Reds Fire Narron, Name Mackanin Interm Manager

[AmarilloRed]

I believe it was time for him to go. He was awful with the constantly changing lineups, and he overused the starting pitchers. Hopefully, a new manager will have the team playing close to .500 in the second half. I know nothing about Macanin, but hopefully he will be a good caretaker manager for the rest of this year.

[ChatterRed]

The only thing left in this season that matters is what happens by the trading deadline.

We are already looking at next year. A new manager, hopefully a new bullpen, and a righthanded power bat.

[standerson]

Get Oester!

There you go. But will it happen?

[nate]

Ho-Hum? This was INEVITABLE for a guy to take a Practically .500 team from a year ago and MISMANAGE them to the worst record in Baseball.

Sure we Over-Achieved BIG TIME last year, but his Continuous Lineup Shuffling, putting guys like Dunn 6th or Lower, RIDICULOUSLY putting lineups L-R-L-R-L to avoid "late inning mis-matches", and WORST Off all his Choices with the PITCHING STAFF. I think a Blind Monkey and an etch-a-sketch could have done better management of our SP and Bullpen call-ups.

ALSO, this should end the RIDICULOUS reliance and USE of Juan Castro. He can now burn those naked pictures of Narron and a Goat that he's been hanging over his head to get him in the lineup - UNLESS WK is being blackmailed too.

GOOD RIDDANCE!!! I say. Get a REAL manager in here, and get some REAL PITCHERS on this staff, and we can use the #4 Offense in the NL to get us to the playoffs next year.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

Sparky Anderson "might" have this team on the top step but we'd still be in the cellar. The amount that Jerry was the problem on this team was so small that it should've been burried in the noise floor of one's "problemometer".

Pitching, yes, we need it and we need it badly. Bullpen, a solid starter, absolutely. The field manager, man give any one of Bob Boone, Dave Miley or Jerry Narron a league average pitching staff and one might be talking about them in same revered (on Baseball Tonight) breath as Terry Francona and Joe Girardi.

[Moosie52]

Did anyone think Narron was a long term piece of this puzzle?

[durl]

The drumbeat of "abusing pitchers" continues on here. I just don't get it. That's just grasping at straws in my opinion. Someone has to pitch the game and Narron got bashed if the starters stayed in past 100 pitches and he got bashed if he went to the bullpen before they hit 100.

If the starters can't throw for strikes and therefore pitch more efficiently <cough...HOMER>, causing the bullpen to be used earlier, that's not Narron's fault. In the same way, if relievers can't keep opponents from scoring 4-5-6 runs in a game, that's not as much the manager's fault as people may wish.

Narron took the fall. For better or worse, something has been done. But I doubt even the exhalted Girardi could make this bullpen better by his mere presence.

[Screwball]

The drumbeat of "abusing pitchers" continues on here. I just don't get it. That's just grasping at straws in my opinion. Someone has to pitch the game and Narron got bashed if the starters stayed in past 100 pitches and he got bashed if he went to the bullpen before they hit 100.

If the starters can't throw for strikes and therefore pitch more efficiently <cough...HOMER>, causing the bullpen to be used earlier, that's not Narron's fault. In the same way, if relievers can't keep opponents from scoring 4-5-6 runs in a game, that's not as much the manager's fault as people may wish.

Narron took the fall. For better or worse, something has been done. But I doubt even the exhalted Girardi could make this bullpen better by his mere presence.

While that my be true at times, there were several instances in which Narron's really rode his horses (i.e. Harang and Arroyo) too hard. They were both at or near the top in IP last year, and Narron continued to ride them hard this year. I saw a stat that said Harang is 2nd in the NL in pitches per game (108, second to only C. Zambrano) this year, and we all saw the effects of Arroyo's tired arm (lost velocity, breaking balls lost command and sharpness). Thank God Harang is an absolute beast and he hasn't had a nasty 4-5 game stretch like Arroyo had.

There's also the fact that JN seemed to ride the hot hand in the bullpen. One guy has a good outing, and Narron will use him everyday for 4 days straight, or 5 out of 6, or at least warm him up in 'pen everyday, etc. etc. It's only July and I start wondering if some of the arms in the bullpen are going to start falling off.

Now while I realize this is in part because the bullpen he had to work with has been so awful Narron hasn't had much choice, but he certainly didn't help things. He was setting a scary precedent with Homer, IMO. He's going to start pitching well again, and I really don't want to see him going 114+ pitches anymore in this lost season.

[reds44]

I just spoke with Steve Mandell, Joe Girardi's agent. He would not comment on the report that Girardi had interviewed with the Reds.

"As you know he's broadcasting with Fox and the Yankees," Mandall said. "There's a lot of speculation out there. It's not relevant."

Would Girardi be interested down the line?

"If the opportunity presents itself, he'd look at his options," Mandell said.

Girardi is the hot name. But three guys with World Series rings as managers -- Bob Brenly, Tony LaRussa and Ozzie Guillen -- figure to be available after the season. Joe Torre could be on the list as well.

I don't think money will be a problem as far as Bob Castellini is concerned when hiring a manager.

-Fay

Ozzie would be awesome in Cincinnati. I would sign up for that in a heartbeat. It won't happen though.

[IamWallaman]

-Fay

Ozzie would be awesome in Cincinnati. I would sign up for that in a heartbeat. It won't happen though.

Not keen on Ozzie... or LaRussa (I'd feel like a tool watching the Reds if he were hired)

...but I could see BCast really pushing for the Cardinal connection, including Jock.

Just... wow...

[reds44]

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=cin

Press conference video.

[AmarilloRed]

The drumbeat of "abusing pitchers" continues on here. I just don't get it. That's just grasping at straws in my opinion. Someone has to pitch the game and Narron got bashed if the starters stayed in past 100 pitches and he got bashed if he went to the bullpen before they hit 100.

If the starters can't throw for strikes and therefore pitch more efficiently <cough...HOMER>, causing the bullpen to be used earlier, that's not Narron's fault. In the same way, if relievers can't keep opponents from scoring 4-5-6 runs in a game, that's not as much the manager's fault as people may wish.

Narron took the fall. For better or worse, something has been done. But I doubt even the exhalted Girardi could make this bullpen better by his mere presence.

Narron kept the starting pitchers in too long. A pitcher like Aaron Harang can do it, but he ruined Arroyo's arm for this year, and maybe his career. We all know the bullpen would have been terrible regardless of Narron. He didn't just have them at 100 pitches. He would often have Harang and Arroyo at 120-130 pitches. He did abuse the starting pitchers, and he should have been fired for it.

[Red Daddy]

I just can't throw all the blame on Jerry. This team is simply not very good. Hatteburg is our leadoff hitter for goodness sake. He's a 37 year old, slow, first baseman. The whole bullpen has been sorry except for Weathers.

Narron didn't bring in Sarloos, Bray, Mewjeski, or Lohse. Freel getting hurt was not Narron's doing.

I would like a new direction, but I can't say I'm glad this happened. Sparky, Lou Pinella, Joe Torre, and Billy Martin couldn't fix this train wreck.

[durl]

Narron kept the starting pitchers in too long. A pitcher like Aaron Harang can do it, but he ruined Arroyo's arm for this year, and maybe his career. We all know the bullpen would have been terrible regardless of Narron. He didn't just have them at 100 pitches. He would often have Harang and Arroyo at 120-130 pitches. He did abuse the starting pitchers, and he should have been fired for it.

I seriously doubt Arroyo's career in baseball is over because of a couple of long outings.

You're actually pointing out Narron's predicament quite well. He could leave starters in for what many to see as too long and get ripped by fans, or he can go to the bullpen, let them blow the game (and the win for the starter) and get ripped by fans.

I realize a new manager may come in and turn this bullpen around. I'll just be shocked if it actually happens. I've been of the mindset that throwing money at the problem won't make it go away but Castellini MUST open up the checkbook a little bit more and bring in some reliable guys into the bullpen instead of forcing Krivsky to shop in the bargain bin all the time.

[reds44]

From the DDN:

"I was told after the game," Narron said, adding that he was talking only to the Daily News and no other media. "They said they were going to try something different."

Narron, a lifetime baseball man with a passion for the game, is leaving with sadness but not with anger.

"It was very disappointing because I know this ball club can be very, very competitive," Narron added. "We were in nearly every game, we just couldn't seem to get it done. In that last month, we were given no chance to get better."

[reds44]

Some stuff from Trent concerning Hamilton and the other Narron.

Talked to Johnny Narron he said, 'as far as I know, my postition hasn't changed.' Despite how close he is with his brother, Johnny wants to continue to work for and with the Reds.

Said Josh Hamilton: 'as long as I'm here, Johnny's going to be here'