Lou Piniella is Not the Players’ Choice

A Chicago Tribune poll has found that, among all baseball managers, Lou Piniella is the one players would least like to play for.

The poll surveyed 380 players, with the one stipulation being that guys couldn’t vote for their own manager.  Piniella came in dead last in popularity, with 26% of those polled saying they wouldn’t want to play for him.  Lou’s Chicago counterpart, Ozzie Guillen, was next with 21%.

Thank goodness Cubs players weren’t allowed to vote for Lou or that number would’ve only been higher.

For the record, Atlanta manager Bobby Cox was voted the guy players would most like to work under, garnering 25% of that vote.  Joe Torre was next with 16%.

So what does this poll tell us?  Players like working for managers who are laid-back (Bobby only gets mad at umps), and hate playing for managers who get up in their faces.  They’re candy-asses, in other words.  But we already knew that.