This is Priceless!! Lou Piniella sets out for Cincinnati, ends up near Pittsburgh

[RPatrino]

Things just aren't going too well for Lou Piniella these days.

The Cubs manager started the week with five straight home losses, had to deal with ominous news concerning their top two starting pitchers and they just lost to Cincinnati — their sixth straight — 10-2.


Thing is, Piniella almost didn't make it to Cincinnati for the ugly start to this series. Electing to drive from Chicago on Friday morning instead of fly, Piniella and Cubs coach/chaffeur Matt Sinatro missed a turn south and ended up near the Pennsylvania border before realizing their big boo-boo.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall when Piniella woke up from his nap and realized that Sinatro was pointing the car toward the Pirates instead of the Reds. (But given the Cubs' 14-4 record against Pittsburgh this year, could you blame him?)

From the Chicago Tribune:


"We stopped at one of the (gas) stations along the way, and I bought a map to see exactly where we were," Piniella said. "And we realized we were in the opposite end of the state ...


They worked their way back toward Columbus in the middle of the state, navigating across rain-slicked, two-lane roads ...

"Let me tell you: I wanted to get my mind off baseball for a little bit, I sure as heck did," Piniella said.


For what it's worth, the article says the duo was relying on printed-out directions from — ahem — Google Maps. Next time, they might want to give Yahoo! Maps a try.

Or maybe just join the rest of the world and spring for a GPS. (Piniella muttering and swearing at the GPS lady? Now that would be a sight.)

[canadaump6]

I have never had a problem with google maps.

[johnnyg08]

google maps has been awesome for me as well.

[SethPDX]

Oddly enough, I took that comment as tongue-in-cheek, guys. No need to take everything literally. And this was a funny story.

[kylejt]

I do a little executive protection work from time to time, and got lost in Compton one time. (Effing Mapquest). Luckily, my passenger was in a position to remedy the situation with phone call, and also had the pull get me an Escalade with nav (and air conditioned seats) for next time.

I wonder if Lou pulled out one the of the seats and tossed them.

[bossman72]

side note- if you find a GPS on sale for around 125 or 150, take it! It's a great investment!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by kylejt

I do a little executive protection work from time to time, and got lost in Compton one time. (Effing Mapquest).

Mapquest, Google, and Yahoo all have the same very incorrect map of where I live. (Streets drawn wrong - wrong street names - things in the wrong place).

[RPatrino]

My old uncle Henry lived in Compton (he called it Long Beach). I also saw my first dead body in Compton.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

For what it's worth, the article says the duo was relying on printed-out directions from — ahem — Google Maps. Next time, they might want to give Yahoo! Maps a try.

Bob, I recommend Yahoo maps if you're driving up near the Brentwood/Antioch area. Evidently Yahoo is the only one of the three (Google, Mapquest, Yahoo) that has directions utilizing the Highway 4 Bypass. Since I haven't been in the area for about 5 years, I didn't realize that the Bypass was even open and used Google maps to get directions to Brentwood for a football game.

The stupid thing had me take Lone Tree all the way from Antioch, adding another 15-20 minutes to the trip. I realized the Bypass was open on my way home. I pulled up the directions in Yahoo and sure enough, there it was.

I guess maybe I need a GPS.

Back on topic, thanks for the story, that is funny!

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I am having trouble trying to figure out why Piniella and his assistant coach would have to drive on two lane roads to get to Cincinnati once they reached Columbus. Here is why:

1) They left Chicago on Interstates 80/90 which joins the Indiana Turnpike at the Illinois/Indiana state line.

2) At the Indiana/Ohio state line, the Indiana Turnpike becomes the Ohio Turnpike.

3) Southwest of Cleveland I-90 leaves the Ohio Turnpike and heads for Cleveland and travels along Lake Erie on its way to New York, while I-80 continues east on the Ohio Turnpike.

4) It is safe to say that Piniella and his fellow traveler discovered somewhere around Youngstown, Ohio, that they were near the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line. At Youngstown I-80 leaves the Ohio Turnpike on its way to Pennsylvania while I-76 joins the Ohio Turnpike on its way from Akron to Pennsylvania.

5a) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on the Ohio Turnpike/I-80, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on the Turnpike until they came to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

5b) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on the Ohio Turnpike/I-76, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on the Turnpike until I-76 leaves the Turnpike and then stay on I-76 until they came to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

5c) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on I-80 after it left the Turnpike, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on I-80 until it the came to I-76 and then take I-76 to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

As one can see I-71 travels the entire length of Ohio from Cleveland (northeast Oho) thru Columbus (central Ohio) all of the way to Cincinnati (southwest Ohio) and then on into Kentucky. I-71's northern trailhead is in Cleveland at I-90 on Lake Erie, and as it heads southwest; it crosses in order I-77's northern terminal, the Ohio Turnpike/I-80, the western terminal of I-76, and I-70. When I-71 gets to Cincinnati, it will take one right to the front enterance of The Great American Ball Park before going on to join I-75 on its way to Kentucky.

In other words, while Piniella and his assistant had a long trip, he is full of horse manure about traveling on two lane highways. It ain't so. By the way, they wanted to turn south off of the Ohio Turnpike in Toledo and take I-75, south to Cincinnati.

MTD, Sr.

[RPatrino]

MTD, lot's of time on your hands?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I am having trouble trying to figure out why Piniella and his assistant coach would have to drive on two lane roads to get to Cincinnati once they reached Columbus. Here is why:

1) They left Chicago on Interstates 80/90 which joins the Indiana Turnpike at the Illinois/Indiana state line.

2) At the Indiana/Ohio state line, the Indiana Turnpike becomes the Ohio Turnpike.

3) Southwest of Cleveland I-90 leaves the Ohio Turnpike and heads for Cleveland and travels along Lake Erie on its way to New York, while I-80 continues east on the Ohio Turnpike.

4) It is safe to say that Piniella and his fellow traveler discovered somewhere around Youngstown, Ohio, that they were near the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line. At Youngstown I-80 leaves the Ohio Turnpike on its way to Pennsylvania while I-76 joins the Ohio Turnpike on its way from Akron to Pennsylvania.

5a) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on the Ohio Turnpike/I-80, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on the Turnpike until they came to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

5b) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on the Ohio Turnpike/I-76, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on the Turnpike until I-76 leaves the Turnpike and then stay on I-76 until they came to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

5c) If Piniella and his fellow traveler were on I-80 after it left the Turnpike, all they had to do was turnaround and head west on I-80 until it the came to I-76 and then take I-76 to I-71 and take I-71 south through Columbus onto Cincinnati.

As one can see I-71 travels the entire length of Ohio from Cleveland (northeast Oho) thru Columbus (central Ohio) all of the way to Cincinnati (southwest Ohio) and then on into Kentucky. I-71's northern trailhead is in Cleveland at I-90 on Lake Erie, and as it heads southwest; it crosses in order I-77's northern terminal, the Ohio Turnpike/I-80, the western terminal of I-76, and I-70. When I-71 gets to Cincinnati, it will take one right to the front enterance of The Great American Ball Park before going on to join I-75 on its way to Kentucky.

In other words, while Piniella and his assistant had a long trip, he is full of horse manure about traveling on two lane highways. It ain't so. By the way, they wanted to turn south off of the Ohio Turnpike in Toledo and take I-75, south to Cincinnati.

MTD, Sr.

God is in His home, and all is right with the world.

[Forest Ump]

This reminds me of a trip I took about 10 years ago. My wife, the two kids and myself were visiting friends in Indianapolis. We flew out of Oakland and into Chicago Midway airport. I had reserved a car to drive down to Indianapolis. I downloaded the map directions from Yahoo to get from Midway to the freeway going to Indianapolis. It all looked pretty straightforward. A couple of right turns, follow some street down and hit the freeway. Anyway, I showed the directions to the rental car shuttle driver and he warned me that if I went down that street I may not ever make to Indianapolis. It was a pretty bad part of town. The way he showed us to go didn't look very good either, so I can only imagine what the other way may have been like.

I use a Tom Tom now. It's an amazing device.

[yawetag]

Does the Tom Tom know what parts of the city to avoid?

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

I use a Tom Tom now. It's an amazing device.