Chicago Cubs: Ranking the top five managers in team history

Chicago Cubs: Lou Piniella 2007-2010

Including Lou Piniella on this list may turn heads for Cubs fans and I don’t blame you in the slightest. It was back-and-forth as to whether or not Piniella should have made this list, however here he is in the upper echelon of Chicago’s leading faces.

Piniella had spent 19 years managing Major League Baseball teams before landing with the Cubs in 2007. Following a successful career in Seattle, and a not so successful career in Tampa Bay, Piniella agreed on a three-year deal with the Cubs after the 2006 season.

Piniella can be included on this list for the work he did during his brief time on the Northside. The Cubs were coming off a terrible 66-96 season, and Piniella turned it around in almost a blink of an eye. In his first season, the Cubs finished first in the division going 85-77. The Arizona Diamondbacks unceremoniously swept them in the NLDS.

In his second season with the squad, they performed even better by going 95-77, again winning the division. This time, they were unfortunate sweep victims at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2009, Piniella faltered as Chicago finished 83-78, missing the playoffs.

After a 51-74 start to the 2010 season, Piniella was replaced by Mike Quade. While the ending to his Cubs career did not go as well as anyone had hoped, Piniella brought fire to this team in his time in Chicago. Two division titles, two postseason berths, which is why Piniella does find himself on this list.