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Monday, January 14, 2008

Madden: Johnny Podres dead at 75

Johnny Podres.

Johnny Podres, the cool and clutch lefty who pitched the Dodgers to their one and only world championship in Brooklyn by shutting out the Yankees, 2-0, in the seventh game of the 1955 World Series, died Sunday night in a hospital in Glens Falls, N.Y. He was 75.

Podres, who forever earned his niche as the toast of Brooklyn with two wins over the Yankees in that ‘55 Series, had been suffering from a multitude of illnesses, the result of being a lifelong chain smoker, and had just undergone a leg amputation in doctors’ efforts to remedy an infection.

...Podres was essentially a three-pitch pitcher - fastball, curveball and changeup - all of which, Zimmer said, were exceptional. He is credited with being one of the greatest masters of the changeup, having taught it to dozens of pitchers, including Curt Schilling and Frank Viola, in later years as a pitching coach with the Red Sox, Twins and Phillies. As a pitching coach, Podres was strictly old school, scoffing at pitch counts, and that was probably the result of having hurled 77 complete games himself. In 1993, he took a Phillies staff that had ranked last in the National League in ERA the previous year to the World Series.

Even here...Madden has to work his pitchcountitis in.

Repoz Posted: January 14, 2008 at 05:51 AM | 12 comment(s)
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   1. Edmundo, survivor of 7 right-sourcings Posted: January 14, 2008 at 09:50 AM (#2667695)
In 1993, he took a Phillies staff that had ranked last in the National League in ERA the previous year to the World Series.
I can't find out when Podres became a pitching coach for the Phils. If indeed it was '93 as implied above, the pitching staff did improve from 85 OPS+ to 100 OPS+. A fair chunk of that was replacing 133 Kyle Abbott innings of 68 ERA+ with 210 Danny Jackson innings of 105. In '93 Tommy Greene had 1 of his 2 healthy years, jumping from 64 innings of 66 ERA+ to 200 innings of 116 (slightly better than he did in '91 as a 23 yo). Shilling and Ben Rivera had big drops and Terry Mulholland had a big jump. I don't know how much you can credit Podres for the improvement in the pitching staff.
The really neat trick was getting a 112 ERA+ out of the '94 staff -- only 2 pitchers pitched more than 100 innings (179 and 104), although David West had 99.
   2. Howie Menckel Posted: January 14, 2008 at 09:52 AM (#2667697)
Well, 1994 was a strike year, which explains the innings part at least.
   3. Dag Nabbit Posted: January 14, 2008 at 09:54 AM (#2667698)
I can't find out when Podres became a pitching coach for the Phils.

Going by retrosheet, he was pitching coach at Philly from 1991-6.
   4. Edmundo, survivor of 7 right-sourcings Posted: January 14, 2008 at 10:03 AM (#2667704)
1994 was a strike year, which explains the innings part at least.
D'oh. They did have a lot pitching injuries though.

ERA+ before, during and after Podres. I guess this doesn't tell you much about his performance as pitching coach.
1990 93
--------------
1991 94
1992 85
1993 100
1994 112
1995 100
1996 95
-------------
1997 87

All the local announcers seemed to love him as an all around good guy.

Podres did win one of the most inspiration games of all times. It must have been nice to be able to carry around such a great memory for the rest of your life. RIP, Mr. Podres.
   5. Howie Menckel Posted: January 14, 2008 at 10:07 AM (#2667705)
He's hilarious in that recent HBO documentary, talking about partying up a storm after that game. He talks about being young, says he liked the ladies - you see the twinkle in the old man's eye...
   6. Work fast, throw strikes, change speeds Posted: January 14, 2008 at 10:09 AM (#2667706)
In July '95, Sid Fernandez signed with the Phillies, so for the next season and a half, Philadelphia had 2 men who won a World Series Game 7 for a New York NL team.
   7. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: January 14, 2008 at 10:33 AM (#2667723)
one thing not mentioned in the obit is that, immediately after the 1955 game 7 glory, Podres was drafted into the Navy & missed the 56 season

didn't seem to hurt him, though--he had one of his best seasons in 57
   8. K.L. Snow Posted: January 14, 2008 at 11:08 AM (#2667751)
I released Podres from my WhatIfSports team Friday (he had a 8.42 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP in 25.2 innings), and this morning I find out he died shortly afterwards. I'm going to guess it had more to do with this:

had been suffering from a multitude of illnesses, the result of being a lifelong chain smoker, and had just undergone a leg amputation in doctors’ efforts to remedy an infection.


But nonetheless, should I feel guilty?
   9. Chris Needham Posted: January 14, 2008 at 11:18 AM (#2667760)
Here's the column from the local paper.
   10. Benji Posted: January 14, 2008 at 11:19 AM (#2667763)
This really hits home. My grandfather signed him for Brooklyn, and whenever he met someone from our town he would send regards to my grandmother, father, uncle and aunt. My grandpa died in 1953, and Podres told the Capital District papers how he "wished Alex could have seen it" when he pitched the '55 clincher. He met my brothers at a card show, but I didn't go, figuring I'll meet him someday. Another brilliant Benji decision. RIP Johnny. Say hi to "The Chief", who I never got to meet either. 4 years too late.
   11. The elusive Robert Denby Posted: January 14, 2008 at 11:20 AM (#2667764)
But nonetheless, should I feel guilty?

He should feel guilty for having such a lousy season. RIP, Johnny Podres.
   12. Russ Posted: January 14, 2008 at 01:15 PM (#2667869)
My grandfather signed him for Brooklyn, and whenever he met someone from our town he would send regards to my grandmother, father, uncle and aunt.


As much as the steroids stuff and political stuff tries to drive one out, it's always little stories like these that keep me coming back to the BTF. Really cool stuff, Benji.
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