“The Skipper” was good at making the most of his ability. He never claimed to be a natural —he had to work hard to become a good hitter. He changed his swing in the minors so he could hit to all fields. His work paid off. He led the league in hitting three of his five years with Kansas City. We see Mariner batters who have also worked hard, made adjustments and improved their batting averages this season.
Lou has always competed hard and demanded a lot of himself and his teams. Sometimes he would throw or kick a few things when he was angry for not doing as well as he expected. After a game with Tampa Bay, Bret Boone said: “We all expect a lot of ourselves here, and I think Lou brings that to the team.” [LaRue, Larry. "All He Wants to do is Win" The Herald 4 Sept. 2001]
“At the same time,” (as Lou likes to begin a sentence) he has mellowed a lot in the last few years. He rarely throws or kicks anything now. He is also patient with his players and gives them a chance to come along. His players, in turn, show patience at the plate—playing Lou’s game of “small ball” instead of just going for the big blasts.
While his temper may have diminished, his competitive spirit is still hot. He and his team expect to win. Lou has shown them the qualities they need to make that happen.
Read an interesting article with many stories and details about Lou Piniella by clicking here: http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/01/9/4/...
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