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Monday, October 22, 2007

Joe Posnanski Blog: Pain

I have a truly punk-torched 45 of “Pain” by the Nova Nine...this, this is different...this is about torture and the Cleveland Nine.

Third base coach Joel Skinner held him up.

Then they showed it from another angle. And another angle. But no matter what angle they showed it from — and no matter how much I WANTED to see something else — Joel Skinner kept on holding up Kenny Lofton at third base. Now, from what I can tell, Joel Skinner is a good man. I sort of liked him as a player — as much as you can like a light-hitting backup catcher — and I’ve always heard good things about him as a coach. But when you hold up the tying run at third base in the seventh inning of Game 7 with MannyBeingManny still chasing the ball, well, here’s what I instant messaged my friend instantly …

Sipe. Byner. Ehlo. Fernandez. Skinner.

Repoz Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:16 AM | 42 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralCleveland

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   1. 1k5v3L Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:34 AM (#2588744)
I believe Manny is still chasing that ball in LF. It certainly didn't help that Blake hit into the worst-timed DP in AL history.
   2. Repoz Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:36 AM (#2588749)
It certainly didn't help that Blake hit into the worst-timed DP in AL history

It was downright Jeterastic!
   3. Guapo Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:42 AM (#2588753)
In Skinner's defense, that was one weird carom. When you're trying to make a call like that in real time, it ain't that easy to judge where the ball is going to end up. I thought being conservative was understandable there.
   4. 1k5v3L Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:50 AM (#2588763)
   5. Craig Calcaterra Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:52 AM (#2588768)
Skinner is probably the only guy on the Indians happy that Betancourt blew up.
   6. DosRafaels Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:02 PM (#2588779)
I hope that Skinner develops a severe case of rickets over the upcoming months. That play was indefensible and coupled with Blake's horrendous DP, ripped the heart out of the Indians. I hate to make knee-jerk decisions but Wedge has to seriously evaluate Skinner in the offseason. Blake on the other hand needs to be the good utility player that he is and give Marte the starting position. From all accounts Marte is a better defender and while he's never going to be a good batting average guy, he can take a walk and can slug the hell out of the ball.

One other change I'm hoping for is an offense LF, perhaps Dunn or Bay in a trade around maybe Cliff Lee, Barfield, and one of our AAA outfielders. The Indians are real close and hopefully Shapiro makes some smart moves to get us over the hump next year.
   7. Answer Guy Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:02 PM (#2588781)
Wow, that fangraphs is an awesome site.
   8. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:04 PM (#2588785)
In real time, I was yelling at Skinner to hold him up because I thought Lugo would get to the ball and fire home. I thought it was a bad risk to take with just one out. But upon replay, with the view that Skinner had, I don't know why he held Lofton up.

But really, blaming the game on that is like blaming the 2003 NLCS on Bartman. The Indians had their chances this series and even in Game Seven and just blew it. I feel for Pos and Indians fans.
   9. Smiling Joe Hesketh Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:10 PM (#2588798)
I hope that Skinner develops a severe case of rickets over the upcoming months.

This made me laugh.

Has Skinner done a poor job through the regular season as well? I know as a Sox fan I hated Dale Sveum as a 3B coach because he made so many poor decisions. The difference between Sveum and Hale has been remarkable.
   10. chick-a-DOOM chick-a-DOOM Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:11 PM (#2588799)
seem to me that people ususlly look for a person to blame EVERYTHING on or some ONE thing that made a team lose a series. it wouldn't have mattered if lofton got held up IF the rest of the team had hit.

just like bartman wouldn't have mattered one bit if alex gonzalez hadn't booted that easy DP ball etc
   11. Yankee_Redneck Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:25 PM (#2588823)
My recollections of Skinner as a player are of a a lousy swing and a magnificent cannon of an arm. In fact, my remembrance of Skinner's throwing abilities from behind the plate cast him as distinctly Ivan-esque, or perhaps Charles Johnson-oid. Is there a resource that has historic SB/CS data for catchers?
   12. bunyon Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:28 PM (#2588827)
Blake's horrendous DP

I don't get all the criticism he's been getting. Yes, it was a horribly timed DP, but he hit the ball sharply and, well, when you hit sharply hit grounders to infielders with a guy on first, double plays result. It isn't some special skill or talent to hit double plays - you just need to hit a grounder with a man on.
   13. bads85 Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:29 PM (#2588829)
I blame Cheif Wahoo. He turned on the team and the city of Cleveland when people like Posnanski started putting him down. Bad magic indeed.
   14. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:31 PM (#2588833)
Superintendent Chalmers: Skin-NER!
Joel Skinner: Yes Superintendent Chalmers!
Superintendent Chalmers: Why didn't you send Kenny Lofton on that Franklin Gutierrez double?
Joel Skinner: Um....Aurora Borealis?
Superintendent Chalmers: Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? At this time of night? In this part of the country? Localized entirely in Fenway Park?
Joel Skinner: Yes.
Superintendent Chalmers: May I see it?
Joel Skinner: No.


Is there a resource that has historic SB/CS data for catchers?

Yes
   15. Bull Pain Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:34 PM (#2588839)
Is Ehlo actually blamed for the Game 5 loss to the Bulls? He made a nice layup to give the Cavs the lead and played pretty darn good defense on Jordan all things considered. I know he's the face of defeat there, but his play was very good.
   16. Steve Treder Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:38 PM (#2588842)
It's completely obvious what happened. I can't believe no one here has pointed it out yet.

The Fox suits paid Skinner off to hold Lofton up, big time. Duh.
   17. Sparkles Peterson Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:51 PM (#2588861)
That was an indefensible call by Skinner. He was actually waving him home until the last second, by which time it was absolutely apparent that Lofton could have moonwalked home and Manny wasn't going to be throwing home anyway. Just unbelievably stupid.

I'm not sure Blake deserves as much of the blame as he's been getting for that pop-up where he collided with Peralta. Peralta is supposed to take charge and decide who's getting a pop-up among the infielders in that case, and he overran the ball to run into Blake (Who was in no position to catch the ball at all) before he dropped it.
   18. Craig Calcaterra Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:51 PM (#2588862)
I'd probably jump on Skinner myself, but as Neyer wrote this morning, it's hard to blame the third base coach when you lose by nine runs.

I blame Cheif Wahoo. He turned on the team and the city of Cleveland when people like Posnanski started putting him down. Bad magic indeed.


Way ahead of you, bads85.
   19. Steve Treder Posted: October 22, 2007 at 12:56 PM (#2588868)
That was an indefensible call by Skinner. He was actually waving him home until the last second, by which time it was absolutely apparent that Lofton could have moonwalked home and Manny wasn't going to be throwing home anyway. Just unbelievably stupid.

Completely right. Moreover, this wasn't just any run: this was the tying run in the 7th inning of an elimination game on the road.

And the Red Sox would have to execute a throw-and-tag to get him. And even if he's out, you'd still have the tying run at second with two outs.

Indefensible. At the time I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
   20. salvomania Posted: October 22, 2007 at 01:28 PM (#2588915)
Is there a resource that has historic SB/CS data for catchers?

Yes


Interesting. Skinner threw out almost as high a percentage of base-stealers as Ted Simmons (33.6% vs. 33.9%).

Looks like it was Simmons' huge quantity of passed balls that earned the defensive rap that kept him out of the Hall of Fame... because when a catcher hits like he did and throws out 40%+ of basestealers as he did in '71, '73 and '76, there has to be something (besides the enormous shadow cast by Johnny Bench) keeping him from getting even 5% of the ballots and thus dropping off after his first year of eligibility....
   21. Lassus Posted: October 22, 2007 at 01:38 PM (#2588936)
I blame Skinner for denying us the opportunity to see Lofton moonwalk home. Thanks, Sparkles! -sob!-
   22. robinred Posted: October 22, 2007 at 02:40 PM (#2589063)
It's genetic. Bob Skinner coached third for the Padres in the 1970s, and my dad and his buddies called him "Stop Sign." It is one my earliest baseball memories.
   23. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: October 22, 2007 at 02:44 PM (#2589076)
Dammit, he shoulda sent 'im. Then the final score woulda been 11-3.
   24. Greg Franklin Posted: October 22, 2007 at 03:20 PM (#2589179)
Permalink here

In IRC we were witnessing a Wikipedia war over Skinner's entry. Distraught Indians fans were editing the thing in real-time to bash the guy. Page seems reverted back to normal today, but at the time it was surreal.

Of course the chatterers were as gobsmacked as Poz was by the Lofton hold-up.
   25. tribefan Posted: October 22, 2007 at 03:31 PM (#2589212)
I'd probably jump on Skinner myself, but as Neyer wrote this morning, it's hard to blame the third base coach when you lose by nine runs.

That, and the fact that he is one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. I feel awful for him (and yes, I was complaining about that play in chatter too).
   26. BourbonSamurai Posted: October 22, 2007 at 04:14 PM (#2589298)
It was a bad call, but I'd give a lot more blame to Wedge for hanging Betancourt out to dry...
   27. flournoy Posted: October 22, 2007 at 04:35 PM (#2589327)
I agree with most of you. Skinner's decision may have cost the Indians a run or two, but he wasn't the guy who surrendered eleven runs.
   28. Jay Z Posted: October 22, 2007 at 05:36 PM (#2589458)
Regarding Ted Simmons:

I doubt that 2% of the Hall Of Fame voters have an idea about his passed ball record. Though I'm sure they don't hold his defense in high esteem.

Simmons isn't in because there were a large number of good catchers while he was playing and the team he played for at his peak didn't win anything. Plus the same team won both not long before and not long after his tenure.
   29. Steve Treder Posted: October 22, 2007 at 05:42 PM (#2589476)
I doubt that 2% of the Hall Of Fame voters have an idea about his passed ball record. Though I'm sure they don't hold his defense in high esteem.

Simmons isn't in because there were a large number of good catchers while he was playing and the team he played for at his peak didn't win anything. Plus the same team won both not long before and not long after his tenure.


Yes, and another thing was that he had a reputation among writers at the time (and management) as being kind of a loose cannon. Joe Torre described him as a "flower child" when he first came up with the Cardinals. I think writers at the time didn't take his achievements as seriously as they might have if he'd displayed the more predictable macho/jock personality.
   30. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: October 22, 2007 at 06:05 PM (#2589523)
Wow, all I ever knew about Ted Simmons was that he was a catcher for the Cardinals and he had long hair. I had no idea he had such an amazingly long career or such good offensive stats.
   31. JPWF13 Posted: October 22, 2007 at 06:12 PM (#2589541)
My favorite Wikipedia "revison" on Skinner was this one:

Joel Patrick Zulu Andromeda Skinner (born Febtober 85th, -1000 on Pluto) is an evil alien ninja who was sent by Plutonian Red Sox fans to ruin the Indians chances at a World Series. He eats babies and listens to Fall Out Boy
   32. Answer Guy Posted: October 22, 2007 at 06:16 PM (#2589548)
Did they have embedded links to Pluto and Fall Out Boy? Because that would have been funny.
   33. Jamal Touch em All Posted: October 22, 2007 at 09:12 PM (#2589753)
Does this pave the way for "Wavin' Wendel" Kim back to the majors? He assuredly would have waved Lofton home. I could see a job interview going well for him.
   34. Jeff K. Posted: October 22, 2007 at 10:35 PM (#2589817)
Distraught Indians fans were editing the thing in real-time to bash the guy. Page seems reverted back to normal today, but at the time it was surreal.

To be fair, half of those reverts were me, just for my own amusement while in IRC. I enjoyed what the Indians fans were writing and felt it deserved a brief moment of notoriety.
   35. Repoz Posted: October 22, 2007 at 10:41 PM (#2589827)
Wow, all I ever knew about Ted Simmons was that he was a catcher for the Cardinals and he had long hair

Simmons caught a lot of #### for his hair at the time (I'm looking down that evil hole of swirling flames at you Dick Young)...unfortunato, Simmons somehow had his hair CATCH ON FIRE and said he'd never grow it long again.
   36. Jeff K. Posted: October 22, 2007 at 10:43 PM (#2589830)
(I'm looking down that evil hole of swirling flames at you Dick Young)

Now that is gold. Not being from NYC, I've never really read Young, but everyone I've ever heard comment on him (including Klapisch and Harper in The Worst Team Money Could Buy) has said he is a petty, evil, jerk of a human being.
   37. Steve Treder Posted: October 22, 2007 at 11:34 PM (#2589873)
I've never really read Young, but everyone I've ever heard comment on him (including Klapisch and Harper in The Worst Team Money Could Buy) has said he is a petty, evil, jerk of a human being.

This overdoes it.

Young had his faults, by all means. The brilliant Ron Briley presented a brilliant portrait of Young in the Nine conference a couple of years ago that put him proper perspective: yes, he was wrong-headed and overbearing in many ways, but when you understand where he came from, an orphan from abject poverty, scared and lonely and insecure -- I don't know, you don't like Young exactly, but you have empathy for him.
   38. Boots Day Posted: October 23, 2007 at 12:07 AM (#2589883)
an orphan from abject poverty

Dick Young grew up poor and from a broken home in New York City, but he wasn't an orphan. After he graduated from high school, he moved to Los Angeles to live with his dad, who was working as a cameraman in Hollywood, and to try to attend UCLA. He later went back to New York to work with the CCC in the Finger Lakes area, at which point his mom was still alive (I have a record of her sending him a letter from NYC). I don't know how long either of his parents lived, but they were both alive into Young's adulthood.
   39. Steve Treder Posted: October 23, 2007 at 12:28 AM (#2589896)
I don't know how long either of his parents lived, but they were both alive into Young's adulthood.

Then I stand corrected on that detail. But his was anything but a happy and secure upbringing, as far as I understand it.
   40. pkb33 Posted: October 23, 2007 at 01:11 AM (#2589908)
One other change I'm hoping for is an offense LF, perhaps Dunn or Bay in a trade around maybe Cliff Lee, Barfield, and one of our AAA outfielders. The Indians are real close and hopefully Shapiro makes some smart moves to get us over the hump next year.

This is Example A to remember the next time says it's only big-market teams who think they can dump their leftovers on someone else for a legitimately useful player.
   41. Slinger Francisco Barrios (Dr. Memory) Posted: October 23, 2007 at 08:35 AM (#2589976)
But his was anything but a happy and secure upbringing, as far as I understand it.

More of an explanation than an excuse. Many people end up O.K. despite their disadvantages.
   42. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: October 23, 2007 at 09:02 AM (#2589993)
Young had his faults, by all means. The brilliant Ron Briley presented a brilliant portrait of Young in the Nine conference a couple of years ago that put him proper perspective: yes, he was wrong-headed and overbearing in many ways,

my objection to Dick Young was NOT that he was an egotistical, overbearing, grade A asshat--it's that he was a ####### liar (in print, that is)

for a columnist or reporter, that's inexcusable
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