Former Cubs Manager on HOF Ballot

Former Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella is one of eight finalists on the Baseball Hall of Fame’s contemporary era ballot for 2024, per USA Today.

Piniella, 80, managed the Cubs from 2007-10 before he resigned.

The Cubs had success under Piniella in his first two season. In 2007 he led the Cubs to the NL Central title after winning 85 games. The Cubs lost in the NL Division Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Cubs came back stronger, winning 97 games in 2008 and defending their NL Central title. But, again, the Cubs were unable to get past the Division series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 2009 the Cubs took a step back under Piniella, winning 83 games but finishing second in the NL Central. In 2010 the Cubs were 51-74 after 125 games when Piniella resigned. The Cubs turned out to be his final managerial job.

Piniella, who broke into baseball as a player with Baltimore in 1964, had his greatest success as a manager. He guided the New York Yankees (1986-87, 88), the Cincinnati Reds (1990-92), the Seattle Mariners (1993-2002) and the Tampa Bay Rays (2003-05) and went 1,835-1,713.

He led the Reds to the 1990 World Series title. He led the Mariners to three AL West titles and 116 wins in 2001.

As a player, he caught on with Kansas City in 1969 as a result of the expansion draft. With the Royals he was the American League Rookie of the Year and made the 1972 All-Star Team. But he spent the bulk of his playing career with the Yankees (1974-84), where he hit .295 and won two World Series rings in 1977 and 1978.

The committee will vote on the finalists and any that pass the final vote will be announced in December and be inducted with the Class of 2024.

This ballot includes executives, managers and other baseball contributors. Two other finalists are umpires Joe West and Ed Montague.

Piniella has been on the veterans’ committee ballot twice and came within one vote of being inducted in 2018.