Lou Piniella is the current manager of the Chicago Cubs and a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager. Piniella played for the Kansas City Royals from 1969-73, and was the American League's AL Rookie of the Year in 1969. He played 11 years for New York Yankees, where he was part of five AL East titles (1976-78, 1980 and 1981), four AL pennants (1976-78 and 1981), and two World Series Championships (1977-78).After retiring as a player, Piniella managed the Yankees from 1986 to 1987 and for most of 1988 before briefly serving as the club's general manager for the rest of the 1988 and 1989 seasons. Piniella managed the Cincinnati Reds between 1990 and 1992, a tenure that included winning the 1990 World Series. From 1993-2002, he managed the Seattle Mariners, winning the AL Manager of the Year Award in 1995, and again in 2001 when he led the Mariners to a record-tying 116 wins. Lou Piniella has hand signed this MLB ball and has added the inscription , "Chicago My Kind of Town." An MAB Celebrity Services certificate of authenticity is included.