Rolen/GForce - Kenny Lofton, CHA - Page 2

Squonk · 04-18-2002, 10:37 PM

For what it's worth ...

I've been a professional sportswriter and broadcaster since the mid-80's. In 1992, I was assigned the Cleveland Indians beat.

Kenny Lofton in the last couple years with the Tribe was down. There is no doubt. He just quit running. Nobody was entirely sure why.

However ... that being said ... Kenny Lofton from 1993-1998 was the greatest baseball player I had ever seen in a Cleveland Indians uniform. He would do things that did not make baseball sense. He would disrupt a pitcher's rythmn, he would range an incredible amount of field, he would make spectacular defensive catches. From time-to-time, he would hit for power. He was just absolute nails. Whatever needed to get done to win, he got it done.

Now ... he was an ass in the clubhouse and thought he was a DJ with blasting music ... much to Albert's consternation .. and pretty much everyone else's. He was a tough interview and a pricky personality. But he had the goods to back it up.

So .. when you consider whatever you're going to end up rating him .. that's what I saw up close for 162 games a year for six years.

My opinion would be .. don't count him out yet. He may win the batting title this year.

Then again, he may totally collapse. He's that kind of guy. Very moody, almost to mental proportions.

[ 04-19-2002, 04:42 AM: Message edited by: Squonk ]

Jason Moyer · 04-19-2002, 01:32 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Squonk:
He was just absolute nails.<hr /></blockquote>He was Lenny Dykstra?

Jason

Duckworth starting at PNC Park Sunday! Need to get my tickets (like it's going to sell out).

bravesfan · 04-19-2002, 04:44 AM

Kenny Lofton is performing at his current level because of the change of scenery. If he gets the slightest injury you can forget him for the rest of the year. I remember after the Indians traded him to Atlanta, for the first few months of the season he was playing like the Kenny of old in Cleveland. Then he pulled a groin or hamstring I forget which. He spent the rest of the year either on the bench crying about being hurt. Whenever he got into games he refused to run just like last year. My point being unless he is 100% he will not perform. The Braves got fed up with his act and did not resign him the next year. Enjoy it while you can White Sox fans because I'm sure after his "salary drive" this year he will be back to the old Kenny, hitting .245 and swinging from the heels for the fences. His famous quote in 1999 for not running was something like "they don't pay for stealing bases only for hitting homeruns." As an Indian and Braves fan I've seen it all from Kenny.

grismosw · 04-19-2002, 10:29 AM

When has Lofton hit .245? He hit .203 his first season and .261 last year. He hit .333 as a Brave, this is why I quit being a Braves fan - to many idiots for fans. All Braves fans think when a player leaves Atlanta he sucks.

<pre>
Season TM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
1991 Hou 20 74 9 15 1 0 0 0 5 19 2 1 0.203 0.253 0.216 0.469
1992 Cle 148 576 96 164 15 8 5 42 68 54 66 12 0.285 0.362 0.365 0.727
1993 Cle 148 569 116 185 28 8 1 42 81 83 70 14 0.325 0.408 0.408 0.816
1994 Cle 112 459 105 160 32 9 12 57 52 56 60 12 0.349 0.412 0.536 0.948
1995 Cle 118 481 93 149 22 13 7 53 40 49 54 15 0.31 0.362 0.453 0.815
1996 Cle 154 662 132 210 35 4 14 67 61 82 75 17 0.317 0.372 0.446 0.818
1997 Atl 122 493 90 164 20 6 5 48 64 83 27 20 0.333 0.409 0.428 0.837
1998 Cle 154 600 101 169 31 6 12 64 87 80 54 10 0.282 0.371 0.413 0.784
1999 Cle 120 465 110 140 28 6 7 39 79 84 25 6 0.301 0.405 0.432 0.837
2000 Cle 137 543 107 151 23 5 15 73 79 72 30 7 0.278 0.369 0.422 0.791
2001 Cle 133 517 91 135 21 4 14 66 47 69 16 8 0.261 0.322 0.398 0.72
2002 CWS 15 61 22 26 2 1 1 7 7 7 9 3 0.426 0.485 0.541 1.026

[ 04-19-2002, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: grismosw ]

grismosw · 04-19-2002, 10:34 AM

By the way I don't even know why I am defending Kenny here because I am not really a big fan of him I was just stating his ratings are slightly low.

04-18-2002, 10:37 PM	#21
Squonk Minors (Single A) Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 52	For what it's worth ... I've been a professional sportswriter and broadcaster since the mid-80's. In 1992, I was assigned the Cleveland Indians beat. Kenny Lofton in the last couple years with the Tribe was down. There is no doubt. He just quit running. Nobody was entirely sure why. However ... that being said ... Kenny Lofton from 1993-1998 was the greatest baseball player I had ever seen in a Cleveland Indians uniform. He would do things that did not make baseball sense. He would disrupt a pitcher's rythmn, he would range an incredible amount of field, he would make spectacular defensive catches. From time-to-time, he would hit for power. He was just absolute nails. Whatever needed to get done to win, he got it done. Now ... he was an ass in the clubhouse and thought he was a DJ with blasting music ... much to Albert's consternation .. and pretty much everyone else's. He was a tough interview and a pricky personality. But he had the goods to back it up. So .. when you consider whatever you're going to end up rating him .. that's what I saw up close for 162 games a year for six years. My opinion would be .. don't count him out yet. He may win the batting title this year. Then again, he may totally collapse. He's that kind of guy. Very moody, almost to mental proportions. <small>[ 04-19-2002, 04:42 AM: Message edited by: Squonk ]</small>

04-19-2002, 01:32 AM	#22
Jason Moyer Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 5,105	</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Squonk: <strong>He was just absolute nails.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">He was Lenny Dykstra? Jason Duckworth starting at PNC Park Sunday! Need to get my tickets (like it's going to sell out). __________________ "I pretty much popped everything cold turkey. We were doing steroids they wouldn't give to horses." -- Tom House "I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...Tom, I really miss those days that we spent in the weight room and out on the field working together." -- Nolan Ryan's HoF Induction Speech

04-19-2002, 10:29 AM	#24
grismosw Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ohio Posts: 187	When has Lofton hit .245? He hit .203 his first season and .261 last year. He hit .333 as a Brave, this is why I quit being a Braves fan - to many idiots for fans. All Braves fans think when a player leaves Atlanta he sucks. <pre><font size=3> Season TM G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS 1991 Hou 20 74 9 15 1 0 0 0 5 19 2 1 0.203 0.253 0.216 0.469 1992 Cle 148 576 96 164 15 8 5 42 68 54 66 12 0.285 0.362 0.365 0.727 1993 Cle 148 569 116 185 28 8 1 42 81 83 70 14 0.325 0.408 0.408 0.816 1994 Cle 112 459 105 160 32 9 12 57 52 56 60 12 0.349 0.412 0.536 0.948 1995 Cle 118 481 93 149 22 13 7 53 40 49 54 15 0.31 0.362 0.453 0.815 1996 Cle 154 662 132 210 35 4 14 67 61 82 75 17 0.317 0.372 0.446 0.818 1997 Atl 122 493 90 164 20 6 5 48 64 83 27 20 0.333 0.409 0.428 0.837 1998 Cle 154 600 101 169 31 6 12 64 87 80 54 10 0.282 0.371 0.413 0.784 1999 Cle 120 465 110 140 28 6 7 39 79 84 25 6 0.301 0.405 0.432 0.837 2000 Cle 137 543 107 151 23 5 15 73 79 72 30 7 0.278 0.369 0.422 0.791 2001 Cle 133 517 91 135 21 4 14 66 47 69 16 8 0.261 0.322 0.398 0.72 2002 CWS 15 61 22 26 2 1 1 7 7 7 9 3 0.426 0.485 0.541 1.026 <small>[ 04-19-2002, 04:32 PM: Message edited by: grismosw ]</small>

04-19-2002, 04:44 AM	#23
bravesfan Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 47	Kenny Lofton is performing at his current level because of the change of scenery. If he gets the slightest injury you can forget him for the rest of the year. I remember after the Indians traded him to Atlanta, for the first few months of the season he was playing like the Kenny of old in Cleveland. Then he pulled a groin or hamstring I forget which. He spent the rest of the year either on the bench crying about being hurt. Whenever he got into games he refused to run just like last year. My point being unless he is 100% he will not perform. The Braves got fed up with his act and did not resign him the next year. Enjoy it while you can White Sox fans because I'm sure after his "salary drive" this year he will be back to the old Kenny, hitting .245 and swinging from the heels for the fences. His famous quote in 1999 for not running was something like "they don't pay for stealing bases only for hitting homeruns." As an Indian and Braves fan I've seen it all from Kenny.

04-19-2002, 10:34 AM	#25
grismosw Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ohio Posts: 187	By the way I don't even know why I am defending Kenny here because I am not really a big fan of him I was just stating his ratings are slightly low.