 53.6 |
| 1980 | NYY | AL | 116 | 321 | 39 | 92 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 0.287 | -38.7 |
| 1981 | NYY | AL | 60 | 159 | 16 | 44 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 0.277 | 264.3 |
| 1982 | NYY | AL | 102 | 261 | 33 | 80 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 37 | 0 | 18 | 18 | 0.307 | 579.7 |
| 1983 | NYY | AL | 53 | 148 | 19 | 43 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 0.291 | 130.8 |
| 1984 | NYY | AL | 29 | 86 | 8 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0.302 | 114.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 141 | 15 | 43 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 2 | 10 | 0.305 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | ALCS | NYA | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.600 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | NYA | 4 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.200 |
| 1981 | WS | NYA | 6 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0.438 |
| 1980 | ALCS | NYA | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.200 |
| 1978 | ALCS | NYA | 4 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.235 |
| 1978 | WS | NYA | 6 | 25 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.280 |
| 1977 | ALCS | NYA | 5 | 21 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
| 1977 | WS | NYA | 6 | 22 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.273 |
| 1976 | ALCS | NYA | 4 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.273 |
| 1976 | WS | NYA | 4 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1401 | 1318 | 2529 | 105 | 52 | 16 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | CLE | OF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | KCA | OF | 129 | 125 | 278 | 13 | 7 | 1 |
| 1970 | KCA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | KCA | OF | 139 | 138 | 247 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 1971 | KCA | OF | 115 | 113 | 201 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 1972 | KCA | OF | 150 | 150 | 275 | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| 1973 | KCA | OF | 128 | 125 | 196 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 1974 | NYA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | NYA | OF | 130 | 128 | 265 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
| 1975 | NYA | OF | 46 | 41 | 65 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1976 | NYA | OF | 49 | 44 | 106 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | NYA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | NYA | OF | 51 | 47 | 77 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | NYA | OF | 103 | 101 | 213 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 1979 | NYA | OF | 112 | 102 | 204 | 13 | 4 | 1 |
| 1980 | NYA | OF | 104 | 77 | 157 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| 1981 | NYA | OF | 36 | 30 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 | NYA | OF | 40 | 33 | 68 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | NYA | OF | 43 | 40 | 67 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 1984 | NYA | OF | 24 | 23 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 1127 |
| Center Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 276 |
| Designated Hitter | 231 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Rookie of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 11.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 32th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 35th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 1st | 9.0 | 24 | 9 |