Scott Radinsky
Encyclopedia
Scott David Radinsky is the pitching coach of the Cleveland Indians
.
He is also a left-handed
former relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
, who had an 11-year career from – and –. Radinsky is also the lead singer of the punk rock
band Pulley
and former lead singer of the bands Scared Straight and Ten Foot Pole
.
Radinsky finished his career with a 42–25 record, a 3.44 ERA
, and 358 strikeout
s in 481-2/3 innings pitched. Radinsky also only gave up 33 home run
s throughout his career, an average of 1 every 14.5 innings.
He was one of the best Jewish pitchers in major league history through 2010: second in career games pitched (555; behind Scott Schoeneweis
), 4th in ERA (3.44; behind Barney Pelty
, Sandy Koufax
, and Erskine Mayer
), and 11th in wins
(directly behind Saul Rogovin
).
in the third round in out of Simi Valley High School
in Simi Valley, California
.
allowed and 12.1 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.
that also included hardthrowing Bobby Thigpen
and Roberto Hernández.
In 1990, he posted a record of 6–1 with four saves in his rookie season.
In , Radinsky enjoyed his finest year with the White Sox, going 5–5 with a 2.02 ERA. He was tenth in the league with 67 appearances. He held batters to a .116 batting average with runners in scoring position
. In , he was seventh in the AL
, pitching in 68 games, and had a 2.73 ERA and a career-high 15 saves. In 1993, he was second in the league, pitching in 73 games, and won a career-high eight games while saving four.
During the 1993– off-season, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease. The treatment for the disease forced Radinsky to miss the entire 1994 baseball season. "Oh, it sucks to have a doctor tell you that you have cancer, but in the same breath, he told me that with aggressive treatment they can treat this particular disease," he remembers. "Thank God I didn’t have Internet back then, so I couldn’t get all wrapped up in it. I didn’t have access to see how bad it could be. They told me I had to go through six months of this and five weeks of that, and that’s all I really looked at: the end."
In his 1995 return to the White Sox, his ERA ballooned to 5.45, prompting the White Sox to release him after the season.
to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers
, with whom he signed as a free agent
in January . He turned down other major league contracts for a minor-league deal with the team he followed throughout his childhood, just a 30-minute drive from his driveway to the stadium. He enjoyed three excellent years (1996–) in Los Angeles, with his ERA never exceeding 2.89. Out of the bullpen, he worked as a set-up pitcher for Todd Worrell
and Jeff Shaw
, the Dodgers' closer
s. Radinsky's home-town status, excellent on-the-field performance, blue collar
attitude, and at times fiery personality made him an instant fan favorite in Los Angeles.
In , he pitched in a career-high 75 games, 7th in the NL, with a 2.89 ERA.
However, after the 1998 season, the Dodgers and Radinsky decided to cut ties.
, with whom he signed as a free agent in November 1998.
, with whom he signed as a free agent
in January 2001. He injured his pitching elbow in his first game with the Indians, requiring Tommy John surgery
. After rehabilitating the elbow, he then returned to make two major league appearances in 2001 before retiring.
He never again experienced the same baseball success that he had enjoyed with the White Sox and Dodgers.
He played his final major league game for the Indians on October 5, 2001.
He was one of the best Jewish pitchers all-time in major league history through 2010: second in career games pitched (555; behind Scott Schoeneweis
), 4th in ERA (3.44; behind Barney Pelty
, Sandy Koufax
, and Erskine Mayer
), and 11th in wins
(directly behind Saul Rogovin
).
's Lake County Captains
. He held the same post in with the Double-A Akron Aeros
. In , he was promoted by the Cleveland Indians to serve as the pitching coach for the Buffalo Bisons
. in 2009 he was the coach of the Columbus Clippers
for the third straight season.
On November 16, 2009, Radinsky was named as bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians
major league club for the 2010 season.
On October 14, 2011, it was announced that Radinsky would become the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians
for the 2012 season to replace Tim Belcher
who stepped down at season's end to spend more time with his family.
. A fixture in the 1980s "Nardcore
" (Oxnard, California hardcore) scene, he sang for Scared Straight
, Which recorded an LP ("You Drink, You Drive, You Die") and several compilation cuts for Mystic Records
. The band later changed their name to Ten Foot Pole
and subsequently kicked Radinsky out, due to his time-consuming baseball career. He currently sings as the lead vocalist for the punk rock band Pulley
, which has toured three continents and opened for bands such as Green Day
. As of June 2005, its most recent album had sold nearly 50,000 copies.
in Simi Valley, California, a skate park with a museum that goes back to the days of metal wheels and two-by-fours.
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
He is also a left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
former relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, who had an 11-year career from – and –. Radinsky is also the lead singer of the punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Pulley
Pulley (band)
Pulley is a Californian punk rock band formed in 1994. The band is known for straightforward, hard-edged melodic punk rock.-Band history:The band was formed upon vocalist Scott Radinsky's departure from Ten Foot Pole, brought about by that band's desire for a singer with a full-time focus on music...
and former lead singer of the bands Scared Straight and Ten Foot Pole
Ten Foot Pole
Ten Foot Pole is an American punk rock band, formerly on Epitaph Records.-History:Ten Foot Pole was founded in 1983 as Scared Straight.Scared Straight was a Nardcore Punk band from Simi Valley, California...
.
Radinsky finished his career with a 42–25 record, a 3.44 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and 358 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in 481-2/3 innings pitched. Radinsky also only gave up 33 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s throughout his career, an average of 1 every 14.5 innings.
He was one of the best Jewish pitchers in major league history through 2010: second in career games pitched (555; behind Scott Schoeneweis
Scott Schoeneweis
Scott David Schoeneweis is an American Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.In the five seasons from 2003–07, Schoeneweis allowed only one home run to left-handed batters...
), 4th in ERA (3.44; behind Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty , was a major league baseball pitcher known as "the Yiddish Curver" because he was one of the first Jewish baseball players in the American League. His career ERA is 2.63, 60th-best of all pitchers in major league baseball...
, Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
, and Erskine Mayer
Erskine Mayer
Jacob Erskine Mayer was an American baseball player who played for three different Major League Baseball teams during the 1910s...
), and 11th in wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
(directly behind Saul Rogovin
Saul Rogovin
Saul Walter Rogovin was a professional baseball player.Rogovin was a pitcher over parts of 8 seasons , with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies...
).
Baseball career
Radinsky was originally drafted by the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in the third round in out of Simi Valley High School
Simi Valley High School
Simi Valley High School is a secondary school located in Simi Valley, California, nestling in the shadow of the Santa Susana Mountains, adjacent to the San Fernando Valley. It was established in 1920 as the valley's first high school. Simi Valley High School has undergone several configurations...
in Simi Valley, California
Simi Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile...
.
Minor Leagues
Radinsky pitched in the minor leagues from 1986–, and parts of later years. In 1989, he had 31 saves, a 1.75 ERA, and averaged 5.7 hitsHit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
allowed and 12.1 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.
Chicago White Sox (1990–93; 1995)
He made his major league debut for the White Sox on April 9, 1990. From that point through 1993, he was a fixture in a White Sox bullpenBullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
that also included hardthrowing Bobby Thigpen
Bobby Thigpen
Robert Thomas "Bobby" Thigpen is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is noted for setting the major league record of 57 saves during the season, which has since been broken by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Francisco Rodríguez...
and Roberto Hernández.
In 1990, he posted a record of 6–1 with four saves in his rookie season.
In , Radinsky enjoyed his finest year with the White Sox, going 5–5 with a 2.02 ERA. He was tenth in the league with 67 appearances. He held batters to a .116 batting average with runners in scoring position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position is a baseball statistic derived by dividing a players hits with runners in scoring positions by his at bats with runners in scoring position...
. In , he was seventh in the AL
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, pitching in 68 games, and had a 2.73 ERA and a career-high 15 saves. In 1993, he was second in the league, pitching in 73 games, and won a career-high eight games while saving four.
During the 1993– off-season, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease. The treatment for the disease forced Radinsky to miss the entire 1994 baseball season. "Oh, it sucks to have a doctor tell you that you have cancer, but in the same breath, he told me that with aggressive treatment they can treat this particular disease," he remembers. "Thank God I didn’t have Internet back then, so I couldn’t get all wrapped up in it. I didn’t have access to see how bad it could be. They told me I had to go through six months of this and five weeks of that, and that’s all I really looked at: the end."
In his 1995 return to the White Sox, his ERA ballooned to 5.45, prompting the White Sox to release him after the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers (1996–98)
His release from the Sox paved the way for his return home to Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, with whom he signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in January . He turned down other major league contracts for a minor-league deal with the team he followed throughout his childhood, just a 30-minute drive from his driveway to the stadium. He enjoyed three excellent years (1996–) in Los Angeles, with his ERA never exceeding 2.89. Out of the bullpen, he worked as a set-up pitcher for Todd Worrell
Todd Worrell
Todd Roland Worrell is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers from to ....
and Jeff Shaw
Jeff Shaw
Jeffrey Lee Shaw is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who had a 12-year career from 1990 to 2001...
, the Dodgers' closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
s. Radinsky's home-town status, excellent on-the-field performance, blue collar
Blue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
attitude, and at times fiery personality made him an instant fan favorite in Los Angeles.
In , he pitched in a career-high 75 games, 7th in the NL, with a 2.89 ERA.
However, after the 1998 season, the Dodgers and Radinsky decided to cut ties.
St. Louis Cardinals (1999–2000)
He went on to play for the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, with whom he signed as a free agent in November 1998.
Cleveland Indians (2001)
He then pitched for the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, with whom he signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in January 2001. He injured his pitching elbow in his first game with the Indians, requiring Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
. After rehabilitating the elbow, he then returned to make two major league appearances in 2001 before retiring.
He never again experienced the same baseball success that he had enjoyed with the White Sox and Dodgers.
He played his final major league game for the Indians on October 5, 2001.
He was one of the best Jewish pitchers all-time in major league history through 2010: second in career games pitched (555; behind Scott Schoeneweis
Scott Schoeneweis
Scott David Schoeneweis is an American Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who is currently a free agent.In the five seasons from 2003–07, Schoeneweis allowed only one home run to left-handed batters...
), 4th in ERA (3.44; behind Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty
Barney Pelty , was a major league baseball pitcher known as "the Yiddish Curver" because he was one of the first Jewish baseball players in the American League. His career ERA is 2.63, 60th-best of all pitchers in major league baseball...
, Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
, and Erskine Mayer
Erskine Mayer
Jacob Erskine Mayer was an American baseball player who played for three different Major League Baseball teams during the 1910s...
), and 11th in wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
(directly behind Saul Rogovin
Saul Rogovin
Saul Walter Rogovin was a professional baseball player.Rogovin was a pitcher over parts of 8 seasons , with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies...
).
Coaching career (2005-present)
Radinsky rejoined the Cleveland Indians organization in as a pitching coach for the South Atlantic LeagueSouth Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
's Lake County Captains
Lake County Captains
The Lake County Captains are a minor league baseball team in Eastlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. The team, a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, plays in the Midwest League....
. He held the same post in with the Double-A Akron Aeros
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
. In , he was promoted by the Cleveland Indians to serve as the pitching coach for the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. in 2009 he was the coach of the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
for the third straight season.
On November 16, 2009, Radinsky was named as bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
major league club for the 2010 season.
On October 14, 2011, it was announced that Radinsky would become the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for the 2012 season to replace Tim Belcher
Tim Belcher
Timothy Wayne Belcher is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He won the Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award in for the National League...
who stepped down at season's end to spend more time with his family.
Music career
Besides baseball, Radinsky's other passion is punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
. A fixture in the 1980s "Nardcore
Nardcore
Nardcore is a hardcore punk movement that came out of Southern California in the early 1980s, originating in Silver Strand Beach, Oxnard and Port Hueneme. Early bands in the Nardcore scene included Agression, Dr. Know, False Confession, Ill Repute, Habeas Corpus, RKL, Stalag 13 and Scared Straight...
" (Oxnard, California hardcore) scene, he sang for Scared Straight
Scared Straight (band)
Scared Straight was a Nardcore Punk band from Simi Valley, California.The band was formed in 1983 by a group of friends and was originally called S.O.F, Scott Radinsky, Mike Thompson, Gary Gallanes and Dennis Jagard, who wanted to start a band and enter a "Battle of the Bands" competition at a...
, Which recorded an LP ("You Drink, You Drive, You Die") and several compilation cuts for Mystic Records
Mystic Records
Mystic Records is a record label and music production company that was based in Hollywood CA one block south of Hollywood and Vine and later moved to Oceanside, California...
. The band later changed their name to Ten Foot Pole
Ten Foot Pole
Ten Foot Pole is an American punk rock band, formerly on Epitaph Records.-History:Ten Foot Pole was founded in 1983 as Scared Straight.Scared Straight was a Nardcore Punk band from Simi Valley, California...
and subsequently kicked Radinsky out, due to his time-consuming baseball career. He currently sings as the lead vocalist for the punk rock band Pulley
Pulley (band)
Pulley is a Californian punk rock band formed in 1994. The band is known for straightforward, hard-edged melodic punk rock.-Band history:The band was formed upon vocalist Scott Radinsky's departure from Ten Foot Pole, brought about by that band's desire for a singer with a full-time focus on music...
, which has toured three continents and opened for bands such as Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. As of June 2005, its most recent album had sold nearly 50,000 copies.
Skateboard park
Radinsky is also the owner of SkatelabSkatelab
Skatelab is a skatepark and museum located in Simi Valley, California.The Skateboard Museum, inside Skatelab of California, is home to the Skateboarding Hall of Fame. Skatelab and its museum opened in 1997 and was originally built by Team Pain...
in Simi Valley, California, a skate park with a museum that goes back to the days of metal wheels and two-by-fours.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- List of select Jewish baseball players