10. Lou Piniella
Sure, comparative to his rich managerial career, Piniella’s tenure as New York’s skipper did not last long. However, he is still more than worthy of cracking this list. In 1986 and 1987, kicking off his career in the dugout, he led the Yanks to 179 combined wins, which — at that time — resulted in second and fourth place finishes, respectively.
He was given another chance after Billy Martin was fired (again) in 1988, watching his team fall into fifth-place by season’s end.
“Sweet Lou” was known for putting on a spectacle when he disagreed with a call, giving the fans, players, and umpires their money’s worth.
Piniella was only given the chance to win 224 games with the Yankees, but eventually proceeded to claim 1835 for his career. That should count for something, especially when you consider what he could have accomplished in the Bronx had he been afforded the chance.
