| Bob Skinner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Left fielder /Manager | |
| Born: (1931-10-03)October 3, 1931 (age 94) La Jolla, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 13, 1954, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1966, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .277 |
| Home runs | 103 |
| Runs batted in | 531 |
| Managerial record | 93–123 |
| Winning % | .431 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Robert Ralph Skinner (born October 3, 1931) is anAmerican former professionalbaseballoutfielder /first baseman,manager,coach, andscout, who played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for threeNational League (NL) teams. In all, Skinner spent over 50 years in the game. He played for twoWorld Series championship teams, and was an All-Star in two seasons for thePittsburgh Pirates.
Skinner was born on October 3, 1931, inLa Jolla, California. He attendedLa Jolla High School, and played on its baseball team in the outfield. He had a .200batting average as a junior and .302 batting average as a senior, and made an All-League team.Pittsburgh Pirate scoutTom Downey saw potential in Skinner because of the way he swung thebat (and Skinner would come to be known for his "pretty swing"). Downey got Skinner into semi-professional Sunday league baseball so he could further develop. Skinner's father, a Spanish and French language teacher, wanted Skinner to go to college so Skinner attendedSan Diego Junior College. He was pursued by a number of scouts after high school, but put them off because his father wanted Skinner to attend college. Skinner hit .411 on the school's baseball team. He left college after one year, and was signed by Downey to a contract with thePittsburgh Pirates.[1][2][3][4]
The Pirates signed Skinner as an amateur free agent in 1950 or 1951. He had turned down offers from theBrooklyn Dodgers,St. Louis Cardinals,Detroit Tigers andBoston Red Sox to sign with the Pirates.[5][6] Skinner was aleft-handed hitter who threwright-handed, was listed as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 190 pounds (86 kg).[7] He has also been reported at 6 ft 4½ in (1.94 m).[4] He had the nickname "Sleepy" with the Pirates.[4]
In 1951, Skinner played 98 games for theClass BWaco Pirates, with a .283batting average, ninehome runs, 58runs batted in (RBI) and 67runs.[8] He then played 29 games for theClass DMayfield Clothiers, where he had a .472 batting average, six home runs, 50 hits, 40 runs scored, 29 RBIs and a 1.378 OPS (on-base plus slugging).[9][6]
His early minor-league career was interrupted by service in the United States Marine Corps, which lasted from November 5, 1951 through November 1, 1953.[citation needed] He did play organized baseball while serving in the Marines, hitting .402 and .379.[6] According to his honorable discharge, he was a Corporal at the time of his separation and had earned the National Defense Service Medal.[citation needed] He was married the following February, just one week before starting training camp with the 1954 Pirates.[6]
Skinner spent 1954 with the Pirates. In 1955, he was competing withDale Long andPreston Ward for the first base position on the Pirates.[10]Dale Coogan was to play first base for the Pirates'Double-A affiliate in theSouthern Association, theNew Orleans Pelicans; however, Coogan refused to report. Because the Pirates could not assign Long or Ward to the Pelicans without the risk of losing them to another team, the Pirates sent Skinner to New Orleans.[11] Skinner played in 86 games for the Pelicans, with a .346 batting average, eight home runs, 62 RBIs, 62 runs and a .976 OPS.[12] He had the second highest batting average in the Southern Association among players with over 300 at bats.[13] Skinner's season ended after he broke his wrist on July 3.[14][15]
Skinner played a full season for the Pirates in 1954. He started 116 games at first base that year. He hit .249 with eight home runs, 46 RBIs and 67 runs.[1][16] After spending 1955 in Double-A baseball, Skinner returned to the Pirates in 1956 as a backup outfielder and first baseman, starting 30 games in the outfield and 19 at first base. He hit only .202 in 233 at bats.[1][17] Dale Long was the Pirates starting first baseman in 1955, and remained so in 1956.[18][17] Skinner was primarily considered apinch hitter in 1956, and tied a 43-year old team record with three pinch hit home runs that season.[19]
The Pirates moved Skinner to the outfield in 1957, where he started 83 games in left field while starting eight at first base.[1][20] Skinner only began playing the outfield full time over the last two months of the season. Before that he had been hitting .296 primarily as a pinch hitter. On the season, he hit .305, raising his average over .100 points from the previous season, and was considered by many, including Pirates' managerDanny Murtaugh, the most improved player in the National League. Skinner had 13 home runs and led the Pirates with 10stolen bases; one of only five players in the National League to have double figures in home runs and stolen bases. Murtaugh also believed Skinner improved defensively as an outfielder because of his exceptional speed and regular opportunity to play and gain more experience.[19]
In 1958, Skinner started 141 games as the Pirates left fielder. He hit a career-high .321, with 13 home runs, 70 RBIs, 93 runs, 12 stolen bases and an .879 OPS.[1] Skinner was selected to the National League All-Star Team for the first time, as the starting left fielder. He went 1-for-3 and had one RBI in thegame, played inBaltimore's Memorial Stadium. He hit second in the NL'sbatting order, afterleadoff hitterWille Mays and beforeStan Musial.[21][22] Skinner was 15th in NL Most Valuable Player voting.[23] He was fifth among all NL players in batting average andon-base percentage (.387), sixth in offensive WAR (wins above replacement, 4.7) and doubles (33), seventh in OPS, triples (9) and runs, eighth in hits (170) and tenth intotal bases (260).[24] The Pirates finished the season 84–70. In Skinner's three prior seasons with the Pirates, they had never won more than 66 games.[25]
In mid-April 1959, he was injured trying to catch aHank Aaron line drive, and it took him a few weeks to recover.[3] Despite the slow beginning to the season, Skinner again started 141 games in left field, and hit .280, with 13 home runs, 61 RBIs and 78 runs. The Pirates finished the season 78–76, in fourth place.[1][26]
In 1960, the Pirates won theWorld Series in seven games over theNew York Yankees, and Skinner became an All-Star for the second season in his career.[27][28][29] He started 140 games in left field, and hit .273 with 15 home runs, 83 RBIs, 83 runs and 11 stolen bases.[1] Skinner started the July 11 All-Star Game in left field, batting second between Mays and future Hall of Fame third basemanEddie Mathews. He was 1-for-4 with a run, RBI and a stolen base.[28][30] He also started the July 13 All-Star Game, again batting second; this time between Mays and Aaron. He was 1-for-3 in the game.[29]
Skinner was 1-for-3 in Game 1 of the 1960 World Series, batting third in the lineup. He had a single, RBI, stolen base, and run scored in the first inning of the Pirates 6–4 victory. In the second inning he caught a short fly ball and threw to second base for a double play againstYogi Berra. He was also hit by aRyne Duren pitch in the game.[31][32] Skinner jammed his thumb during the game sliding into third base, however, and did not play again until Game 7; being replaced in left field byGino Cimoli for Games 2 through 6.[33][34][35][36][37] He was 0-for-2 in Game 7, with abase on balls, run scored and asacrifice bunt, in the Pirates 10–9 series winning victory.[38][35][33]
In 1961, Skinner experienced a variety of maladies and injuries.[39] He started only 96 games in left field, appearing in only 119 total games. He hit .268, with three home runs and 42 RBIs in only 381 at bats; his lowest production in all of these categories since 1956.[1] Skinner put himself through a rigorous training and conditioning program after the season ended and through the winter, even giving up his off season job with a San Diego newspaper to focus on his training regime. He came into the 1962 season in the best shape of his career at 30-years old.[39]
In 1962, Skinner played in 144 games, with nearly 600plate appearances. He had a .302 batting average, and career-highs in home runs (20),on-base percentage (.395) andslugging percentage (.504). Skinner also had 75 RBIs, 87 runs and 10 stolen bases.[1] The Pirates went from sixth place in 1961 (75–79)[40] to fourth place in 1962 (93–68).[41] He was third in the NL in on-base percentage, eighth in offensive WAR (4.7) and OPS (.899), and ninth in doubles (29).[42] Skinner finished 22nd in NL Most Valuable Player voting.[43]
On May 23, 1963, the Pirates traded Skinner to theCincinnati Reds for 33-year oldJerry Lynch, known as one of the greatest pinch hitters in baseball history. Skinner and Lynch had started as rookies together on the 1954 Pirates. By 1963, Lynch was not a regular player, and was older, slower and a weaker fielder than Skinner. Skinner had started 30 games for the Pirates at the time of the trade, and was hitting .270 in 122 at bats, with five doubles and five triples, but no home runs. Lynch had started four games in the outfield for the Reds, and was hitting .250 in 32 at bats, including two pinch hit home runs. The Pirates were weak hitting as a team and in fifth place. General managerJoe L. Brown believed Skinner was underperforming as a hitter that season, and that Lynch might stimulate the Pirates' offensive production; while a new team might be a positive change for Skinner to become a more productive hitter again.[44][1][45][46]
Skinner started 46 of the 72 games he played for the Reds in 1963, hitting .253 in 194 at bats, with three home runs, 17 RBIs and 25 runs. He played behind future Hall of FamerFrank Robinson[47] and rookieTommy Harper in the outfield.[48][49] Skinner's production did not live up to Reds' managerFred Hutchison's expectations.[50] The following season, on June 13, 1964, after appearing in only 25 games for the Reds (with only 12 starts), Skinner was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for 25-year old minor league catcherJim Saul and cash.[5][51]
Skinner started 29 of the 55 games in which he appeared for the Cardinals in 1964, batting .271 in 118 at bats, with one home run, 16 RBIs and 10 runs.[52] The Cardinals defeated theNew York Yankees in the 1964 World Series.[53] Skinner appeared as a pinch hitter four times during the series (Games 1, 2, 3 and 6). He had two hits in three at bats (including aground rule double), with onebase on balls and one RBI.[54][55][56][57]
He played two more seasons for the Cardinals before being released in October 1966, ending his MLB career.[1][5] Starting 28 games in 1965, he hit .309 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, 25 runs and an .853 OPS.[58] In 1966, he was used solely as a pinch hitter, batting .156 in 45 at bats.[59]
Over his 12-year career, he batted .277 with 1,198hits, including 197doubles, 58triples and 103 homers.[1]
In 1967, Skinner retired from playing and became manager of his hometown team, theSan Diego Padres of theTriple-APacific Coast League (PCL), the topfarm club of thePhiladelphia Phillies. He led San Diego to an 85–63 record and the 1967 PCL championship.[60][61] The 36-year old Skinner won Minor League Manager of the Year honors fromThe Sporting News.[62]
In1968, he began the year at San Diego but on June 16 he was called to the Phillies to replaceGene Mauch as manager with the Phils in fifth place with a record of 27–27. It was reported at the time that Mauch was fired in connection with his strained relationship to future Hall of FamerDick Allen.[63][64][65][66] Skinner was surprised when the Phillies told him he would be replacing Mauch.[67] Allen hit extremely well during the Phillies first 30 games under Skinner, and the team was 17–13, including a seven-game winning streak.[68][69] As of July 15, the Phillies were 45–40 and in third place.[70] The managing change ultimately did not improve the Phillies' play, however, and the team fell in the standings. Under Skinner, the team had a 48–59 record, and finished the season tied for seventh place in the NL.[64][71]
The Phillies began the1969 season 26–37 and were in fifth place in the newNL East Division when the relationship between Skinner, the Phillies and Allen entered a phase of irreparable deterioration on June 24, with Allen subsequently missing weeks of play.[72][68] The team's record fell to 44–64, and they were still in fifth place in the NL East Division, when Skinner resigned and was replaced by his third-base coach,George Myatt, on August 6. Myatt went on to a 19–35 record as interim manager that season. It was reported at the time that Skinner resigned because he believed he had a lack of support from the Phillies ownership and front office, particularly in his own difficult relationship with Dick Allen. Skinner said he liked the job and thought he was doing well as a manager, but his pride would not allow him to stay under circumstances where he believed the team did not stand behind his decisions as manager, and that the team's attitude and approach would prevent the Phillies from becoming a winning team. Phillies ownersBob Carpenter said that he regretted Skinner's decision to resign. Carpenter disagreed with Skinner on the lack of support question, but agreed that if Skinner did not agree with his bosses' decision making then it was right to resign.[73][74]
In early September 1969, the expansion National LeagueSan Diego Padres announced Skinner would join the team as a coach, under managerPreston Gomez, in 1970.[65][75] He served as third base coach and ahitting instructor with the Padres in 1970, working with young sluggerNate Colbert, among others.[76] His dual role continued in 1971, but then he was made solely abatting coach in 1972 and 1973.[77][78] Skinner became the Pirates batting coach from 1974 to 1976.[79][80]
He was with the Padres again as a batting coach in 1977, and managed one game after managerJohn McNamara was fired, beforeAlvin Dark took over as manager to finish the season. Former Padres general managerBuzzy Bavasi hired Skinner to join theCalifornia Angels coaching staff in 1978, a move that made Padres ownerRay Kroc unhappy.[81][82][83] In 1979, he became the Pirates batting coach again, and continued in that position until 1985. He coached third base for the Pirates in 1985.[84][85][86][87][88][89] Skinner became the Atlanta Braves hitting coach in 1986 and continued coaching for Atlanta in 1987.[90][91][92] In 1988, he was the Braves first base coach, and worked with the teams outfielders, until he was fired on May 22, along with the rest of the coaching staff.[93]
In November 1988, theHouston Astros named Skinner to manage their Triple-A affiliate, theTucson Toros of the Pacific Coast League.[93] He managed the Toros from 1989 to 1992, with a 361–355 record.[94] After the 1992 season, the Astros assigned Skinner to an advanced scouting position, and he continued as a scout for Houston in the ensuing years.[95][96]
His career record as a Major League manager, including a one-game interim stint with the 1977 Padres, was 93–123 (.431).[97]
In 1976, Skinner was also inducted by theSan Diego Hall of Champions into theBreitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.[98]
Skinner worked as a sports commentator for a San Diego television station during his managing and coaching career.[65]
| Years | Games | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | FLD% |
| 12 | 1381 | 4873 | 4318 | 642 | 1198 | 197 | 58 | 103 | 531 | 67 | 485 | 646 | .277 | .351 | .421 | .977 |
Skinner played 893 games at left field, 151 games at first base, 56 games at right field and 2 games at third base.
During the off season as a player he worked as an x-ray technician in a jet engine plant in San Diego; and also worked in promotions for a San Diego newspaper.[3] Skinner is the father of former MLB catcher and coach, and minor league manager,Joel Skinner.[99][100][101]