Chicago.Cubs.MLB.com

Earned Baseball Writers Association of America National League Manager of the Year honors in 2008 as the Cubs led the Senior Circuit with a 97-64 record ... the team was either tied or had sole possession of first place in the division for 151 of 181 days, including May 11 through the end of the season ... the club reached a season-high 35-games over .500 (on August 29) for the first time since 1945, when the team was 42-games above .500 at 98-56-1 at the end of the season...Chicagos 97 victories were its most since winning 98 in 1945 (98-56-1)...Recorded career victory No. 1,700 September 24, 2008, at the Mets, joining Joe Torre as the only two people with 1,700 major league hits and 1,700 big league victories...Has guided the Cubs to a 31-win turnaround the last two seasons ... the clubs 85 wins in 2007 was a 19-game improvement from 2006 ... the teams 97 wins in 2008 was a 12-game rise from the previous season...In 2007, helped the Cubs erase a season-high, 8.5-game deficit in the N.L. Central division on June 23, as the team found itself in sole possession of first place August 17 - it marked the clubs first sole possession of the top spot since April 28-29, 2004...His 1,701 managerial wins rank 14th in Major League history. Has managed a combined 21 seasons with the Yankees (1986-1988), Reds (1990-1992), Mariners (1993- 2002), Devil Rays (2003-2005) and Cubs (2007-2008)...His 1,701 managerial victories rank fourth among active managers behind Tony LaRussa (2,461), Bobby Cox (2,327) and Joe Torre (2,151)...Including 2008, has gone to the postseason 12 times during his big league career (seven times as a manager and five times as a player). Has gone to five World Series once as a manager (1990, Cincinnati) won championship rings as an outfielder with the New York Yankees in 1977 and 1978 and as manager of the Cincinnati Reds in 1990...Is a three-time Baseball Writers Association of America Manager of the Year selection, having earned the honor in 2008 after previously capturing the award in 1995 and 2001 with Seattle ... is also a two-time The Sporting News Manager of the Year selection (1995 and 2001)...Is one of only five managers to win the award at least three times, joining Tony LaRussa (four times), Bobby Cox (four), Dusty Baker (three) and Jim Leyland (three) ... he is the fourth manager to win the award in both leagues, joining LaRussa, Cox and Leyland...Has received All-Star recognition five times, including 2008 as a member of the N.L.s coaching staff was a player for the A.L. in 1972, twice was a member of the A.L.'s coaching staff (2000 and 2001) ... was also the N.L. Manager for the 1991 Midsummer Classic at SkyDome in Toronto...Lou and his wife Anita are involved in numerous charities in the Tampa Bay area. Lou has served as the chairman of the Abilities Golf Tournament in St. Petersburg. Is also an active spokesperson on behalf of prostate cancer awareness and Heartbeat International, an organization that helps provide pacemakers for those around the world who cannot otherwise afford one...Graduated from Tampa Jesuit High School where he was a prep All-American in basketball...Played Pony League, American Legion and Colt League with Tony LaRussa and Kenny Suarez in West Tampa...Attended the University of Tampa and was named to the NCAA College Division All-America squad in baseball...Received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1990, for significant contributions to our nations heritage...Led the Cincinnati Reds goodwill tour to Gifu, Japan, in November of 1991...Is a cousin of former major league infielder Dave Magadan, currently the hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox...Participated in the 2007 and 2008 Cubs Community Caravan.

Pienella's Managerial and Coaching Career
Lou has amassed a 1,701-1,561 (.521) managerial record in 21 seasons with the New York Yankees (1986-1988), Cincinnati Reds (1990-1992), Seattle Mariners (1993-2002), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2003-2005) and Chicago Cubs (2007-2008)...Is the only manager to lead two teams to wire-to-wire finishes, accomplishing the feat with Cincinnati in 1990 and Seattle in 2001...Prior to 2007, managed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2003- 2005, compiling a 200-285 record. The Devil Rays received the rights to negotiate with Lou, along with shortstop Antonio Perez, from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Randy Winn ... the transaction was agreed upon on October 18, 2002, and was contingent upon the Rays reaching an agreement with Piniella. On June 26, 2004, the Devil Rays became the first club in major league history to climb over .500 after being 18 or more games under .500 earlier in the year. Led the Rays to a 20-6 (.769) mark in June of 2004, a franchise record and Lous second-best record in any month ... he went 20-5 (.800) with Seattle in April 2001...Prior to his stint at Tampa Bay, he led the Seattle Mariners to four post-season appearances in 10 seasons from 1993-2002. His 840 victories with Seattle is a franchise record and were eight more wins than the previous eight Mariners managers combined. Led the Mariners to 300 victories in three seasons from 2000-2002, including a MLB record-tying 116 wins in 2001. His 1995 club became the first Seattle team to advance to the postseason...Guided the Cincinnati Reds to their most recent World Championship in 1990, his first of three seasons as the Reds manager. The Reds pennant in 1990 was the clubs first since 1976. The 1990 club set a team record with nine straight wins to begin the season and became the first team in N.L. history to go wire-to-wire in a 162-game format...Began his managerial career with the New York Yankees, leading the club from 1986-1988. Led the Yankees to a 90-72 mark in 1986, good for second in the A.L. East and fifth-best in the majors...Won the Baseball Writers' Association of America American League Manager of the Year Award after the 1995 and 2001 seasons. Also won The Sporting News' A.L. Manager of the Year honors in 1995 and 2001...Prior to managing the Yankees, he was the teams hitting instructor and a player with New York in 1981 ... became a full-time coach after his retirement in 1984.

Piniella's Playing Career
A right-handed hitting outfielder, Piniella compiled a .291 career batting average (1,705-for-5,867) with 102 home runs and 766 RBI in 1,747 games in 18 seasons with Baltimore (1964), Cleveland (1968), Kansas City (1969-1973) and the New York Yankees (1974-1984...Signed with the Cleveland Indians on June 9, 1962 made his professional debut for Selma (R) that year, batting .270 in 70 games with eight home runs and 44 RBI...Was selected by the Washington Senators in the Expansion Draft in 1963 and was assigned to Peninsula (A)...Was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on August 4, 1964 to complete the March 31 deal that sent pitcher Buster Narum to the Senators made his major league debut September 4, 1964 at Los Angeles (A.L.)....Selected by the Seattle Pilots in the 1968 Expansion Draft, but never played a game for the Pilots as he was traded to Kansas City on April 1, 1969 for outfielder Steve Whitaker and pitcher John Gelnar collected his first major league hit April 8 against Minnesota and scored the first run in Royals history in the contest awarded the A.L. Rookie of Year Award in 1969, batting .282 with 11 homers and 68 RBI received All-Star honors in 1972...Traded to the New York Yankees on December 7, 1973 with pitcher Ken Wright for pitcher Lindy McDaniel and spent the next 11 years with the Yankees missed most of the 1975 season with an inner-ear problem that required mid-season surgery before returning to action in 1976, batting .281 and finishing second in A.L. Comeback Player of the Year voting....Finished in the top 10 in A.L. batting four times: second to the Angels Rod Carew in 1972 (.312), fourth in 1974 (.305), fourth in 1978 (.314) and eighth in 1970 (.301) led the A.L. in doubles in 1972 (33)...Excelled in the postseason, batting .305 (43-for-141) with 19 RBI in 44 contests.