Two induction cycles back, the Mariners greatest manager (sorry Servais), Lou Piniella, was in Cooperstown for the 2015 hall of fame ceremony in Cooperstown, New York… to sign baseballs.
Despite his well-known temper -and the probable disappointment that lingers in a player/manager that hasn’t been elected to the hall- “Sweet Lou” had a smile the entire weekend (maybe not in private) even though his name wasn’t on the ballot.
Fast forward two years and Piniella’s name was on the ballot for his amazing years at the managerial position, but in the end, could not earn seventy-five percent of the vote from the small group of sixteen writers, hall of fame players and executives -seven of the sixteen members cast votes for Piniella.