unsurprising result, Bucs wanted it, Reds didn't care.
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Liriano may have pitched well, but the lack of leadership or will to win was evident from the entire Reds team. The Reds checked out as soon as they clinched their playoff spot. :-)
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I don't think they checked out. They just couldn't hit a better Pirates team.
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Did you watch the games this last week or last night? No emotion, no leadership, someone on 700 WLW, who was in the locker room at the final series said that you couldn't even tell whether they won or lost after the games. Cueto drops the ball on the mound and then gives up a homerun, Phillips botches a double play ball, Votto can't scoop a hard grounder, no emotion after any of them. Just a few examples from last night. :-)
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Ehhh... I will agree with you on most of that. Sure they checked out, but did you see Liriano's slider last night? That was one wicked pitch. Looks like a strike and then it is in the dirt.
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Sorry about the game last night, guys.
I don't think your boys played with a whole lot of confidence, but my guess is that they really weren't prepared for what they found in Burgh when they got there.
Between the crowd and Liriano being dialed in, that had to be one huge distraction to overcome.
I really didn't expect to see the boots and the error from Cinnci. I can't explain them except for nerves. If the guys haven't had a lot of cohesiveness in the clubhouse, and were all out there as single players, there'd be lots of nerves.
I feel bad for the fans, you guys have a rightful gripe, for sure.

I'm excited to see how far the Pirates can take their season now.
If it's any consolation, it's nice to see my boys not suck for awhile. :-)
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I agree with the stud. I know Votto left a man on 2nd at least twice; couldn't even hit a long fly to advance him. Cueto got rattled early. If Rolen were still around, he would have kicked ass in the clubhouse. They have NO on field leadership....... NONE.....the last 7 games were a strong testament to that. They need some big changes in that clubhouse.
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Votto saying that getting on base is more important than driving runs in is a big part of the problem. That's two hole hitter mentality, not $200 million mentality.
Cueto smiling in the dugout last night after he was pulled is another part of the problem.
Dusty not getting his team pumped up, no sense of urgency is another part of the problem.
Complacency in the clubhouse and nomchalant attitudes from everyone but Phillips and Frazier is the biggest problem. They just don't care, so why should we? Ticket sales will drop next year if the complacent attitude from this team continues.
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His mentality, coupled with a 0-4 in the only game that mattered, speaks volumes about how drastically over-paid he was this season. At first, I thought that Votto was a bargain at $200+ million, now it appears as if it is a giant waste of money. When was the last time a $200 million player actually lived up to the contract though? :-)
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Is it time for "a sense of urgency" yet?
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Next year during the broadcasts, a new sponsor is coming on board, to make a donation every time the Reds leave a runner on base.

The promotion will be called "Stuck on first", sponsored by Gorilla Glue. :-)
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:-) Good one! :-)
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No more Dusty. Maybe the Reds will get a manager with some fire, who won't allow lackadaisical crap. Joe Girardi is available, or maybe Barry Larkin wants to come to the dugout. :-)
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I hate to see Dusty go. It isn't his fault Votto, Bruce, Phillips went 1/12 the other day. Oh well, hopefully they get Barry Larkin as manager and Sean Casey as hitting coach :-)
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No, but he has to be partially to blame for having the most talented roster in the NL Central, failing to win the division or even hosting the wild card game, and fizzling at the end of the season every year they made the playoffs. The "Players coach" moniker can only get you so far. :-)

Apparently, Jim Tracy now resides in Cincinnati, and Tony LaRussa is still available as well. Luring Girardi away from the Yankees will be an impossible task, with the Cubs likely to offer him whatever he wants, and I think he still ends up back in pinstripes. As much as I would like to see how Barry could do as a manager, and how much hype/excitement it would bring to the Reds, I feel like hype is where it would end. :-)
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Sorry to see Dusty go.
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As a Cardinal fan, I am sure you are. :-)
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A reporter should ask Reds owner Bob Castellini if there is "a sense of urgency" to find a new manager. :-)

(Sorry, non-locals, that quote about urgency is from a question Dusty Baker replied to going into the final week or so of the season. It appears Baker's answer didn't help his chances of staying employed.)

Anyhow, I vote for Tony Perez, the Reds only kept him around for 44 games after they hired him as manager last time. Not nice, and the front office never gave any sort of understandable reason. Yeah, I like to hold a grudge every so often..:-)
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Reds set to announce pitching coach Brian Price as new manager later today. I will let those with more baseball acumen discuss if this example of promoting-from-within is a good idea.
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I am indifferent about the hire. I would have liked to see Larkin or Paul O'Neill in there, but Price should be fine.
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