A conversation with Reggie Jefferson

[David Laurila]

Apologies up front for linking my own work, but this interview is right in the SoSH wheelhouse. Reggie shared some good memories, and some interesting observations, in this conversation. (Oh, and this works far better with the correct link.)

A Conversation with 1990s Slugger Reggie Jefferson

Originally a switch-hitter, Jefferson had his best years as a left-handed DH for the Red Sox.

blogs.fangraphs.com

 

[The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa]

Apologies up front for linking my own work, but this interview is right in the SoSH wheelhouse. Reggie shared some good memories, and some interesting observations, in this conversation.

Aaron Judge - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball

Aaron Judge career batting statistics for Major League, Minor League, and postseason baseball

www.fangraphs.com

Reggie sure has changed. I guess he still isn't eligible for the batting title in 2019.

 

[santadevil]

Apologies up front for linking my own work, but this interview is right in the SoSH wheelhouse. Reggie shared some good memories, and some interesting observations, in this conversation.

Aaron Judge - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball

Aaron Judge career batting statistics for Major League, Minor League, and postseason baseball

www.fangraphs.com

It's so good, but I can't really put it into perspective, so I have no further comments

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Thanks for posting, always enjoy reading your work.

 

[Dick Drago]

Beautiful opposite field stroke—he, Lynn, Carbo all could really use the wall.

 

[santadevil]

Apologies up front for linking my own work, but this interview is right in the SoSH wheelhouse. Reggie shared some good memories, and some interesting observations, in this conversation. (Oh, and this works far better with the correct link.)

A Conversation with 1990s Slugger Reggie Jefferson

Originally a switch-hitter, Jefferson had his best years as a left-handed DH for the Red Sox.

blogs.fangraphs.com

Thanks David, good article about I guy that I didn't follow very closely
Reggie seems like he's very down to earth and it's nice getting a player's perspective on how they viewed their own career

The more I read about Jimy Williams, the less I like the guy

 

[Harry Hooper]

I loved this bit:

Laurila: Being primarily a left-handed hitter, you wouldn’t have faced Johnson very often.

Jefferson: “Not a ton, but I faced him from both sides of the plate. I may be the only guy who can say that. I faced him when I came up with Cleveland, and then in Boston I faced him from the left side. So I’m not sure if anyone else can say they faced Randy from both sides of the plate — and it’s a lot better from the right side, let me tell you.”

 

[The_Powa_of_Seiji_Ozawa]

Very nice, thanks for sharing. I never knew much about Reggie. Like a lot of players on those teams, I remember wondering who the heck were these guys, and Reggie was certainly one of them. Jimy Williams was a real piece of work.

 

[BuellMiller]

I loved this bit:

Laurila: Being primarily a left-handed hitter, you wouldn’t have faced Johnson very often.

Jefferson: “Not a ton, but I faced him from both sides of the plate. I may be the only guy who can say that. I faced him when I came up with Cleveland, and then in Boston I faced him from the left side. So I’m not sure if anyone else can say they faced Randy from both sides of the plate — and it’s a lot better from the right side, let me tell you.”

Well, Larry Walker did during the same plate appearance in the 97 allstar game.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDazoAWUvH8

 

[brs3]

Great article, thanks for posting it! I was always curious about his exit, because his '99 season seemed to end abruptly. I think the baseball notes in the Globe just had a tiny blurb about a blowup and that was it.

 

[Awesome Fossum]

This was awesome; thank you for sharing. I loved Reggie Jefferson as a kid. I also really love that he's still good friends with Troy O'Leary.

 

[InstaFace]

The more I read about Jimy Williams, the less I like the guy

Yep. "Player's manager", my ass.

edit: but a good excuse to hijack and add this old BSG gem:

Simmons: 'Inside the Manager's Studio'

On this week's show, Jimy Williams reflects on his time in Boston with host James Lipton.

proxy.espn.com

 

[moondog80]

Thanks David, good article about I guy that I didn't follow very closely
Reggie seems like he's very down to earth and it's nice getting a player's perspective on how they viewed their own career

The more I read about Jimy Williams, the less I like the guy

Why?

Jefferson says that he should not have been platooned in 1997, because in 1996 he his .320 vs lefties. He doesn't say that it was 50 AB. Or that in 1997, he actually did have 106 AB vs lefties, and hit 198/267/226, as opposed to 352/383/538 vs righties. His career numbers are 316/360/509 vs righties and 219/292/298 vs lefties. But he shouldn't have been platooned?

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Why?

Jefferson says that he should not have been platooned in 1997, because in 1996 he his .320 vs lefties. He doesn't say that it was 50 AB. Or that in 1997, he actually did have 106 AB vs lefties, and hit 198/267/226, as opposed to 352/383/538 vs righties. His career numbers are 316/360/509 vs righties and 219/292/298 vs lefties. But he shouldn't have been platooned?

I thought the story he told about his last year in Boston, when it was clear that Daubach had leaped over him on the depth chart, was more of the indictment of Jimy than platooning Jefferson. Indictment of Duquette too, really. But of course we only have half the story. Jefferson said he asked for a trade but got the impression that Duquette and/or Jimy didn't want to do it, then dicked him around. It could well be that they offered him around and found no takers. Still, if he had no role with the team anymore, they could have simply released him instead of leaving him on the bench until it was too late.

 

[santadevil]

Why?

Jefferson says that he should not have been platooned in 1997, because in 1996 he his .320 vs lefties. He doesn't say that it was 50 AB. Or that in 1997, he actually did have 106 AB vs lefties, and hit 198/267/226, as opposed to 352/383/538 vs righties. His career numbers are 316/360/509 vs righties and 219/292/298 vs lefties. But he shouldn't have been platooned?

@Red(s)HawksFan sums up most of it for me and yes, we only have Reggie's side of the story

But, as a player, having a non-communicative manager sucks. It happened to me my junior year of College and as a player, you don't have much power to sway your manager/coach and risk being buried even further if they don't like you discussing with them. Like 99.9% of the world's problems, communication issues cause a lot of it and most of that burden is on the manager/coach, not solely with the player

 

[jaytftwofive]

Thanks David, good article about I guy that I didn't follow very closely
Reggie seems like he's very down to earth and it's nice getting a player's perspective on how they viewed their own career

The more I read about Jimy Williams, the less I like the guy

Kevin Kennedy never should have been fired. Duquette just didn't like the guy. He won a division his first year, with what a 85-59 record(Strike shortened 95 season) then started out 7-19 in 96 and finished 85-77 and they came close to the wild card in September. Red Sox had the best record in baseball from June 1st on I believe. Then he gets fired???? Never made sense to me. Then again Dick Howser "resigned" after winning 103 games in 1980 and Joe Girardi was fired after winning manager of the year so who knows. I just always liked Kennedy over Williams. Anybody remember the "official" reason why Duquette fired him after 2 good seasons?

 

[ColdSoxPack]

From the AP:

BOSTON (AP) _ Kevin Kennedy was fired today after his second season as manager of the Boston Red Sox.

General manager Dan Duquette blamed Kennedy for the team’s worst start in history and criticized his ability to integrate young players and veterans and to support the rest of the front office.

``Our relationship was not one that was going to be productive for the team,″ Duquette said at a news conference. ``We cannot gamble the future of this franchise, the future of the Red Sox in the Eastern Division, probably baseball’s toughest division.″

The Red Sox, who won the AL East title with an 86-58 record in 1995, finished the season Sunday at 85-77, seven games behind the New York Yankees.

They had the best record in the American League in August and September (38-18), but missed the playoffs, largely because of their 6-19 start.

``Coming out of spring training our team just was not prepared to play,″ Duquette said. ``I thought in particular the team had a hangover from ’95 going into the ’96 season.″

 

[jaytftwofive]

From the AP:

BOSTON (AP) _ Kevin Kennedy was fired today after his second season as manager of the Boston Red Sox.

General manager Dan Duquette blamed Kennedy for the team’s worst start in history and criticized his ability to integrate young players and veterans and to support the rest of the front office.

``Our relationship was not one that was going to be productive for the team,″ Duquette said at a news conference. ``We cannot gamble the future of this franchise, the future of the Red Sox in the Eastern Division, probably baseball’s toughest division.″

The Red Sox, who won the AL East title with an 86-58 record in 1995, finished the season Sunday at 85-77, seven games behind the New York Yankees.

They had the best record in the American League in August and September (38-18), but missed the playoffs, largely because of their 6-19 start.

``Coming out of spring training our team just was not prepared to play,″ Duquette said. ``I thought in particular the team had a hangover from ’95 going into the ’96 season.″

Thanks. Still a bunch of B.S. from Duquette. Kennedy was still better then Williams IMO.

 

[jaytftwofive]

Thanks. Still a bunch of B.S. from Duquette. Kennedy was still better then Williams IMO.

Funny thing is that the 95 Red Sox and 2013 Sox were both considered lightning in a bottle teams. Obviously the 2013 team did better by winning a WS after the Valentine disaster of 2012. The 95 Red Sox were very good until mid September then they reverted back to the 94 Sox. And the playoffs were dumb that year having the teams with the two best records in the AL play each other in the first round. It should have been Indians against the WC Yanks and the Sox against Mariners. I'm not saying the Sox would have beaten the Mariners in fact they probably would have lost but I think they wanted a Red Sox-Yanks LCS. They got wise and changed it the next year. Though we did get to see a magnificent Yankee loss and Mariner win in game 5 LDS. Another difference is the 96 Sox started awful but by August had rebounded. The 2014 Sox never did and once the Beckett trade was made it was over so I would say the 96 Sox did better or were better then the 2014 Sox for 2 teams that we know were coming off lightning in a bottle seasons. Still 2013 is not appreciated like it should. I was happy they just made the playoffs and then they win it all. It might be the most special Sox team of my lifetime and surprise team next to 67. 2004 was the first and had the great comeback in the LCS but remember they were predicted to win the East by most and were a not a great team until August so up until to the Nomar trade it was a disappointing year we all forget. 2003 team was better most of the year. What would they have done if they didn't have Schilling in the reg. season?! And Foulke.

 

[santadevil]

Funny thing is that the 95 Red Sox and 2013 Sox were both considered lightning in a bottle teams. Obviously the 2013 team did better by winning a WS after the Valentine disaster of 2012. The 95 Red Sox were very good until mid September then they reverted back to the 94 Sox. And the playoffs were dumb that year having the teams with the two best records in the AL play each other in the first round. It should have been Indians against the WC Yanks and the Sox against Mariners. I'm not saying the Sox would have beaten the Mariners in fact they probably would have lost but I think they wanted a Red Sox-Yanks LCS. They got wise and changed it the next year. Though we did get to see a magnificent Yankee loss and Mariner win in game 5 LDS. Another difference is the 96 Sox started awful but by August had rebounded. The 2014 Sox never did and once the Beckett trade was made it was over so I would say the 96 Sox did better or were better then the 2014 Sox for 2 teams that we know were coming off lightning in a bottle seasons. Still 2013 is not appreciated like it should. I was happy they just made the playoffs and then they win it all. It might be the most special Sox team of my lifetime and surprise team next to 67. 2004 was the first and had the great comeback in the LCS but remember they were predicted to win the East by most and were a not a great team until August so up until to the Nomar trade it was a disappointing year we all forget. 2003 team was better most of the year. What would they have done if they didn't have Schilling in the reg. season?! And Foulke.

You refer to this trade by it's proper name, the Punto trade!