08/17/06: Redlegs @ Redbirds Game Thread ... 2 of 3 baby!

[Patrick Bateman]

The choices I would have used in order are:

1. Schoweneweis against Duncan, and then Coffey (or maybe Weathers) for the rest of the inning.

2. Bray for the entire inning.

3. Cormier for the entire inning.

4. Guardado for the entire inning (that doesn't make much sense since you may as well wait until a save situation because you are on the road and he is strictly a 1 inning pitcher at this point).

5. Leave Franklin in for the entire inning.

Franklin has been okay for the Reds so far, but that small sample size doesn't make up for a career of lousy pitching. Narron seems to go by who's been good lately. That's not such a bad idea when you have 2 evenly strengthed pitchers, but shouldn't allow superior pitchers for the situation to sit on the bench.

For me, Franklin was the worst possible reliever to use, especially when considering the batters he was against and the fact it was one of the most crucial games of the season to date. You simply can't trot out the likes of Franklin in these types of situations without expecting to be burnt. None of the other guys were locks to shut the door, but you have to play the best possible match-up to increase the chances of escaping the inning.

[jesusfan]

I agree... That was a very bad managerial decision... Bray for Duncan, and Coffee or Weathers against Pujols and Rolen... The result might have been the same but that's the correct thing to do in that situation... I'm no Big League manager, but that's plain ole common sense!

Oh well... We need a sweep of the Pirates, no less than 2 out of 3... Go Cubbies!

[KalDanielsfan]

Franklin pitching in the ninth tonight is proof that Wayne DID NOT fix the bullpen. Either that, or it's proof that Narron has no clue how to use it.

Bray, Coffey, Cormier, Franklin, Guardado, Majewski, Weathers, Schoenweis, and Standridge

Cmon guys are u kididng me? Are you blind Reds fans or real baseball fans...this bullpen puts the fear into NOBDOY.

I chuckle at the notion just a week or two ago everyone claiming we had the best bullpen in the national league.

4 lefthanded arms in the bullpen that pitch in the GAB against the likes of Pujols, Rolen, David Wright, Beltran, Lugo, Garciaparra, Kent, etc.

yeah..great call WK

[paulrichjr]

Absolutely the worst managing I have ever seen. I was at the game and I was livid the entire 9th inning. He actually had someone warming up but never went to get him. I promise if you would have been there you would have seen a Cardinals team that was mangaged to win the game and the game was treated like it was important. Narron treated it like it didn't matter.
I know that this is hard to believe but that is exactly the way it looked. He really did look like he didn't want to go into extra innings or mess up his bullpen. He has made so many mistakes that have costs us it is a miracle we are even close to the top. You have to wonder what the players thought after todays game.

[jnwohio]

The choice for the Cards' 9th was not so simple as just to bring on a leftie to face Duncan. I don't believe the Cards had used Spezio (a switch hitter) so the choice was probably more like a rightie facing Duncan or a leftie facing Spezio batting from the right side. Duncan and Spezio have both owned the Reds in the last 2 or 3 series. So my guess would be that Narron chose to leave Franklin in and take his chances with Duncan because Franklin was the man Narron preferred to have facing Pujols, Rolen, and Encarnacion.

After the 1st two had reached, it might have actually made some sense for Narron to revert to the "Philadelphia Plan". i.e. walked Rolen to load the bases and taken his chances on getting a couple of groundballs, pop ups or strike outs. Slim chance of succeeding but probably better than pitching to Rolen.

This game was really lost in the 8th when the Reds wasted the lead off double. I am generally more of an "old school" guy but I did not agree with the Reds sacrificing in that situation. It basically put all the Reds' eggs in the one basket, that being that Valentin would get the run in because for all the good things Freel is, he is not a good RBI man, especially with 2 outs. Also I just did not agree with taking the bat out of the hands of the man who won a game last week against the Cards with a walk off homer.

[REDREAD]

Again, not to defend Narron, but like I said in the game post, Coffey has been overworked as it is and Weathers threw plenty of pitches last night.

Coffey and Weathers are overworked because Narron keeps using them in losing games. Isn't it Managing 101 to use your long guy (Franklin) when you are down by 3 or more runs in the 7th? Instead, Narron trots Coffey and Weathers out there, and then when we really need Coffey/Weathers, they are too tired. :thumbdown

[REDREAD]

Narron wanted to save his bullpen "studs" for the Pirate series.

Yeah, they got to stay fresh to mop up after Michealik Narron is borderline incompetent.

[REDREAD]

Bray was sold to us as a lefty that could pitch to righties. He was pretty fresh too (2IP in two appearances for the last five days, including today).

[oregonred]

Bray was sold to us as a lefty that could pitch to righties. He was pretty fresh too (2IP in two appearances for the last five days, including today).

Not sure why Bray didn't start the ninth other than maybe Narron was saving him for the closer in the 10th/11th if the Reds got a lead. Still a loogy should have been used to get Duncan to get the first out -- simply inexcusable managing trying to milk another inning out of Frankin with 2-3-4 in the order.

Bray's been overused as a Red which is a big problem given he just turned 23 and has had limited innings in pro ball since being drafted by the Nats. 8 appearance in 14 days after the AS break. Followed by 8 appearances in the first 13 days of August. Too much work. He's been consistently used in gave saving/critical situations including 2 innings to close out the win in Philly on Thursday. No reason to think he wasn't available

[REDREAD]

Bray's been overused as a Red which is a big problem given he just turned 23 and has had limited innings in pro ball since being drafted by the Nats. 8 appearance in 14 days after the AS break. Followed by 8 appearances in the first 13 days of August. Too much work. He's been consistently used in gave saving/critical situations including 2 innings to close out the win in Philly on Thursday. No reason to think he wasn't available

I agree that Narron used Bray too much initially. I guess it was new toy syndrome. However, Bray should've been used tonight. Or as you said, at least use one of your five LH relievers against Duncan.

[MaineRed]

You have to wonder what the players thought after todays game.

Probably, "what time is the bus to the airport?"

I don't think Griffey and Dunn left the park steamed talking to themselves, "aaargh, should of used Eddie G there instead of Franklin. What is Narron thinking?"

It was probably more like, "3 runs off a punk like Weaver and we probably win that game."

Griffey and Dunn and the rest of the guys who swing the bats are blaming themselves right now, not Jerry Narron.

Bad managing? Score more than one freaking run.

Many of you have been screaming for the line-up Narron used yesterday. We go up against the worst pitcher, or one of them, in the NL and they get one run. One.

But Narron lost the game for us.

OK.

[Always Red]

Franklin pitching in the ninth tonight is proof that Wayne DID NOT fix the bullpen. Either that, or it's proof that Narron has no clue how to use it.

Absolutely correct, REDREAD.

Apparently, these guys have no defined roles at all, and Narron is managing totally by feel, hunch, and heart alone, which is going to continue to get the Reds nowhere.

I'm as big a Reds fan as any, and I have been generally supportive of Narron, but I find this very puzzling.

BTW- I do not blame Narron for yesterday's loss. In the first and third game of this series, the Reds could muster up a grand total of 1 run; proving once again that this offense lives and dies by the home run.

[Cicero]

Probably, "what time is the bus to the airport?"

I don't think Griffey and Dunn left the park steamed talking to themselves, "aaargh, should of used Eddie G there instead of Franklin. What is Narron thinking?"

It was probably more like, "3 runs off a punk like Weaver and we probably win that game."

Griffey and Dunn and the rest of the guys who swing the bats are blaming themselves right now, not Jerry Narron.

Bad managing? Score more than one freaking run.

Many of you have been screaming for the line-up Narron used yesterday. We go up against the worst pitcher, or one of them, in the NL and they get one run. One.

But Narron lost the game for us.

OK.

You make a great point here. It is no surprise that when this team is playing well they are usually playing little ball. You have to do the little things to win. Getting the runner over, getting the ball out of the infield when we have a man on third with less than two outs, I could go on and on.

We won a world series in 1990 playing little ball. I would be willing to trade away some of our power bats for solid contact guys at this point.