Baker's meeting helps Reds fend off panic

[GAC]

I have to give Baker credit..... not only what he states in this article, but also what I've heard him elaborate on over the course of this season in post-game interviews, after a tough loss, when things weren't gong so well, and people were tempted to say "OK, here we go, It's time for our swoon."

I thoroughly agreed with his remarks in the post-game after the 2nd game loss to LA, and that it was Leake's first loss. Dusty's perspective was right on.

IMO, he has that "quality" or characteristic within that clubhouse and dugout that helps these players, especially the younger ones, maintain their perspective because it is a long season.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

First three-game slide since mid-April no reason for alarm

The Reds entered Thursday burdened by their first three-game losing streak since mid-April and have had trouble scoring runs. But an unwanted guest named "panic" had yet to be granted access into the clubhouse.
Manager Dusty Baker rarely goes negative and he didn't on Wednesday, when he held a pregame meeting to perk up his hitters.

"I think he just reiterated the fact that this is a tough game," Reds right fielder Jay Bruce said Thursday. "There will be some lulls, but you have to minimize them and really focus on the positive. Stick to what you've been doing, which is what has made us successful."

Cincinnati was outscored, 25-5, over its previous past three games against the Dodgers and Royals. Until a run scored in the sixth inning of Wednesday's 6-2 loss, the Reds had scored one run in a span of 22 innings, including 14 straight scoreless innings.

"This is a game of failure, it's tough," Bruce said. "Panicking, it feeds itself. A little comes here and little more comes there when there's more failure. It's a downward spiral. You have to take a step back and realize it's just been a few games. All it takes is a few games to turn it around. [Baker] reminded us of the fact that we are a good team. We are a winning team and this stuff doesn't last."

For his part, Bruce's sixth-inning single on Wednesday snapped an 0-for-10 run. He drew a one-out walk against tough lefty reliever Hong-Chih Kuo in the following plate appearance in the eighth that loaded the bases.

"I still have some stuff to work on," said Bruce, who entered the day batting .268 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs. "I'm hanging around and getting my hits but there's some more adjustments I need to make in order to be where I want to be. It will come."

[Edskin]

It's Dusty greatest strength, without a doubt. I don't love his general baseball philosophy, but I was content when we hired him for one reason.....he's produced results.

Think about this....the Giants and Cubs both arguably had their most successful runs in 50 years under his leadership.

If we make the playoffs, or even just come close, that would be three teams he had led to their biggest success in quite some time.

Results matter.

[REDREAD]

Yes, Dusty may not always do things by the numbers (which is a fair criticism), but overall I feel he's a great manager. Definitely a huge step above the Narron types we've had to endure for a long time.

His handling of young players has been great. (eg Stubbs and the young pitchers). I liked how he handled EdE too, but in hindsight, no manager is going to get EdE to be a decent player.

[westofyou]

Yesterday on the Dodgers radio feed Charlie Steiner told stories about Dusty trying to assure that Stubbs and Phillips stayed healthy during the hot months by bringing food to the clubhouse, he feels the leaner guys tend to eat less the more humid it gets and he believes it saps their energy. They then went on about his handling of the players and his history of that at other clubs. I then switched the radio feed over to the Reds were Thom and Marty debated Jeff Brantley singing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch and then they debated the benefits of the Kindle, all why the game went on in the background.

[lollipopcurve]

Yesterday on the Dodgers radio feed Charlie Steiner told stories about Dusty trying to assure that Stubbs and Phillips stayed healthy during the hot months by bringing food to the clubhouse, he feels the leaner guys tend to eat less the more humid it gets and he believes it saps their energy. They then went on about his handling of the players and his history of that at other clubs. I then switched the radio feed over to the Reds were Thom and Marty debated Jeff Brantley singing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch and then they debated the benefits of the Kindle, all why the game went on in the background.

It's all about the brennamans.

[hebroncougar]

Yesterday on the Dodgers radio feed Charlie Steiner told stories about Dusty trying to assure that Stubbs and Phillips stayed healthy during the hot months by bringing food to the clubhouse, he feels the leaner guys tend to eat less the more humid it gets and he believes it saps their energy. They then went on about his handling of the players and his history of that at other clubs. I then switched the radio feed over to the Reds were Thom and Marty debated Jeff Brantley singing God Bless America during the 7th inning stretch and then they debated the benefits of the Kindle, all why the game went on in the background.

I miss Steiner's daily show he had on MLB on XM for a while. That was a great show.

[Strikes Out Looking]

Why would the Brennemans or Brantley need a Kindle? Do they have Archie and Jughead on the Kindle?

[top6]

It's Dusty greatest strength, without a doubt. I don't love his general baseball philosophy, but I was content when we hired him for one reason.....he's produced results.

Think about this....the Giants and Cubs both arguably had their most successful runs in 50 years under his leadership.

If we make the playoffs, or even just come close, that would be three teams he had led to their biggest success in quite some time.

Results matter.

WHAT????? I'll give you he had a decent run with the Giants, although they did have, you know, the best player ever on that team. But they were pretty good for another 2 years after Dusty left.

But Dusty coached the Cubs for 4 years. During those 4 years, they made the playoffs once, and that ended with arguably the biggest choke job in post-season history. In fact, it was so bad, that it sent the franchise into a tailspin (and 2+ years of sub-.500 baseball) from which they did not recover until they fired Dusty. And keep in mind this was a team with a legitimate superstar on offense, and three absolutely top-flight starters, so it's not like he had nothing to work with.

Those Cubs teams were really just awful, such a bunch of under-achievers. Now, in fairness, I may be biased, since I had to live in Chicago at the time and was surrounded by Cubs fans, which I think we can all agree can cause even the most rational man to lose his mind.

[Edskin]

top-- When have the Cubs EVER been closer to the WS in the last 50 years than they were that year?

I'm not going to blame Dusty for the curse of the goat/Bartman

[Rojo]

The Giants fired Dusty for mismanaging the Series. He's a nice guy and all.....

[westofyou]

The Giants fired Dusty for mismanaging the Series. He's a nice guy and all.....

Actually he an McGowan were battling prior, it wasn't one incident based.

[Rojo]

Actually he an McGowan were battling prior, it wasn't one incident based.

Yeah, but it was the final straw and the fans weren't upset.

[pedro]

Yeah, but it was the final straw and the fans weren't upset.

No, but after that many years fans can often clamor for a change. Not many managers have 10 year runs with a single team.

[pedro]

No Reds manager has ever lasted 10 seasons.

[fearofpopvol1]

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showp...4&postcount=48

10-13-2007, 09:19 AM #48
GAC
Hey Kool-Aid!

Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Bellefontaine, Ohio
Posts: 24,081

Re: Just Say No...to Dusty!!!

If they hire Dusty Baker then this longtime Red's fan is finally gonna switch his allegiance to the Indians over the Reds, until the day they fire the guy. I can't stand the man!

That toothpick knawing jerkweed ain't done jack as a manager except misplay, mis-manage, and waste what talent (including arms) that he has had, while making excuses. Nuff said.

I'd rather follow a Wahoo then a Yahoo.

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Are you having a change of heart??