Trying To Rationalize

[Moonlite Graham]

Ill preface this by saying I know its probably being discussed ad nauseum on other threads but....

I rarely ever post after a loss, and have for the most part have had relative tolerance with most of Narron's moves....but today's game has me totally flummoxed.

I think we all went into todays game with the idea that with Smoltz pitching against Lohse, our chances of winning were probably remote. But nevertheless all the stars were lining up for us to not only get what really amounts to a "bonus win" of the course of a season, when you consider what we were going against and also sweep a series and provide major momentum going into a big series with the Cardinals.

But it was almost like Narron's thought process was...oh well we arent supposed to win this game anyway why not run "The Walking Talking Batting Tee" Gary Majewski out there late in the game and take our chance. And then when the inevitable happens, spin it into...."oh well we won the series".

A week or so ago Narron said he would never again make decisions based on his heart, I think thats exactly what he did today, trying in vain to restore the confidence of someone who has none and flat out giving away the game in the process.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong?

Moon

[wojo1025]

I was really really hoping that when Maj came in with the bases full, threw 1 pitch and got out of the inning, I was hoping that sparked something inside the kid and got him going. Unfortunately I just do not think that's possible at this point in the year. I truly believe he's just out of gas. As I mentioned in the game thread, he is try to hard to force the ball to the plate rather than just gearing back and throwing. He looks beat. I don't know if it was all the innings in Was, or the fact that he started his season early this year (WBC) but he looks tired. DL him for a while and try and get that arm some rest!

Narron makes two to three decisions per game that leave me scratching my head, I'm kinda use to that at this point in the season. I will say, however, that as soon as Maj came into the game, he should've had Coff warming up. Maj just hasn't been reliable since the trade and there is no way you should put all your eggs in that basket. By having Maj pitch the 8th with noone warming up, that is exactly what Narron did. He decided that he was going to win or lose this game with Maj and that, so far this year, is a horrible thing to do.

[GOREDSGO32]

Who knows dude, this Majeski guy has hurt us so much. This trade is looking so lopsided, I have no clue what was going through Krivsky's mind when he made it.

[wojo1025]

Who knows dude, this Majeski guy has hurt us so much. This trade is looking so lopsided, I have no clue what was going through Krivsky's mind when he made it.

What a wonderful, well thought out response

[reds44]

Don't try to rationalize what Narron does. You'll try to think like him and only end up being strangely attracted to mid-30 year old men.

[Tom Servo]

It's ridiculous how much flak Jerry gets here when a player doesn't perform well, and how little credit (read: none) he gets when the player does.

We lost today because Gary Majewski didn't pitch well. Quite simple, really.

[IslandRed]

A week or so ago Narron said he would never again make decisions based on his heart, I think thats exactly what he did today, trying in vain to restore the confidence of someone who has none and flat out giving away the game in the process.

Sounds as reasonable as any. Given how Majewski's pitched, it's questionable to use him in a high-leverage situation at all and if they do, it's got to be on a short leash. There's no justification for not having someone ready to come in after giving up hits to the first two hitters in the eighth.

Who knows dude, this Majeski guy has hurt us so much. This trade is looking so lopsided, I have no clue what was going through Krivsky's mind when he made it.

I think he expected to get the Majewski that had been pitching prior to the trade. People made some good arguments that he wasn't all that special, really just an average bullpen guy, but average is one thing and awful is another.

[Always Red]

It's ridiculous how much flak Jerry gets here when a player doesn't perform well, and how little credit (read: none) he gets when the player does.

We lost today because Gary Majewski didn't pitch well. Quite simple, really.

I agree, Tom. Jerry Narron has lost 54 games by himself this year, and the Reds have won 57, in spite of Narron's coaching those games.

I think the Narron criticism is a little extreme. I wonder how Sparky would fare in today's internet world of instant feedback?

[TeamBoone]

We lost today because Gary Majewski didn't pitch well. Quite simple, really.

Exactly! And with Majic's track record with the Reds, that's precisely the reason JN should not have put him into today's tight game. If JN really REALLY had the urge to pitch him, no matter what, at least put him in early. That way, at least the team has some time to get back the runs you just KNOW he's going to give up.

Not only that, he put him in without having anyone warming up... again, based on his track record, it's a no brainer that someone should be ready to go if need (because there's an extremely good possibility that they're going to be needed... in a hurry).

[ChatterRed]

Anyone with a brain knew not to put Mewjewski in that situation. He may be a good pitcher, but his confidence is lacking and possibly his arm is tired.

We had a chance to win that game today and Narron possibly lost it by going to the confidence lacking pitcher.

[traderumor]

Sinker ballers who can't make the ball sink get lit up big time. See Danny Graves. Majewski needs 7-10 days off with some side work only or an inning of mopup if available. That seems to be a no-brainer prescription at this point, but I guess we'll see.

[jnwohio]

I was a little bit surprised not that JN used Majik but that he left him in after the 1st two reached in the 8th because up to that point he had been managing like it was the 7th game of the World Series (and I do NOT fault him for that attitude at thias point).

Prior to the inning I figured Majik would be sent out to start it but would probably face only Jones or only stay in until somebody reached on him; and then they would bring on Cormier or Stormy, depending on if the next batter was a leftie or a rightie.

I guess with Guardado so iffy, he maybe was holding Cormier and Stormy for the ninth; but it does no good to hold them if you can get there. The other consideration is that he has to have a pen for the Cardinal series; so some of the guys had to be held back today I guess.

I thought the entire 8th inning had some strangeness to it. On the triple, it looked like they had Hatte behind the runner and off the line despite there being no outs. Then Denorfia let the ball get by him; and that was huge because if he comes up with it cleanly it looked like the Braves were about to hold the 2nd runner at 3rd. At the worst, if Denorfia comes up with it cleanly the score is tied with the lead run still at 2nd.

If the Reds end up a game short somebody is going to bring this one up as the one that got away from them.

[reds44]

I was a little bit surprised not that JN used Majik but that he left him in after the 1st two reached in the 8th because up to that point he had been managing like it was the 7th game of the World Series (and I do NOT fault him for that attitude at thias point).

Prior to the inning I figured Majik would be sent out to start it but would probably face only Jones or only stay in until somebody reached on him; and then they would bring on Cormier or Stormy, depending on if the next batter was a leftie or a rightie.

I guess with Guardado so iffy, he maybe was holding Cormier and Stormy for the ninth; but it does no good to hold them if you can get there. The other consideration is that he has to have a pen for the Cardinal series; so some of the guys had to be held back today I guess.

I thought the entire 8th inning had some strangeness to it. On the triple, it looked like they had Hatte behind the runner and off the line despite there being no outs. Then Denorfia let the ball get by him; and that was huge because if he comes up with it cleanly it looked like the Braves were about to hold the 2nd runner at 3rd. At the worst, if Denorfia comes up with it cleanly the score is tied with the lead run still at 2nd.

If the Reds end up a game short somebody is going to bring this one up as the one that got away from them.

Cormier and Weathers were not available. It was either Magic or Coffey for the 8th.

[KalDanielsfan]

*stays silent for once*

[RedEye]

What a wonderful, well thought out response

And what a wonderful, well thought out response to the response. Jeez, wojo... where do you get off slamming anyone who posts any kind of doubt about the trade? It's almost like you are the Trade police, out there to make sure that no one critiques Wayne's lopsided deal... and if they do, it better be "well thought-out" or they don't have the right to be a Reds fan. Gimme a freakin' break.

Still smarting,

RedEye