Lou, The Great one?

I've been a diehard since 1977.  Also played the game through college.   In my estimation Piniella is one of the best in the business when your talking the whole package.   The thing he gets the least big of credit for is his keen eye for talent.  

IIRC, Piniella made two critical plays in that game.

In the 9th inning with a man on first, and the Yankees up by a run, he lost sight of a ball hit to him when it went into the sun.  Piniella, by acting like he knew where it was and then behaving as if he were about to make the catch, froze the Red Sox runner between 1st and 2nd, which meant that he was only able to advance one base when the ball fell in for a single.

Even more impressive than that, for me, was a play that I believe he made off of the bat of Fred Lynn.  Guidry was the starting pitcher for New York, and Piniella noticed from right field that his fastball had a little something off of it that day, so Piniella moved closer to the right field line than he would normally when the left-handed Lynn was at the plate.  Lynn got around on a Guidry offering and pulled it down the line.  If Piniella had been playing in his normal spot, this would have fallen in for a double, with runners scoring from first and second (there were two outs).  Instead, he was in the right place to make the catch.

Piniella's a sharp guy.

a manager that in a tight game will use his bench or his bullpen to the teams strengths. One that is a step ahead of the other teams manager.

I like the manager that in a 2-1 game is looking ahead two innings. Knowing he has whoever left to use to help win the game. I think Lou is the guy that will do this. I have to say I don't recall a Cub manager that I have this kind of faith in.

my favorite player.  I grew up a Yankees fan in the late 70s and 80s.  I had literally a dozen stars to choose from.  I remember when Bucky Dent came on late in one season as a pinch hitter and slammed a game-winning homerun.  I watched Greg Nettles and Reggie Jackson, and Willie Randoph and Goose Gossage.  I cried when Thurman Munson died.  I cheered Dave Rigetti and Dave Mattingly.

But Lou Pinella was always my favorite.  In fact, I'm buying a Cubs Pinella jersey this year.  I loved him in Seattle, and everywhere else he went.  

Sweet Lou is baseball smart, leadership smart, strategery smart, and life smart.  If anyone can take the Cubs to the series, he can.

is not often used in baseball.  As fans, especially rabid and passionate fans (and I think most of us here at BCB fall into that category) we all think we can manage the team once the game starts.  With Lou, I take a much more hands-off approach as fan, because I trust his judgement.  I haven't felt this strongly about a Cubs manager since Jim Lefebvre, who I thought was fantastic.  Lou knows what he's doing, and it's a very intangible thing that I can't adequately put into words.  But he's one of those guys that when you look into the dugout and see him wearing Cubbie blue, you're glad he's on our side.  Last year made me a true believer.  After where we were at the beginning of June, no other manager could have righted that ship and gotten to the playoffs, even in that division.  Milwaukee wins the division last year if Lou Piniella is not our manager, it's that simple.

**DISCLAIMER: I was saying the same things about Dusty Baker in 2003.  If we're honest with ourselves, I think most of us were.  Yes, I had a T-shirt that said "In Dusty We Trusty".  I'm confident that history will not repeat itself with Lou.