Wednesday, April 29

CINCINNATI – Lou Piniella is best remembered in Cincinnati for managing the Reds to a "wire-to-wire" 1990 season that culminated in a World Series championship. But Piniella is beloved for one act of rage that happened late in that special season.

An enraged Piniella threw first base. Not once, but twice. 

How memorable was this moment? During Saturday's tribute video on the scoreboard for Piniella as he was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame, a big still photo of the moment was one of the first images shown.

“I wished, truthfully, now that I’m 82 years old and hopefully a lot smarter, I wished I had toned it down some," Piniella said. "Usually, I’m an easygoing guy, but on the field, I’m very competitive."

On Aug. 21, 1990, at Riverfront Stadium, the play that brought Piniella storming out of the Reds' dugout came when Barry Larkin was called out at first base while trying to beat out a double play that ended the sixth inning. An incensed Piniella argued with first-base umpire Dutch Rennert, slammed his cap to the AstroTurf and drew an ejection.

That was only the beginning. Not finished dressing down Rennert, Piniella yanked first base itself from the dirt patch and threw it. Then he retrieved the bag and made a one-armed heave of it into right field.

The Reds may have led the National League West every day of that 1990 season, but they had entered that night's game vs. the Cubs with a five-game losing streak. The Dodgers and Giants were 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 games back, respectively, in the division standings.

Piniella had no intention of taking his foot off the gas. He also remembered some advice given to him years earlier by his former boss, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. 

"I know when I first started managing, Mr. Steinbrenner told me, ‘Look, when you get mad at the umpire, put on a little show. The people enjoy it. I get the back page of the Daily News and New York Post. I’ll pay your fines.’ So I took that to heart," Piniella said.

Was Reds then-owner Marge Schott as generous about paying Piniella's fine for the base-tossing? 

“Marge was a little reluctant but she did," Piniella said. 

Incidentally, the Reds beat the Cubs, 8-1, to snap their losing streak. 

Having logged 64 career ejections, Piniella is tied for 14th all-time with Clint Hurdle and Bill Rigney. 

If he were to still be managing today, Piniella likely would have fewer reasons to argue with umpires. The rules now include the ability to challenge on-field calls with replay reviews, and balls and strikes can be challenged with the ABS Challenge System.

“It would have suited me just fine," Piniella said. "Although I honestly feel that the fans miss a good argument every once in a while. It’s fun for them. Baseball is a sport, it’s a business but it’s also entertainment. You’ve got to entertain the folks some too. But I think I would like this better. It would have saved me a few ejections, quite a few ejections.”

Sal Stewart has been one of the best in the Reds lineup this season at using the ABS Challenge System. Entering Wednesday, Stewart has won four of his five challenges thus far, including two in the previous series vs. the Tigers.

Manager Terry Francona had stressed early on about not using challenges in low-leverage situations or early in games. But Stewart's challenges seem to be a subtle shift in that plan.

On Friday in the second inning, Stewart was leading off and challenged a 2-0 pitch for a strike call. He was correct, the call was overturned and he later drew a walk. On Saturday with two outs and no one on after Elly De La Cruz homered for a five-run Reds lead, Stewart challenged a 1-2 strike call that would've ended the inning. His challenge was correct and soon after, he hit an infield single.

“We’ve talked about it a little bit of trying to give them some freedom – if an umpire shows he has part of the plate, maybe try to bring it back in a little bit," Francona said on Tuesday. "But we don’t want to just give them away. Sal has been pretty good.”

Understanding that it's impossible to expect perfection, Francona and hitting coach Chris Valaika underscored to hitters to get emotional about calls against them before challenging. 

“We just want to try and use it to the best advantage we can," Francona said. “It’s got to be to help the team, because a lot of guys get surprised by a pitch and then it’s not where they thought it was."

Reds hitters have generally heeded that directive and enter Wednesday fourth-best in MLB with a 56 percent success rate at hitter challenges.

“Amazing players have been in this organization and been here long enough to make an impact and really kind of shine and show what they can do and play for the fans. It’s pretty crazy to look at the names on the wall and it just kind of takes you back, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ It’s definitely humbling to be a part of it.” – Former pitcher Aaron Harang, who was inducted last weekend into the Reds Hall of Fame.

The Reds are holding Star Wars Night during the May 9 game vs. the Astros that begins at 4:10 p.m. ET. While supplies last, fans in attendance will receive a Grogu bobblehead from the upcoming "The Mandalorian and Grogu."

• For the Reds to cover the loss of Eugenio Suárez to an oblique strain, hitters besides Stewart and De La Cruz need to step up. Over the weekend vs. the Tigers, that was happening.

• The latest on Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo

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