RIP former Reds manager John McNamara

[westofyou]

I don’t think I made of those playoff games. I was drunk all that year.

My senior year was fall 79, so good

[Roy Tucker]

You did the full 1979.

Pretty much. I think I took off Mondays today off.

[Kingspoint]

Reminder yet again that the Sox had already blown the lead when the Buckner play happened, and had another lead in game 7 that they also blew.

The line before that was about his decision to remove Clemens for Calvin Shiraldi, along with a rookie PH who struck out on three pitches when he had Don Baylor available. These decisions, along with Buckner, got him fired from the Red Sox.

[cumberlandreds]

Good manager who I always liked. He did a good job as long as he had good players to work with. 1979 was a very good job by him after replacing Sparky and losing Rose. RIP Johnny Mac.

[RedsBaron]

Reminder yet again that the Sox had already blown the lead when the Buckner play happened, and had another lead in game 7 that they also blew.

Yes. McNamara took out Roger Clemens after seven innings in game six, with the Red Sox leading 3-2. In the eighth inning Calvin Schiraldi gave up a run to the Mets to tie the game 3-3. Neither team scored in the ninth. In the top of the tenth Dave Henderson homered and the Red Sox eventually scored a second run to go up 5-3. Schiraldi got the first two Mets hitters out in the bottom of the tenth, leaving Boston only one out away from a World Championship. Schiraldi then gave up singles to Gary Carter, Kevin Mitchell and Ray Knight, to make the score 5-4, Boston still ahead. Bob Stanley relieved Schiraldi. He promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing Mitchell to score, tying the game at 5-5. It was after that when Stanley's pitch to Mookie Wilson was grounded through Buckner's legs, with Carter scoring to win the game for the Mets, 6-5.
Schiraldi and Stanley should be thankful that Buckner took all the blame.

[Chip R]

If I remember correctly, he was fired in 1982 because he refused to start Alex Trevino at catcher. Dick Wagner had traded George Foster to get Trevino from the Mets and wanted him playing everyday to justify the trade. McNamara would rather be fired than follow Wagner’s selfish orders.

Peter King said yesterday in a series of tweets that it was because Mac was mad that Tom Lawless was called up to play 2nd and bat leadoff which moved Ron Oester to 3rd. He told King to ask him - on the record - if he agreed with that move. Mac said it wasn't his decision and it was Wagner's. He told King that he believed the manager should make those calls and not the GM. The Enquirer printed the quotes and Wagner fired Mac when the team got back from StL.

https://mobile.twitter.com/peter_kin...72635912298497

[Reds Fanatic]

I always think of this old 1979 Reds yearbook cover when I think of McNamara

[RichRed]

I don’t think I made of those playoff games. I was drunk all that year.

You should've waited until '82 for that.

[RedsBaron]

I always think of this old 1979 Reds yearbook cover when I think of McNamara

I remember the cover but I never liked that yearbook. 1979 was of course McNamara's first season as Reds manager. I was mad because (1) the Reds had let Rose leave, although I now better understand how that happened and (2) Dick Wagner had fired Sparky Anderson.
Sparky did not deserve to be fired. His 1978 Reds had overachieved, going 92-69 and nearly winning the division even though the Dodgers both scored more runs and allowed fewer runs in the 1978 season. Let down by a pitching staff that had Tom Seaver and not much else, the Reds ranked 9th in the 12 team NL in runs allowed, giving up 688 runs while scoring 710 [2nd in the league in runs scored]. The 1978 reds expected record, per the Pythagorean theorem, was 83-78, so 92-69 was terrific.
The 1979 Reds under McNamara went 90-71, with a Pythagorean expected record of 90-71, as they scored 709 runs, third in the league, but their pitching greatly improved, allowing 644 runs, 4th in the NL. Alas, the pitching improvement was temporary.
Dick Wagner remains my least favorite Reds employee, ever.

[Bruce Berenyi]

thank doug bair for that playoff loss in 1979

[Red Raindog]

Also managed the 1979 NL West champs, who lost game 1 and 2 of the NLCS at home in extras in an underrated Reds heartbreaker, although I wasn't alive at the time.

I was at game two of that series and I still think Collins caught that ball..........


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[Red Raindog]

I was at game one, it stung

I was at game two


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[Kingspoint]

Yes. McNamara took out Roger Clemens after seven innings in game six, with the Red Sox leading 3-2. In the eighth inning Calvin Schiraldi gave up a run to the Mets to tie the game 3-3. Neither team scored in the ninth. In the top of the tenth Dave Henderson homered and the Red Sox eventually scored a second run to go up 5-3. Schiraldi got the first two Mets hitters out in the bottom of the tenth, leaving Boston only one out away from a World Championship. Schiraldi then gave up singles to Gary Carter, Kevin Mitchell and Ray Knight, to make the score 5-4, Boston still ahead. Bob Stanley relieved Schiraldi. He promptly threw a wild pitch, allowing Mitchell to score, tying the game at 5-5. It was after that when Stanley's pitch to Mookie Wilson was grounded through Buckner's legs, with Carter scoring to win the game for the Mets, 6-5.
Schiraldi and Stanley should be thankful that Buckner took all the blame.

McNamara had no business using Schiraldi for 2+ innings.

[Roy Tucker]

You should've waited until '82 for that.

I had season tickets for ‘82. Drank a lot of 32 oz Hudeys that year. Wax paper cups that you could stomp on with a loud pop.

[westofyou]

I had season tickets for ‘82. Drank a lot of 32 oz Hudeys that year. Wax paper cups that you could stomp on with a loud pop.

Cup popping, another thing that has gone the way of the dinosaur.. sigh