Though Rays' recent run has obscured it, Piniella has learned to handle losing better thanks to new senior adviser.
By MARC TOPKIN
Published June 15, 2004
[Times files]
As Padres manager in 1972-73, Don Zimmer learned plenty about losing: "There's certain nights when you pretty much know you're going to get beat."
SAN DIEGO - Lou Piniella has been enjoying the Devil Rays' recent run of improved play, a 16-6 mark that is the best 20-plus-game stretch in franchise history.
But he also has learned to handle losing better.
Senior adviser Don Zimmer is a big reason for the change, having convinced Piniella not to take the losses so hard and to accept that there is only so much a manager can do when his team is often outmanned by clubs with larger payrolls and bigger names.
"This guy is a competitor and he's used to winning 90 games a year, but it's a different situation here," Zimmer said. "When he would lose, he was beating himself up. You can't do that day after day. It's all right to get hot one day, to get disgusted and this and that. But he has to know what's here and that you do the best you can with what you have.
"I said, "Lou, you're going to be 80 years old in a year if you continue to do that. Have a beer and forget about it and go home and come back the next day. You can't take it home with you.' "I was worried he was going to have a breakdown or something, worried about losing every night. I know that's not fun, and on top of that he has to come in and answer to (the media) every night. That ain't easy when you lose, you lose, you lose. I talked to him about these things practically from Day 1."
Zimmer knows what he is talking about.
Eight straight years in the playoffs as bench coach for the Yankees might have spoiled him, but he started his big-league managing career with a San Diego team that was barely big-league, taking over from Preston Gomez and managing the Padres to a 54-88 record in 1972 and 60-102 the next season.
"Look, I was over there (in New York) for eight years. I know there's nothing greater than winning," Zimmer said. "And maybe I wouldn't say these things to Lou if I didn't manage a team like San Diego that lost so many games. (But) there's certain nights when you pretty much know you're going to get beat. You don't want to. You want to be competitive. But ... you've just got to be realistic."
Piniella still has his moments, when the room gets loud and the night becomes long. But he really has tried to take Zimmer's advice to heart.
"You've got to have a little fun with it," Piniella said. "I'm learning to laugh a little more. I think Zim has helped me with that. He really has. He talked to me. I do everything in my power every day to win, but some of this stuff is out of your hands."
That, in essence, was Zimmer's message: Piniella has to understand there are some things, no matter how hard he tries, he just can't do anything about.
"You just can't keep pounding on yourself, not leaving until 1 o'clock in the morning trying to think about how you can better the team, how you can do this and do that," Zimmer said.
"I've been there. I've been there. It's tough. It's really tough. Especially when you've never been in a situation where you lose as much like that. He was being too hard on himself. ...
"The old saying is what? The players play good and you're a good manager, and the players don't play good and you're not a good manager. You don't ever want to accept losing, and I know he won't accept it. But, still, you can't keep beating on yourself. What can he do? If you've got five guys in the lineup not hitting and you're out there working with them every day, that's all you can do."
It took Zimmer a while to get through to Piniella.
He laughs in revealing he had a lengthy chat with Piniella before the April 23 game in Chicago, feeling good about how it went as he watched the game - a particularly ugly game - from the stands.
"I'm telling him, "Lou, you're beating yourself up too much, you're too down.' And he says, "Yea, Donnie, you're right.' And I said, "You're too hard on yourself, you know what you've got.' And he says, "You're right, Donnie, you're right.'
"I thought I got him over the hump. Then I come down (to the clubhouse) about 10 minutes after the game ... and he broke the shower door. ... And I'm thinking, "I guess I really helped him.' "
