Managerial search over. It's Dusty.

[Stormy]

First time since I adopted the Reds at 5 years of age that I've been tempted to temporarily turn my back on the franchise. How utterly, and totally, disheartening. This is a telltale that BCast likes to make an indiscriminate splash, not based on merit but upon name recognition. No wonder we shell out for past their prime vets with name recognition, over more talented, less expensive alternatives.

Cleveland might be headed to the World Series with youngsters, and a guy named Wedge as their head coach. We need innovation in the F.O. and amidst the scouting ranks, not a splashy manager and an antiquated F.O. philosophy.

My optimism for this team steadily heading in the right direction the past 3-4 months is utterly dashed, and I'm guessing we'll now hit rock bottom before ever rebounding. I'm sorry in advance for Harang and Arroyo (thanks for the good years), and for Bailey's imminent demise.

[Puffy]

I'ts not so much Dusty managing the team that worries me. It's what it signals about the organization that is so troubling. I have a feeling it's going to be a long time until we see a Reds organization capable of competing in the modern age of baseball.

Well, on the plus side - I just saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico

[KronoRed]

Well, on the plus side - I just saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico

I want a Caveman for manager

[flyer85]

clueless, by the way.

what I have been siggesting all along. If the Reds ever win is will be in spite of the leadership.

[Redsfaithful]

You only get so many years, Cubs fans can certainly attest to that.

I know it's just sports, but it's really upsetting to have your favorite team just pissing years and years and years away like this. And there's nothing I can do about it. I can't just root for Cleveland or someone else, I really wish to hell I could.

Thank god for Ohio State, because the Reds and Bengals are just too much sometimes.

[Sea Ray]

It's very important who the pitching coach is. I'd like to see a strong pitching coach that will strongly sway Dusty on how to handle pitchers. i'd like to say Mazzone but actually he was a guy who thought that high pitch counts were good for building up arm strength.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

First time since I adopted the Reds at 5 years of age that I've been tempted to temporarily turn my back on the franchise. How utterly, and totally, disheartening. This is a telltale that BCast likes to make an indiscriminate splash, not based on merit but upon name recognition. No wonder we shell out for past their prime vets with name recognition, over more talented, less expensive alternatives.

My optimism for this team steadily heading in the right direction the past 3-4 months is utterly dashed, and I'm guessing we'll now hit rock bottom before ever rebounding. I'm sorry in advance for Harang and Arroyo (thanks for the good years), and for Bailey's imminent demise.

Well said, as always.

What a total inferiority complex this organization has. To sign a name.

I didn't think this franchise could get much lower. It's still sinking.

[edabbs44]

A 3 year deal for him as well. I seriously give up, I can't take it anymore. My days as a Reds fan about about to come to an end. :thumbdown

Maybe you should change your name to "Reds4Now"?

But I agree...this is too much. This off-season might be too much for me to handle.

[Tom Servo]

Oh, god no.

[flyer85]

It's very important who the pitching coach is.

it will be very important who the pitchers are. I would bet they will go strongly with the veteran stench.

[Stormy]

Personally, I don't care about big names. I'd truthfully like to see how it would be to go one season without even knowing the name of the guy managing my favorite teams....

Right on, bro. The Reds are turning back the clock and staring in the rearview mirror, exactly at a time when the road map calls for a visionary ability to look ahead.

[KronoRed]

It's very important who the pitching coach is. I'd like to see a strong pitching coach that will strongly sway Dusty on how to handle pitchers. i'd like to say Mazzone but actually he was a guy who thought that high pitch counts were good for building up arm strength.

Considering Pole worked with Baker in SF I'd say he has a good shot at keeping his job.

[edabbs44]

At least Dusty will keep this board....lively?

March 15, 2004
The Week In Quotes
March 8-14


by Ryan Wilkins

AFTERNOON CONSTITUTIONAL (A.K.A., THE DUSTY BAKER QUOTE EXTRAVAGANZA BEGINS)

"I think walks are overrated unless you can run... If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps. But the guy who walks and can't run, most of the time they're clogging up the bases for somebody who can run."
--Dusty Baker, Cubs manager (Chicago Daily Herald)

"Who's been the champions the last seven, eight years? ...Have you ever heard the Yankees talk about on-base percentage and walks? Walks help. But you ain't going to walk across the plate. You're going to hit across the plate. That's the school I come from."
--Baker

"It's called hitting, and it ain't called walking. Do you ever see the top 10 walking? You see top 10 batting average. A lot of those top 10 do walk. But the name of the game is to hit."
--Baker

PAGING WILL CARROLL...

"Sooner or later, somebody is going to get hurt, and then they are going to blow it all out of proportion... But go back and look at the overall picture. For a guy who is supposed to have run pitchers into the ground, look around and see our track record of how healthy our pitchers have stayed. Who has had healthier pitchers?"
--Baker, on his handling of young pitchers (Chicago Sun-Times)

"I'm really tired of people always picking at what I don't do... There's a whole bunch of them out there that haven't done what I have done. I don't pay no attention to that criticism. Why don't people leave me alone? Why do they always talk [bleep] on me?"
--Baker

"People [always] have been trying to bring me down. Very rarely do I hear what I have done. That's OK, that's how it is. Actually, that makes me stronger. It's OK. What are you going to say when I kick somebody's [rear]?"
--Baker

"You are damned if you do, damned if you don't. But you can't take away the fact that I've won. For the people who aren't down here doing our job, it's easy to sit up there and type the stuff over the computer. They say, 'Don't stick with your starters as long,' but when you bring in this guy or that guy, it's 'Why did you bring him in?'"
--Baker

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=2669

[RedLegSuperStar]

I hear shipments of toothpicks and wristbands will be delivered in time for the press conference Monday. I think the only thing negative that can be said about Dusty is that he over works his pitching. Hopefully defense and offense can be provided so that the pitching doesn't have to be used more then it should. I wonder if Pete ever got his interview.. and hopefully offered his old job or another within the organization.

[edabbs44]

Fay chimes in:

It's Baker

The Reds and Dusty Baker agreed to a three-year deal. The formal announcement will come Monday.

I think it broke late Saturday because Baker probably had to tell ESPN what he was doing -- since he was under contract with them. One of the his friends told me Baker would have had some sort of penalty if he quit the network before the season ended.

Not surprisingly, he's going to work for ESPN through the end of the season.