I wonder what the players think now...

[Wheelhouse]

The Reds have been prone to moments of early self-congratulation for a while now. They came cruising back into town critical of the fans for not being supportive, for not recognizing something "special was happening" with this team, for being suspicious of the success of this team. Looks like the fans were right. I wonder if there is any self-inventory going on right now, and that they realize most of the us-against-them attitude players have is a bunch of negative bunk. I hope they do feel the extent of this failure-they need to as professional athletes who have a little growing up to do. While they have become kings of the NL Central, they are the jokes of the playoffs.

[Matt700wlw]

Tracy Jones said on the radio today that us fans care more than the players do. He said by now, they've moved on, and are figuring out their vacations. He said they probably thought about the loss for about an hour or so, and that was it. They don't dwell on it. They're getting paid either way.

Now, this is Tracy Jones. It's no secret that he sometimes says things on the radio to stir the pot. He also played the game, so maybe there's something to it.

I think it depends on the player, and their experience in the game. I would think a Ryan Ludwick is going to handle it differently than a Todd Frazier....


Dallas Latos tweeted something earlier about it, saying whoever said that on the radio should call Mat and tell him that, because it isn't true. He still feels really bad about what happened.

[KronoRed]

Now, this is Tracy Jones. It's no secret that he sometimes says things on the radio to stir the pot. He also played the game, so maybe there's something to it.

He may have briefly played the game, but he was never on a team that reached the playoffs (wonder why), much less blew 3 in a row to go home.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

Carson Palmer said when he watched the stupidly lucky Steelers win the Super Bowl after the 2005 season, he wanted to throw up.

I wonder if any of the Reds feel that way tonight about the Cardinals?

[traderumor]

Tracy Jones believes that because he was a ballplayer and is a selfish, greedy, arrogant blowhard, it must follow that all ballplayers are selfish, greedy, arrogant blowhards.

[Joseph]

Not sure Tracy the ballplayer and Tracy the radio personality talk anymore.

Sure there are those who will process this and move on, just like with the fans. There are other ball players who will carry this all winter.

They are people. It will affect each differently.

[PuffyPig]

The Reds have been prone to moments of early self-congratulation for a while now.

I've seen no evidence of that.

[Wheelhouse]

I've seen no evidence of that.

Read the articles, MLB, Enquirer, and others where players are quoted during off day after the SF games.

[wheels]

I highly doubt Joey Votto has moved on from this.

In regards to your "us against them" assertion, I saw or read nothing to suggest this coming from the players. Jay Bruce's comment was certainly not suggestive of some sort of grudge, or chip on the shoulder towards the fans. He merely made an observation about how tough we can be as a fan base because we've had our hearts torn out so often.

Wow. If Rosecrans intended to vilify both the fan base and one of the team's biggest contributors with one series of paragraphs, he sure hit the mark.

People with initials for first names always seem like jerks.

[Vottomatic]

I'm pretty sure the players will be miserable about this for awhile. It's a long offseason.

But losing like they did could be just what these guys need.

I've felt for awhile that they needed a wake up call and they got it. It's what they do from here on out that will define them.

[redsfan30]

I have never cared for C. Trent. Seems far to smug for my liking plus I always hated the pedistal he was put on here at Redszone while working for the Post.

I digress....

There is no way the players aren't still thinking about it. Are they dwelling on it like we as fans? Probably not. I doubt it's consuming them. Baseball players are athletes. Baseball players are men. Athletes and men are competitive by nature. If you're not, you're in the wrong business. I think it will be on thier minds for a week or so but then thier focus will shift to relaxation and recovery in order to get ready for Spring Training which will be here before we know it.

I think it will be on the collective mind of Redszone for the next calendar year. The measuring stick, at least to me, is now the NLCS. This team has proven it can win the division and that is wonderful. But it now officially means nothing if we are going to bow out in the NLDS every year. Until this team wins a playoff series, this will always be the focal point.

[Reds/Flyers Fan]

I have never cared for C. Trent. Seems far to smug for my liking plus I always hated the pedistal he was put on here at Redszone while working for the Post.

I digress....

There is no way the players aren't still thinking about it. Are they dwelling on it like we as fans? Probably not. I doubt it's consuming them. Baseball players are athletes. Baseball players are men. Athletes and men are competitive by nature. If you're not, you're in the wrong business. I think it will be on thier minds for a week or so but then thier focus will shift to relaxation and recovery in order to get ready for Spring Training which will be here before we know it.

I think it will be on the collective mind of Redszone for the next calendar year. The measuring stick, at least to me, is now the NLCS. This team has proven it can win the division and that is wonderful. But it now officially means nothing if we are going to bow out in the NLDS every year. Until this team wins a playoff series, this will always be the focal point.

The Reds could win 111 games next summer and there will be doubts going into the NLDS. That's the reality this team has created right now.

[oneupper]

The Reds could win 111 games next summer and there will be doubts going into the NLDS. That's the reality this team has created right now.

Yep.

"Every head is a different world" is a saying we like in Spanish ("Cada cabeza es un mundo"), but you have to think that the players are shell-shocked and going through the stages of grief like the fans are. Probably worse, since they can't exteriorize the blame as well.

Baseball is their life for about 9 months of the year. It's a hard switch to turn off.

Unfortunately this experience is going to mess with their heads if they make it to the playoffs again.

[PuffyPig]

The Reds could win 111 games next summer and there will be doubts going into the NLDS. That's the reality this team has created right now.

Of course you could say the same about any team who won 111 games or whatever.

Every team who makes the playoffs has pretty much te same chance of wianning. It's the randomness of baseball when you are playing a team that may have been 10 games behind you over 162 games, but in a 5-7 game series that difference is pretty meaningless.

[BCubb2003]

The Reds' best starting pitcher (at the time) gave up a grand slam in the final game of the series, but the offense got that back, including two runners on in every inning since the fourth. It wasn't enough, but maybe it was holes in the lineup, not lack of effort.