LAS VEGAS — Lou Piniella would never get angry about falling just short of a baseball’s largest lifetime achievement honor. He’s never been that type of person in a baseball uniform or out of it.
But more than a few fans were throwing tirades reminiscent of Piniella’s memorable and entertaining outbursts at umpires on Sunday night after he fell just one vote short of induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Era committee. The Mariners’ winningest manager won’t have a chance for induction until the Today’s Game Era committee meets again 2021.
Hard-throwing closer Lee Smith and longtime White Sox designated hitter Harold Baines were voted in by the 16-member Today’s Game Era Committee that was comprised of Hall of Fame members Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven, Pat Gillick, Tony La Russa, Greg Maddux, Joe Morgan, John Schuerholz, Ozzie Smith and Joe Torre; major league executives Al Avila, Paul Beeston, Andy MacPhail and Jerry Reinsdorf; and veteran media members/historians Steve Hirdt, Tim Kurkjian and Claire Smith.