Anybody that missed Tracy Jones last night from 10:30 to 10:55 go off on Narron and the players will lose some insight on what has troubled the Reds over what you might call the Junior era, or after McKeon was fired.
Tracy's disgust derived from the "Walk Off Walk" issued by Bronson Wednesday night.
This is what Tracy said in a nutshell:
Not only was the pitch not a ball, the batter should have been ashamed to let a pitch like that go by in that situation.
Bronson should have been more upset, and got in that umpires face.
Narron and all of his coaches should have been out there backing up Arroyo immediately.
This team is way too passive, and emotion is a big part of baseball. They don't mind losing, have a good time every evening running out there and joking with the other team pregame.
Jones listed players and coaches he had been with over his career that never would have put up with that call on Wednesday night.
He can't remember the last time the Reds fought. I mean fought with their hands. He basically called them out as wimps.
Personally, when I read Ross's comments the next morning, I was mad. Ross basically downplayed the pitch. What kind of man wouldn't back up his pitcher, who complained to anybody listening that the pitch was a strike. Ross is a weinie, and this team needs a leader as catcher.
Baseball isn't that much different from football. Emotions play a strong role, but this team doesn't care, and has an attitude. Did you read Fay's comments this morning that he could see in their body language that they didn't like being forced into fielding practice yesterday. The millionaires boys club has better things to do.
I remember early last year, right before Castellini finalized the purchase of the Reds when there were rumors that Lou Pinella was in town, maybe to meet with Castellini. There was some real excitement in that announcement.
This is a buttoned down manager with no emotion trying to lead a team that doesn't care. It doesn't matter what he knows, his lineups or his pitching strategy. This team needs someone that's got a pair. Wednesday night was not just embarrassing. It was shameful.
