- Scott Radinsky
Infobox MLB retired
name=Scott Radinsky
position=Pitcher
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate= birth date and age|1968|3|3Glendale, California
debutdate=April 9
debutyear=by|1990
debutteam=Chicago White Sox
finaldate=October 5
finalyear=by|2001
finalteam=Cleveland Indians
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=42-25
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.44
stat3label=Saves
stat3value=52
teams=
*Chicago White Sox (by|1990-by|1995)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (by|1996-by|1998)
*St. Louis Cardinals (by|1998-by|1999)
*Cleveland Indians (by|2000)
highlights=
* 1995Tony Conigliaro Award Scott David Radinsky (born
March 3 ,1968 inGlendale, California ) is aleft-handed formerrelief pitcher inMajor League Baseball , who had an 11-year career from by|1990-by|1993 and by|1995-by|2001. Radinsky is also the lead singer of thepunk rock band Pulley.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 33home 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, first career-wise in games pitched (555; ahead ofKen Holtzman ), 4th in ERA (3.44; behindBarney Pelty ,Sandy Koufax , andErskine Mayer ), [http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/142224.html] and 11th in wins (directly behindJason Marquis ). [http://jewishmajorleaguers.org/crrldrs/crrldrs.html]Baseball career
Radinsky was originally drafted by the
Chicago White Sox in the third round in by|1986 out ofSimi Valley High School inSimi Valley, California .Minor Leagues
Radinsky played in the minor leagues from 1986-by|1989, and parts of later years. In 1989, he had 31 saves, a 1.75 ERA, and averaged 5.7 hits 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 this point through 1993, he was a fixture in a tough White Soxbullpen that also included hardthrowingBobby Thigpen and Roberto Hernández.In by|1991, Radinsky enjoyed his finest year with the White Sox, going 5-5 with a 2.02 ERA. He was 10th in the league with 67 games. He held batters to a .116
Batting Average with Runners in Scoring Position .In by|1992, he was 7th in the AL, pitching in 68 games, and had a 2.73 ERA and 15 saves.
In 1993, he was 2nd in the league, pitching in 73 games.
During the 1993-by|1994 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." [http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/142224.html]His 1995 return to the White Sox was bittersweet. Although he was able to return to baseball, his normally low 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 California to play for theLos Angeles Dodgers , with whom he signed as afree agent in January by|1996. 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. [http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/142224.html] He enjoyed three excellent years (1996-by|1998) in Los Angeles, with his ERA never exceeding 2.89. Out of the bullpen, he worked as aset-up pitcher forTodd Worrell andJeff Shaw , the Dodgers' closers. 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 by|1997, he pitched in 75 games, 7th in the NL, with a 2.89 ERA.
However, after the 1998 season, the Dodgers and Radinsky decided to cut ties.
t. Louis Cardinals (1999-2000)
He went on to play for the
St. Louis Cardinals , with whom he signed as a free agent in November 1998.Cleveland Indians (2001)
He then pitched for the
Cleveland Indians , with whom he signed as a free agent in January 2001. He injured his pitching elbow in his first game with the Indians, requiringTommy 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.ignificant batters' career stats against Radinsky
*
Barry Bonds -- 3 for 7 (.429), 1 HR
*George Brett-- 2 for 18 (.111 batting average)
*Ken Griffey, Jr. -- 1 for 16 (.063)Life after baseball-playing career
Music
Besides baseball, Radinsky's other passion is
punk rock . A fixture in the 1980s "Nardcore " (Oxnard, California hardcore) scene, he sang for Scared Straight, who later changed their name toTen 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 asGreen Day . As of June2005 , its most recent album had sold nearly 50,000 copies.Coaching
Radinsky rejoined the Cleveland Indians organization in by|2005 as a pitching coach for the
South Atlantic League 'sLake County Captains . He held the same post in by|2006 with the Double-AAkron Aeros . In by|2007, he was promoted by the Cleveland Indians to serve as the pitching coach for theBuffalo Bisons . [http://www.buffalonews.com/111/story/44971.html]kateboard park
Radinsky is also the owner of
Skatelab in Simi Valley, California.External links
*baseball-reference|id=r/radinsc01
* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/R/Scott-Radinsky.shtml Baseball Cube stats]
* [http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1010641&position=P Fangraphs stats]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Scott_Radinsky BR Bullpen profile]
* [http://jewishmajorleaguers.org/crrldrs/crrldrs.html Jewish Major League career leaders]
* [http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/142224.html "Bisons pitching coach Scott Radinsky is also a punk rocker and a cancer survivor," 8/16/07]
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