Narron to Be Fired Monday?

[reds44]

Status quo can't persist
Narron may take fall, but bullpen is the culprit
BY JOHN FAY | JFAY@ENQUIRER.COM

I've got a feeling something big is going to happen on the Reds front soon.

Monday is an off day - a perfect time to have a press conference.

No one has told me anything definitive. But I know this much: There have been a lot of high-level meetings going on lately.

The most obvious thing for a team in the Reds' position to do is to fire the manager.

When a club loses 50 games in the first half, the manager's job security is slim, heading quickly toward none.

"I'm not going to talk about that," general manager Wayne Krivsky said when asked about Jerry Narron's job status.

Read into that what you will. It's different than saying a firing is "not on the radar," which is what Krivsky said when the subject of Narron's job came up in May.

Firing Narron is what John Q. Fan wants. I don't think Narron deserves it. He's an honorable man. He works hard. And he takes losing harder than his stoic exterior reveals.

Watching Friday's eighth-inning bullpen meltdown unfold, I felt nothing but sympathy for Narron. The three bullpen rookies - Marcus McBeth, Jon Coutlangus and Brad Salmon - were called upon to protect a one-run lead against the St. Louis Cardinals.

You know what happened.

Nothing can make a manager look worse than a leaky bullpen. The Reds' bullpen is a sieve.

"We haven't had the bullpen we planned in the winter all year," Krivsky said.

Gary Majewski and Bill Bray, the right- and left-hander the Reds got in the trade with the Nationals, haven't quite worked out like Krivsky envisioned.

Majewski was hurt, then so ineffective that he was sent back to Triple-A Louisville. Bray's been on rehab all year.

Rheal Cormier was so ineffective that the Reds cut him, even though it cost more than $2 million to do it.

Todd Coffey hasn't been what he was last year.

Kirk Saarloos, who started the year as a top setup man, has been banished to Triple-A.

Left-hander Mike Stanton is on the DL.

So six of the seven pitchers who came into spring with the club basically have been hurt, ineffective or both.

The bullpen isn't the only problem the Reds have. Bronson Arroyo is 2-9. Kyle Lohse is 4-10.

The offense comes and goes.

But the bullpen has cost this team 10 games. Win those 10 and this team is .500.

That's not how it works, of course.

"The record is what it is," Krivsky said. "Times like this test you. It's gut check time. Everyone from the GM to the players and coaches to Jerry has to chip in to turn this thing around."

But when it becomes clear the team cannot be turned around, the manager usually goes.

That's the way it works - no matter how bad the bullpen is pitching.

Narron is not blameless.

He's made some moves that have hurt him in the clubhouse. He benched Edwin Encarnacion for not running out a ball in April. But when Josh Hamilton did the same thing in June, it went unpunished. But not unnoticed by the players.

Those kinds of things are easy to ignore when the team is winning. But the Reds are 31-50.

If the Reds should make a move with Narron, first base coach Billy Hatcher is the best choice to manage in the interim. Hatcher doesn't have managerial experience.

But he has the best relationship with Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, the players with the most influence among the position players.

Again, there's a chance nothing happens Monday. There's a chance that the shakeup doesn't involve Narron.

But I've got a feeling that's not the case.

Found this on the ORG.

First of all, I hope Fay is right and he gets fired. Second of all, I REALLY hope we name Hatcher the interm manager and not Dent. Hatcher seems like a guy who could actually become a big league manager. He has great relationship with the players already.

Should be interesting.

[joshnky]

Originally Posted by reds44

Found this on the ORG.

First of all, I hope Fay is right and he gets fired. Second of all, I REALLY hope we name Hatcher the interm manager and not Dent. Hatcher seems like a guy who could actually become a big league manager. He has great relationship with the players already.

Should be interesting.

It would be nice to try out a new manager for a change. I've begun to tire of the endless stream of retreads (Narron, Boone, etc.).

[reds44]

Originally Posted by joshnky

It would be nice to try out a new manager for a change. I've begun to tire of the endless stream of retreads (Narron, Boone, etc.).

Exactly. I don't think Bucky has ever managed before, but he just seems like a Boone, Narron, and Miley type guy.

Billy would be a nice change of pace.

[Degenerate39]

I doubt Narron will be fired any time soon

[Chi-Town Red]

if Narron goes, can WK go with him?

[HokieRed]

No, WK won't go with him. What's new in management besides the fact the one responsible never gets the axe until the very last moment when the whole org. gets fired? It's Krivsky's fault the ballclub is as bad as it is, therefore Narron will get fired.

[forfreelin04]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town Red

if Narron goes, can WK go with him?

I hope not. I'd like to see what he can do at the trade deadline. That may be a death wish, but I'd just like to know.

In all his glory, Wayne K has got us a starting second basemen, an average shortstop (who else in the minors), and Jason Larue lite in David Ross. Not to mention, that Hamilton fellow who might end of being pretty good. Also, that Arroyo guy who has struggled of late, but much thanks to Jerry for that.

[AmarilloRed]

I can see Narron getting fired. Like the article says if you are 20 games under .500, the team will always blame the manager. It is the players who should get the blame, but the manager gets it. Krivsky is responsible for putting together most of the team, so if things don't improve he could be next to go.

[Orenda]

so basically, suspect GM extends suspect manager, then in turn fires suspect manager. Oops.

[captainmorgan07]

i'll make alittle prediction here narron is fired tommorrow dent becomes interim manager and krivsky immeditaely starts the hiring process by interviewing giradi, dusty baker, and my sleeper davey johnson.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by summerplight

so basically, suspect GM extends suspect manager, then in turn fires suspect manager. Oops.

BCast extended both Krivsky and Narron. Krivsky didn't extend Narron.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by captainmorgan07

i'll make alittle prediction here narron is fired tommorrow dent becomes interim manager and krivsky immeditaely starts the hiring process by interviewing giradi, dusty baker, and my sleeper davey johnson.

Dusty is another players guy, and has one in the past. However, he does some really dumb stuff and he abuses his pitchers much like Narron. Girardi does the same.

[Jharb74]

I love Billy Hatcher as much as the next guy. But, waving around guys to second and collecting helmets and gloves to take back to the bench after someone makes the final out, may not qualify him to manage.

[Orenda]

Originally Posted by reds44

BCast extended both Krivsky and Narron. Krivsky didn't extend Narron.

Ok I apologize. Let me rephrase. So basically, aggressive new owner intent on "Bringing Championship baseball back to Cincinnati," extends suspect gm and suspect manager after an almost non-losing season, for a team that tanked down the stretch. Said owner then passes word down to said gm, to can said manager, one month too late. Just my opinion.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by summerplight

Ok I apologize. Let me rephrase. So basically, aggressive new owner intent on "Bringing Championship baseball back to Cincinnati," extends suspect gm and suspect manager after an almost non-losing season, for a team that tanked down the stretch. Said owner then passes word down to said gm, to can said manager, one month too late. Just my opinion.

Try again.

The extensions came during the season when we were something like 8-10 games over .500, not after an 80-82 season.