Lloyd McClendon

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#EAC117
bgcolor2=#000000
textcolor1=black
textcolor2=white
name=Lloyd McClendon
position=Outfielder


bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1959|1|11
debutdate=April 6
debutyear=by|1987
debutteam=Cincinnati Reds
finaldate=August 11
finalyear=by|1994
finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.244
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=294
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=154
teams= As Player
*Cincinnati Reds (by|1987-by|1988)
*Chicago Cubs (by|1989-by|1990)
*Pittsburgh Pirates (by|1990-by|1994)As Manager
*Pittsburgh Pirates (by|2001-by|2005)
highlights=

Lloyd Glenn McClendon (born January 11 1959 in Gary, Indiana) is a former left and right fielder and manager in Major League Baseball, and the current hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers, serving under Jim Leyland. He previously was manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2001 to 2005.

Career

In 1971, McClendon played in the Little League World Series for the Gary team, and earned the nickname "Legendary Lloyd" by homering in five consecutive at bats.

Drafted by the New York Mets in 1980 out of Valparaiso University, McClendon broke into the majors as an outfielder with the Cincinnati Reds in 1987. His eight-year major league career also included time with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

After retiring from playing, he served as a hitting coach for the Pirates until he was appointed manager after the by|2000 season, a position he held until he was fired September 6, by|2005. In his five seasons as manager of the Pirates, McClendon compiled a 336-446 record.

When Jim Leyland was hired as manager of the Detroit Tigers, he brought former player McClendon on board as bullpen coach. For the by|2007 season, he was promoted to hitting coach.

History of challenging umpires

McClendon has a history of challenging close calls on the diamond, and stated his belief that the Pirates didn't always get fair calls from the umpires. As he put it during the 2002 season, "I'm sure it's nothing intentional on their part. I certainly would never question their integrity. But it's human nature to relax a little and take something for granted. We've lost for so long that I think it's easy for umpires to lose respect for us and take us for granted. I've got to change that. If I get thrown out of 100 games, then I get thrown out of 100 games. I'm going to keep demanding a playing field that's equal for my players. I don't think it's wrong to demand the umpires' best effort every day." [cite web | author=Ron Cook| url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20020616cook4.asp | title=Cook: McClendon can't win fight against umpires | date=June 16, 2002 | accessdate=2007-04-01|work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

On June 26, by|2001, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, McClendon saw two questionable calls made against his Pirates by the first base umpire, Rick Reed. After Jason Kendall was called out at first base, McClendon went onto the field to argue the call. After being ejected from the game, McClendon tore up first base and walked off the field with it, later throwing it into the dugout. Rather than risk McClendon's wrath by retrieving the base, the field crew replaced the base with a new one. The Pirates rallied to win the game in the 12th inning, 7-6. [cite web | author=Robert Dvorchak | date=June 27, 2001 | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pirates/20010627buc0627p2.asp | title=Pirates rally in 11th, snatch victory in 12th | accessdate=2007-04-01 | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] The next day, the players mounted the base in their clubhouse. McClendon's act of anger made the #4 place on ESPN.com Page 2's "Coaches gone wild" list. [cite web | author=Jeff Merron | url=http://www.espn.go.com/page2/s/list/wildcoaches.html | title=The List: Coaches gone wild | accessdate=2007-04-01 | work=ESPN.com]

In the 2005 season, McClendon exhibited signs of a desire to end this tendency. During a series against the Washington Nationals at the end of June, when replays of the first base theft were being shown on the scoreboard, he said, "I don't like that being shown, I don't want people to identify (that) with me...To me, that's ridiculous. That's not who I am. That's something that happened and it should be over with." [cite web | date=June 23, 2005 | author=Paul Meyer | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05174/527047.stm | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | title=Pirates Notebook: For McClendon, no point in arguing | accessdate=2007-04-01]

McClendon is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mcclell01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - managing record and playing statistics