Thoughts on Narron?

[cincrazy]

I'm interested to see what people think of the job Jerry Narron has done. I wasn't posting here for a while, so was kind of out of the loop. I think for the most part he's done a good job with us. The second half of last year he really seemed to get the most out of what he had, and I think he can do more of the same this year. Thoughts on Narron?

[Johnny Footstool]

Anyone who plays Womack over Freel gets an automatic D-minus on his report card.

Plus he's playing Hatteberg at 1B and Dunn in LF instead of Dunn at 1B, Denorfia in CF, and Griffey in LF. That puts him in the remedial class.

[cincrazy]

Hahahaha. Well I see where you stand. Yeah, I too wish he would learn from Joe Torre's mistake, and not even remotely think about using Tony Womack.

[dougdirt]

I agree with JF whole heartedly on the management.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I don't think Jerry manages the team the right way.

[dougflynn23]

:confused: He manages like a man who believes that milking a few extra wins out of the team by playing veterans with low ceilings (Hatteberg, Womack, Rick White, Chris Hammond) over younger guys with upside (Denorfia, Freel, Wagner, Shackelford) will help him stay employed. He calls himself a "baseball guy", yet won't accept that an average 2B with a .360 OBP and speed is a better option than a bad 2B with a .310 OBP and speed. He allowed someone from up above him to give Adam Dunn a promise to move back to LF as part of his LTC which keeps a 36 year old at 1B and keeps Denorfia & Freel out of LF which would make this a better team.

[KronoRed]

He's more of the same around here, Bob Boone p.2

[Ron Madden]

In respect for rule #5 in the guidlines of RedsZone, let me say this...

Some things are better left unsaid. :D

[cincrazy]

Well, I agree about some of the moves, but on the same hand, I think his hand is kind of forced by Krivsky. Keep in mind, Narron isn't "Krivsky's guy," and i'm sure Krivsky is itching to get one of his own in there, so if Narron is less willing to play some of these crap veterans, that in turn makes Krivsky looks bad, which would pretty much seal up Narron's fate. I'm not saying that's the only reason, but I think it should be taken into consideration

[RedFanAlways1966]

Jerry seems to be an expert at picking the correct PH this year so far...

* Opening Day
> 4 PH chances for the REDS. The batters go 2-for-2 with 2 walks, 1 single, 1 double, 1 run scored and 1 RBI.

SLG = 1.500
B.A. = 1.000
OBP = 1.000
OPS = 2.500

Narron seems to be a genius at picking the right bench player to hit for someone else!

[RedsBaron]

Anyone who plays Womack over Freel gets an automatic D-minus on his report card.

Plus he's playing Hatteberg at 1B and Dunn in LF instead of Dunn at 1B, Denorfia in CF, and Griffey in LF. That puts him in the remedial class.
I agree 100%.

[redsmetz]

Well, I agree about some of the moves, but on the same hand, I think his hand is kind of forced by Krivsky. Keep in mind, Narron isn't "Krivsky's guy," and i'm sure Krivsky is itching to get one of his own in there, so if Narron is less willing to play some of these crap veterans, that in turn makes Krivsky looks bad, which would pretty much seal up Narron's fate. I'm not saying that's the only reason, but I think it should be taken into consideration

Why is it a given that Krivsky's itching to "get one of his own" in the manager's chair. I know a number of us having been saying that with the late transfer of ownership, we're way behind the curve on many, many things. The new GM came late to the game on just about every transaction.

I'm of an open mind on Jerry Narron. I'm not convinced he's the loser many people on this board think he is, but I'm not convinced he's the next Sparky Anderson. This will be only his second full year managing a club, assuming that he makes it through the year. Interestingly, I think the 2002 Rangers club he managed for a full year is not dissimilar to this club. Some great bats in the line-up and a fair pitching staff. Even looking at their bullpen reminds me of ours. They only had 33 saves that year, finishing 4th in the division. I'm never anxious to hear Narron speak - that drawl just wears on me.

I'd like to think we can do better. I can't say we will. But I'm not convinced that Krivsky is itching to get someone else in there. I keep saying this, but we need the better part of a year to see how this all shakes out. Curses on MLB for dragging their feet on the transfer of ownership, but that's what we're stuck with. Let's see if we can win a few ballgames and rebuild this great tradition.

BTW, in looking at Baseball-reference.com, I was looking at Sparky's second year (1971) and the Reds went 79-83, finishing 5th in the West. You can see how the pieces were just ready to fall into place. Another surprise in looking at that club was I had forgotten that Gary Nolan pitched for the Reds all the way into 1977 - I thought he had flamed out in the early 70's, but he put up identical 15-9 records for the Big Red Machine years. Just an interesting aside.

[redsmetz]

Anyone who plays Womack over Freel gets an automatic D-minus on his report card.

I've been pondering whether Womack is getting the starts to bolster his trade value, sort of "Hey look, he's our starter!". I know that sounds far fetched, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Of course, it might be followed with "Hey, you want to buy a bridge" or "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!".

[membengal]

I didn't pay as much attention to Narron's in-game management in terms of pitchers at the end of last year as the bad feelings surrounding the team had worn me down, but I was a whole lot distraught over his sending Harang back out in the 6th on Monday with a pitch count already at 88. I was even more distraught that he left him out there after the walk that started that inning.

Not real bright.

[cincrazy]

Redsmetz i agree with you on Narron. And I'm not convinced that Krivsky wants his own guy in there, per se, but I think it is a possibliity

[BRM]

Anyone who plays Womack over Freel gets an automatic D-minus on his report card.

Plus he's playing Hatteberg at 1B and Dunn in LF instead of Dunn at 1B, Denorfia in CF, and Griffey in LF. That puts him in the remedial class.

Well, that pretty much sums it up.

[WMR]

I don't like his line-ups... I don't like his batting orders... I don't like his man-love for played-out vets at the expense of better, younger options... I don't like Jerry Narron as manager of the Reds.

[redsmetz]

I don't like his line-ups... I don't like his batting orders... I don't like his man-love for played-out vets at the expense of better, younger options... I don't like Jerry Narron as manager of the Reds.

I don't like Green Eggs and Ham.... :D

I'm sorry, it was just begging for it.

[WMR]

I don't like Green Eggs and Ham.... :D

I'm sorry, it was just begging for it.

:laugh:

[Red Leader]

I don't like Green Eggs and Ham.... :D


Not at home, not on the road,
Not on a bus, or on Jerry Garcia's commode!

[Redus]

Whoevers choice it is to keep Rick White and Chris Hammond suck in my book. Narrons or Krivsky.

[cincrazy]

I just don't like the fact that we're relying on so many old players in the bullpen, and even in the infield. I understand that they want to win this year, but acquiring the old veterans that they did isn't likely to enhance the chances of us having a great year. I wish there were more young arms in the pen, and in the infield.

[pedro]

I don't agree with some of his on field moves, but I also realize that he's cut from the same cloth as most current MLB managers and it's unlikely that most alternatives would do things that differently than Narron. As such, I am more interested in how he manages the clubhouse and communication with the players. Two things which it appears he does at least moderately well.

[pedro]

Whoevers choice it is to keep Rick White and Chris Hammond suck in my book. Narrons or Krivsky.

Chris Hammond was pretty good last year.

[Redus]

Hammond is an old ,slow , soft tosser. I cant see how Narron thought bringing him in that inning on opening day when a strikeout was needed was a good idea. Hammond was the leadt likely guy out there to get a K. Give me Hudson and Wagner over White and Hammond. For that matter if Hancock can make the Cards we shoulda kept him.

[wheels]

After listening to various interviews with him over the last year or so, I've come up with a nickname.

Huckleberry.

Huckleberry Jerry.

[indyred]

Willing to give him a full year....but overall, not really impressed.

[Tony Cloninger]

I pretty much agreed with everything DF said....but he lost me on the AD point.

HOW is it his fault that someone "up above" as a condition for AD signing a long term deal... was that he be allowed to move back to LF?
Do you not do what your boss tells you to do, as a condition of employment?

How about placing the blame on the people who forced JN hand... AD included?
If this is even true... that in order for AD to sign he told them "put me in LF"..
then that pretty much stinks. If AD is never going to go for being a 1B in the near future... then in order for Griffey to be moved, AK would have to go or Griffey would have to go.