Joel Skinner

Joel Skinner
Joel Skinner in 2009
Catcher
Born: (1961-02-21) February 21, 1961 La Jolla, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 12, 1983, for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 22, 1991, for the Cleveland Indians
MLB statistics
Batting average	.228
Home runs	17
Runs batted in	136
Teams
As Player Chicago White Sox (1983–1986) New York Yankees (1986–1988) Cleveland Indians (1989–1991) As Manager Cleveland Indians (2002)

Joel Patrick Skinner (born February 21, 1961) is a retired Major League Baseball catcher and former manager of the Charlotte Knights, the Class AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He is the son of Bob Skinner, a National League outfielder in the 1950s and 1960s.

High school career

At Mission Bay High School in San Diego, Joel Skinner played baseball and water polo. He was drafted immediately following his senior year and was the first player taken in the free-agent compensation draft.

Major league playing career

Originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Skinner was traded to the Chicago White Sox in 1983. After brief call-ups to the majors over the next three years, Skinner was slated to start 1986 with the White Sox.

New general manager Hawk Harrelson had taken a liking to Skinner, and decided to make him the starting catcher in place of Carlton Fisk. This made some sense on paper; Fisk was 38 years old, and conventional wisdom then as now suggests that catchers at that age don't have many years left. Harrelson wanted to have Fisk's successor in place when Fisk retired. To ease the transition, Fisk was moved to left field. The move backfired when Skinner batted only .171 in April. On May 10, Fisk became the regular catcher, and Skinner only made 25 more starts behind the plate before being traded to the New York Yankees on July 30.

Skinner's career never really recovered after that. He bounced between the majors and minors with the Yankees and Cleveland Indians until his retirement in 1994.

Minor league managing career

Skinner spent six seasons managing in the Indians minor league system from 1995–2000. In those seasons he compiled a record of 448–333 (.574) and took his team to the playoffs in five of six seasons.

• 1995 – Managed the Watertown Indians to a record of 46- 27 and a New York–Penn League title and Manager of the Year honors
• 1996 – Managed the Columbus Redstixx (South Atlantic League) to a second half title and a regular season record of 79–63
• 1997 – Managed the Class A Kinston Indians (Carolina League) in 1997 as they won titles in both the first and second halves with an 87–53 record, earning him Carolina League Manager of the Year honors
• 1998 & 1999 – Managed the Akron Aeros and was named USA Today Baseball Weekly's Minor League Manager of the Year in 1998 after guiding the Aeros to an 81–60 record and an Eastern League regular season title
• 2000 – Managed the AAA Buffalo Bisons to the best record in the International League and an IL North Division title with a record of 86–59 (.593). His leadership of the Bisons in earned him Minor League Manager of the Year honors from Baseball America and The Sporting News in addition to being given International League Manager of the Year honors. Was a coach for Team USA in the 2000 All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.
• 2010 – Hired as the Oakland Athletics bench coach for the 2011 season.
• 2011 – Hired as the manager of the Charlotte Knights, the White Sox Triple-A affiliate, for the 2012 season.

Major League managing/coaching career

Skinner was named to the coaching staff of the Cleveland Indians on November 10, 2000, succeeding Jim Riggleman as third base coach. He was named interim manager of the Tribe on July 11, 2002 after Charlie Manuel was let go in a contract dispute. At the time, Skinner was the youngest manager in the major leagues, at age 41. He skippered the team to a 35–41 record to finish the season, including a 15–13 record in September. Skinner's name was mentioned among candidates to the permanent manager's job, but Eric Wedge was chosen instead. Skinner remained on the Indians' coaching staff until Manny Acta was hired in 2009. On October 20, 2010, Skinner was hired as the Oakland Athletics bench coach for the 2011 season replacing Tye Waller. On November 14, 2011, Skinner was hired as the manager of the Charlotte Knights.

Managerial records

Team	Year	Regular Season				Post Season
		Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
CLE	2002	35	41	.461	3rd in AL Central	–	–	–	–

Career statistics

G	AB	R	H	RBI	HR	AVG
564	1441	119	329	136	17	.228

See also

• List of second-generation Major League Baseball players

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• MLB.com Bio
• [1]
• [2]

Preceded by Jim Riggleman Jeff Datz Jeff Datz	Cleveland Indians Third Base Coach 2001–2002 2003–2005 2007–2009	Succeeded by Jeff Datz Jeff Datz Steve Smith
Preceded by Robby Thompson	Cleveland Indians Bench Coach 2006	Succeeded by Jeff Datz
Preceded by Tye Waller	Oakland Athletics Bench Coach 2010–2011	Succeeded by Chip Hale