Players call "players only" meeting before today's game

[WVRedsFan]

From Fay:

The Reds had a players-only meeting before Sunday's game.

"It's OK with me as long as they ask permission, which they did," Dusty Baker said.

Baker met with the team Friday.

"I think we overmeet as a society,' he said. "You can talk, but you've got to follow through."

Baker wouldn't say who called the meeting, saying only it was more than one player. David Weathers was one.

"We've got so many young guys," Baker said. "They've got to hear it from a player sometimes."

Lineup:

Jeff Keppinger ss

Joey Votto 1b

jay Bruce rf

Brandon Phillips 2b

Adam Dunn lf

Edwin Encarnacion 3

Corey Patterson cf

David Ross c

Jonny Cueto p

v. RH Collin Balester

http://beta.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs...ategory=blog07

[OnBaseMachine]

Nice to see Votto back in the two hole. Hopefully he and Bruce remain 2/3 all season long.

[mbgrayson]

Per Hal McCoy:

Speaking of clubhouses, the Reds players had a Players Only meeting before sunday’s game - hopefully to flail themselves for supreme ineptitude in losing two straight to the Nationals.

Manager Dusty Baker is not big on meetings, but gave his permission.

“As long as they ask permission, which they did, it’s fine with me,” said Baker. “We used to do that in LA, except we didn’t ask. We just kicked Tommy Lasorda out.

“Can’t tell you who, but a couple of ‘em came in and asked if it was OK and I said yes,” Baker said.

Baker, though, says not much happens after these meetings.

“I think we overmeet as a society,” said Baker. “My opinion. You can talk, but you have to follow through in your talking and put it into action. I’ve done motivational speaking and the first thing I tell them is, ‘I can only motivate you for a little while. Motivation comes from within, but one thing I can do is light your pilot light so it burns inside you.’”

Baker said former San Francisco manager Roger Craig once told him, “Don’t let them have a Players Only meeting because it looks as if you’ve lost the team. I love Roger Craig, but I never believed that. Thanks for the advice. If you feel secure in yourself, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Baker agrees that if a manager says no to a Players Only meeting, then the manager feels threatened.

“I had a meeting Friday after Ken Griffey Jr. was traded,” said Baker. “After my meetings, I always ask if anybody has anything to say and invariably nobody does. I hope that’s not the case in the players meeting - I hope they all have something to say.

“We have so many young guys on our team and they need to hear from some of the older players - like I used to hear from Hank Aaron and like when I was with the Dodgers they used to hear from Davy Lopes, Reggie Smith and me,” Baker said.

[membengal]

I hope the players identified the clubhouse couch as the source of all of their problems...

[nate]

I guess it was a standing meeting.

[RichRed]

like I used to hear from Hank Aaron

Say, did you guys know Dusty played with Hank Aaron? You'd think he'd have mentioned that before.

[MrCinatit]

Originally Posted by RichRed

Say, did you guys know Dusty played with Hank Aaron? You'd think he'd have mentioned that before.

Who was this Hank Aaron guy? I've heard of Tommy Aaron - were they related?

[Falls City Beer]

“I think we overmeet as a society,” said Baker. “My opinion. You can talk, but you have to follow through in your talking and put it into action. I’ve done motivational speaking and the first thing I tell them is, ‘I can only motivate you for a little while. Motivation comes from within, but one thing I can do is light your pilot light so it burns inside you.’”

Amen.

Get your own house in order, shut up, and give everything you've got for 2 1/2 hours.

Meeting adjourned.

[BCubb2003]

Originally Posted by MrCinatit

Who was this Hank Aaron guy? I've heard of Tommy Aaron - were they related?

Maybe he meant Harang, Boone or Ledesma.

[westofyou]

“I think we overmeet as a society,” said Baker.

Dusty has never met the project managers I work with, I agree with him on this 110%.

[rotnoid]

Last week I had a meeting to plan a meeting. Dusty's dead on this time. Now let's hope it helps avoid a sweep by the Nats. My meeting wasn't so productive.

[Matt700wlw]

Neither was this one

[Reds1]

Meeting didn't work. Error in the 1st and that was it.

It was nice to see Cueto get through it and put up zeros the rest of the time. This team needs to find some leadership

[cumberlandreds]

I think they met to see how quickly they can pack it in for the season. I really doubt this teams wins more than 12 to 15 games the rest of they way. They are really pathetic.
The Reds should take one thing the Nats did this weekend. Before Fridays game they got rid of some the deadwood on the team;Lopez,LoDuca and Estrada and brought up a couple young guys that gave them a spark. The Reds should do the same right now! It can at least send a message that they don't need older guys that just take up space around anymore.

[guttle11]

Corey Patterson stepped up!