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Thread: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

  1. #1
    RZ Chamber of Commerce Unassisted's Avatar
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    All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    This was something I've been waiting to hear.

    http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...60390/-1/CINCI

    LaRue to fill leadership void
    He's longest-tenured Red

    By John Fay
    Enquirer staff writer

    Reds catcher Jason LaRue, who hit .260 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs and 60 RBI last year, expects to adopt a bigger leadership role with Sean Casey gone.

    Reds catcher Jason LaRue has always considered himself a leader.
    But he also realizes that the role becomes more important now with the absence of Sean Casey.

    "No doubt," he said. "I like to think I've been a leader in the past. But I'm going to have to do it a little more."

    LaRue, 31, is the longest-tenured Red. The club showed its confidence in him by signing him to a two-year, $9.1 million contract. He was in town Thursday for a physical.

    "The Cincinnati Reds are the only team I know," he said. "They drafted me. I'm going on my seventh year in the big leagues. I'm very, very pleased with the deal."

    Again, LaRue is ready for a bigger leadership role.

    "To me, a catcher has got to be a leader," he said. "No. 1, everyone is looking at you. You've got to handle the pitching staff. But (with Casey gone), other guys are going to have to step up more."

    LaRue is coming off his best year offensively. He hit .260 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs and 60 RBI.

    But the key part of his job is handling the pitching staff.
    The Reds added Dave Williams through the Casey trade, and signed free-agent reliever Chris Hammond. Other than that, they are relying on the same staff that finished last in the National League with a 5.15 ERA.

    LaRue thinks the returning pitchers are the key to success. And he thinks they can be successful - with a lot of ifs thrown in.

    "If Paul Wilson is healthy and goes out and does what he's capable, if (Eric Milton) continues to do what he did in the second half, and if (Aaron) Harang and (Brandon) Claussen pick up where they left off ..." he said, "that's four pretty solid starters."


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  3. #2
    You're killin' me Smalls! StillFunkyB's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue


  4. #3
    RZ Chamber of Commerce Unassisted's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    Elaborate please, SFB. You don't want Jason LaRue as the leader? You don't want the clubhouse to have a leader? You want someone else to be the leader?

    This was exactly what I wanted to see. I wanted Jason to step up and declare that he was assuming the mantle of leadership. The fact that it was done in a news conference is icing on the cake.

  5. #4
    Let's ride BRM's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    "If Paul Wilson is healthy and goes out and does what he's capable, if (Eric Milton) continues to do what he did in the second half, and if (Aaron) Harang and (Brandon) Claussen pick up where they left off ..." he said, "that's four pretty solid starters."
    At most, I see two solid starters there - Harang and maybe Claussen. But, Jason is just doing his job. He's pumping up his pitchers like any good catcher would do.

  6. #5
    Member ochre's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    mmm. boy. Sign me up for some of that 5.87 ERA...
    Code:
    ERA    W   L    G    GS    IP    H    R    ER   HR   BB   SO    BAA
    5.87   4   5    15   15   79.2   99   54   52   11   21   56   .299
    4009



  7. #6
    Lover of Trivialities Doc. Scott's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    I can't wait until he smashes Wily Mo Pena's boom box over loud salsa music.

  8. #7
    You're killin' me Smalls! StillFunkyB's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    Quote Originally Posted by Unassisted
    Elaborate please, SFB. You don't want Jason LaRue as the leader? You don't want the clubhouse to have a leader? You want someone else to be the leader?

    This was exactly what I wanted to see. I wanted Jason to step up and declare that he was assuming the mantle of leadership. The fact that it was done in a news conference is icing on the cake.
    I just don't see why there is this glaring need for this. Sure, when Larkin was here it was pretty obvious. Jason LaRue shouldn't be the only "leader". I don't know why there has to be a press conference to announce such things, to me it's more of a "look at me" show than anything. You go out and work hard, and show others by example. That is how you become a leader, not by telling people you are.

    And just so nobody confuses what I am saying here, I am NOT saying JL doesn't work hard.

  9. #8
    Posting in Dynarama M2's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    The job of every player is to think the guys you play with be all right. You'd go nuts if you thought otherwise. Players can't afford to allow "Oh crap, we're doomed" thoughts creep into their heads. Players have to believe in themselves and each other. We have the luxury of viewing the game from the outside so we don't have to buy in the truisms that guide the day-to-day life of players.

    FWIW, LaRue being a clubhouse "leader" isn't anything new under the sun. He and Boone were caporegimes under Larkin. Casey was everybody's buddy and the club's top cheerleader, but LaRue been a lead by example, keep folks in line type for quite some time.
    Last edited by M2; 01-06-2006 at 01:14 PM.
    I'm not a system player. I am a system.

  10. #9
    Member RollyInRaleigh's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    I think this team's need for a leader is way down the totem pole in the scheme of things behind pitching.........pitching..........and pitching.

  11. #10
    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: All Hail the New Leader: Jason LaRue

    Quote Originally Posted by StillFunkyB
    I just don't see why there is this glaring need for this. Sure, when Larkin was here it was pretty obvious. Jason LaRue shouldn't be the only "leader". I don't know why there has to be a press conference to announce such things, to me it's more of a "look at me" show than anything. You go out and work hard, and show others by example. That is how you become a leader, not by telling people you are.
    I don't think it was necessarily a press conference but it's just he was in town for a physical and the writers talked to him while he was here since they are starved for news. He's got the most seniority on the team now and he's just emphasizing that he's going to be a leader on a team which has lost it's most senior players - and leaders - two years in a row. It's basically fluff for the offseason so I wouldn't make it into any more than that.
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    Chip is right


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