Rick White aims to prove Reds wrong

[savafan]

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2006/07/16/SNSsp0716RoweColumn.html



By KERMIT ROWE COMMENTARY

Kenton Ridge graduate Rick White has a message for the team closest to his heart, his and your hometown Cincinnati Reds.

“I think they gave up on me too soon,” said the 37-year-old Springfield native, now a Philadelphia Phillies reliever, via his cell phone on Friday. “I told them I’m sorry I didn’t pitch the way they wanted me to, but they didn’t pitch me the way I needed to be pitched, either.

“I told them when they told me I was being designated for assignment, ‘I wasn’t your guys’ problem.’ ”

There’s evidence to back that up. When White left on June 18, the Reds bullpen got worse, to the point where they had to trade two everyday starters in their prime Thursday in an effort to fix the problem. Granted, no one can say White wasn’t part of the problem the first month of the season, when his ERA was in the stratosphere, but near the end of his stint with the Reds, he was showing some consistent success. And he was enjoying himself.

Was it the emotion of finally realizing his dream of playing for his boyhood idols that led to the slow start?

At this point, a lot of pros clam up and answer a probing question like this with a cliche. But not White. In his career, in all my dealings with him, he has been honest and open.

“It probably was (a distraction) at the beginning,” said White. “Especially in the first month. We were just finishing building a new house, trying to get everything taken care of on the farm (a getaway he owns in Kentucky), I was driving back and forth from Springfield every day, the people back home, the ticket requests ... It was just too much.

“I talked to (Ken) Griffey about it and he said he went through the same thing the first two years he was in Cincinnati and he finally had to say no.”

So White cut back, stopping his daily commute — and it seemed to be working.

“I had just gotten all that stuff under control and had gotten some things rolling for a couple of games,” he said. “They just gave up on me too soon. One of my goals for the rest of the season is to prove that to them.”

Things have gone better in Philadelphia since being signed June 23.

“I’ve been throwing the ball pretty good. It’s just like I’ve been telling them all along: If I can get some consistency on the field, I’m still a pretty good pitcher.”

The numbers have been bearing that out as of late. Coming out of the All-Star break, White had posted a 3.55 ERA in his last 10 outings. He didn’t give up a run in eight of those 10 outings. His ERA for 2006, which had been a disaster in Cincinnati, is headed back down and currently is 5.91.

Now he is tantalizingly close to a career milestone few pro players ever see — 10 years of major league service.

“It should come sometime near the end of the month, or the beginning of August,” he said. “That’s a pretty good milestone for anyone in the sport.”

Especially for a boy from Springfield, Ohio.

[fisch11]

Ok, if you're not "part of the problem" than you are "part of the solution". Right? I don't believe you were part of the solution, Rick. Sorry.

[reds44]

Am I the only one that laughed while reading that?

[fisch11]

Am I the only one that laughed will reading that?

:laugh:
Nope!

[KronoRed]

Well good luck to him

[GAC]

My younger brother is good friends (and neighbors) with the Whites..... and he thinks he sucked with the Reds too! Just don't let Rick find that out. ;)

[toledodan]

:laugh:
Nope!



me too!:D :D :laugh:

[Tom Servo]

Am I the only one that laughed while reading that?
Not by a long shot

:lol:

[Matt700wlw]

He has a future on the comedy scene.

[Redhook]

His ERA for 2006, which had been a disaster in Cincinnati, is headed back down and currently is 5.91.

That's classic.

[Jr's Boy]

That's classic.
RRTF

[redsupport]

rick white, now there is a definitive answer, I am glad that his ERA is a "respectable 5.91" KInd of reminds me of an old Mike McQueen

[goreds2]

Rick White, you lose. Good day, sir. :D

[jimbo]

Am I the only one that laughed while reading that?

No you weren't. White needs a big dose of reality.

[KronoRed]

Danny Graves like

[toledodan]

not only would he need to prove the reds wrong but all the other MLB teams that let him go. like jimbo said he needs a dose of reality.:wave:

[Redhook]

“I told them I’m sorry I didn’t pitch the way they wanted me to, but they didn’t pitch me the way I needed to be pitched, either."

What does this mean? What way did he want to pitch? Just in the bullpen and never in the game? That would atleast keep his ERA down.

If you haven't done yourself the favor of reading this article for the second time, go ahead and treat yourself. It's like one of those comedies (ex: Dumb and Dumber, Old School) that actually gets better the more you watch because you were laughing so hard the first time you missed half of it. Read this article again. It's even funnier. I love it.

[Unassisted]

Dear Rick White,

If you'd developed and followed through on your plan to prove the Reds braintrust wrong about you while you were still a Red, maybe you'd still be on the roster? On second thought, forget I said that.

Sincerely,
Unassisted

[redsupport]

Dear Rick

Did you take lessons from
a) Mike Smith
b) Lance Davis
c) Rick Krivda
d) Ted Weiand
e) Howie Nunn

[Strikes Out Looking]

Here is the note sent to the Reds by Rick White's mother in spring training.

Dear Mr. Narron and Mr. Hume:

Please do not pitch Rick in any close games. Please do not pitch Rick in any games on days that begin with the letter S and T. Please do not pitch Rick in games where he is not allowed to start the inning. Please do not pitch Rick on consecutive days. Please do not pitch Rick after Chris Hammond or Kent Mercker have already pitched for the day.

If you follow these simple rules as to how Rick likes to be used, I believe he will soon be compared to Cy Young.

Sincerely,

Mrs. White

[Team Clark]

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2006/07/16/SNSsp0716RoweColumn.html

“I told them I’m sorry I didn’t pitch the way they wanted me to, but they didn’t pitch me the way I needed to be pitched, either.

So, he needs to be pitching against RH hitters who have a propensity to swing with their eyes closed.

[Sabo Fan]

I live around Springfield and get the News-Sun daily. Rowe, the sports editor and author of this article is a hack of gigantic proportions. Guy hates everything about the Reds and looks for an opportunity to stick it to them if he thinks he can. The problem is that he doesn't realize that he's small-time and nobody really pays any attention to what he has to say. He's also managed to torpedo a decent little sports section in the five years or so he's been there, but that's another topic for another day.

[KoryMac5]

Rick takin a parting shot at Narron on the way out, classy move.

[reds44]

Rick takin a parting shot at Narron on the way out, classy move.
I got to have Narron's back on this one. If you are a vet and you still can't get along with Narron, then there is something wrong with you.

:evil:

[Matt700wlw]

[url]

“I think they gave up on me too soon,” said the 37-year-old Springfield native, now a Philadelphia Phillies reliever, via his cell phone on Friday. “I told them I’m sorry I didn’t pitch the way they wanted me to, but they didn’t pitch me the way I needed to be pitched, either.



He's right. They used him. That in itself was incorrect.

[smith288]

How were they supposed to use him? A reliever is supposed to go in and stop the opposing team from teeing off. What part of that didnt White understand?

[MartyFan]

Am I the only one that laughed while reading that?

No...I bet I am the only one who got someone else from another room to come and read the article so they could see what I was lauughing at.:laugh:

[MartyFan]

So, he needs to be pitching against RH hitters who have a propensity to swing with their eyes closed.

LOL!!! :beerme:

[Ltlabner]

Yeeech...not a classy move at all. You got fired dude. Pack your bags, move on and if you want to exact revenge go to Phily and quitely pitch lights out.

But the "final parting shot" when leaving town is usually never a good idea.

[markymark69]

How were they supposed to use him? A reliever is supposed to go in and stop the opposing team from teeing off. What part of that didnt White understand?


Those were my thoughts exactly. I was hoping that White would work out, just like I hope every Reds player works out, but I had my doubts, just from looking at the back of his baseball card. My doubts became reality.

Sour grapes purely on White's part, especially now that he is not part of a pennant race.

[Tommyjohn25]

3860

[Roy Tucker]

“I told them I’m sorry I didn’t pitch the way they wanted me to, but they didn’t pitch me the way I needed to be pitched, either.”


Not defending Rick White or what he said in the slightest, but I did hear David Weathers make a comment similar to this.

He said that with the bullpen in disarray, he was never quite sure when he was going to be in the game and had difficulty preparing for the batters he pitched to.

He said that with the new guys in the bullpen, the bullpen will be more "slotted" and they will know what kinds of situations they will be brought in for so they can start preparing pitch sequences to what batters 2-3 innings ahead of time.

[Ltlabner]

He said that with the bullpen in disarray, he was never quite sure when he was going to be in the game and had difficulty preparing for the batters he pitched to.

He said that with the new guys in the bullpen, the bullpen will be more "slotted" and they will know what kinds of situations they will be brought in for so they can start preparing pitch sequences to what batters 2-3 innings ahead of time.

Wow Roy, that is very interesting. It lends credance to the idea that muscial bullpens/not having defined roles may have hurt us in the first half. I've always been a fan of a semi-set lineup for the same reasons.

[NJReds]

Not defending Rick White or what he said in the slightest, but I did hear David Weathers make a comment similar to this.

He said that with the bullpen in disarray, he was never quite sure when he was going to be in the game and had difficulty preparing for the batters he pitched to.

He said that with the new guys in the bullpen, the bullpen will be more "slotted" and they will know what kinds of situations they will be brought in for so they can start preparing pitch sequences to what batters 2-3 innings ahead of time.


What has happened to ballplayers. I'm only in my mid-30s, but what happened to showing up to the ballpark and being ready to play whenever you are needed. Has baseball become so specialized that pitchers only pitch well if they get a detailed dossier before each game.

David, here's your plan: arrive at ballpark, stretch, sit in bullpen and eat sunflower seeds, when we call you come in and get batters out, shower, go home, repeat.

[TRF]

I have no problem with what White said. In fact he put a lot of his performance on himself.

[James B.]

This is one of the reasons I like Todd Coffey. He says he will pitch whenever the manager gives him the ball and never complains. His role has changed time after time this year and he don't care. I think he is just happy to be in baseball. I wish more players had his attitude.

[top6]

I would like to emphasize that he said that the fact that he was bombarded with ticket requests was the reason that he struggled in Cincinnati. Just think about that for a second. This is professional pitcher, getting paid a crapload of money to play a game for half a year, and he can't focus on doing well because people keep asking him for tickets? That is the dumbest excuse I have ever heard... well, ever.

[StillFunkyB]

Rick White, you lose. Good day, sir. :D

I SAID GOOD DAY!

[redsmetz]

I have no problem with what White said. In fact he put a lot of his performance on himself.

Agreed. I'd say "Knock yourself out". Show us we were wrong. No ill will.