BP: The Week In Quotes: June 20-26

[Guest Rotblatt]

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4165

Cincinatti = F'ed Up:

]RED IS THE ULTIMATE CURE FOR SADNESS "I'll tell them they stink if I think they stink and I hope they prove me wrong. I've done that and have had guys prove me right." --interim Reds manager Jerry Narron, on his approach to the team (Dayton Daily News) "We're a one-dimensional club; we hit the ball out of the park. That may be OK in the American League, but you can't do it in the National League. You have to be able to manufacture runs. We're going to have to try to do some things not expected at times." --Narron, on the home run-hitting approach (New York Times) "I'm having a good time. The guys here are good dudes, and it probably was good for me to get away from the bad atmosphere that was in the Reds clubhouse." --outfielder Austin Kearns, currently in AAA Louisville, on being in the minors (Dayton Daily News) "There comes a time when you want to get established with a team and play every day. Every time I'm with the Reds, they try to play four or five outfielders. You can't work your way out of any slump because they put you on the bench." --Kearns "I called him on that because I've heard there is. When Washington was in town, [Nationals GM] Jim Bowden told both Adam Dunn and me he continues to try to make trades for us." --Kearns, responding to Reds GM Dan O'Brien's assertion that there's no trade interest in Kearns "In my opinion, that's my opinion, which I'm entitled to have, Miley didn't communicate enough. And I didn't do it behind his back. Four or five times, I went to him and told him he needed to communicate more with the players." --Reds infielder Rich Aurilia, on former Reds manager Dave Miley "Not everybody is going to like you. I understand that. And I read some of the things Aurilia said. I don't understand why he didn't like me. I played him, even when he wasn't going good early in the year." --recently fired Reds manager Dave Miley "I never asked [current Reds pitcher Eric Milton] and he never said it, but I got the sense he might be wishing he went somewhere else. I'm guessing a lot of guys over there wish they were somewhere else. They're all envious of me." --former Red and current Met Danny Graves (Philadelphia Inquirer) "I was one of the lucky ones who got out. I was fortunate. It was going downhill so badly. I was so glad to get out when I did. It's too bad. Cincinnati is a great baseball town. But they've got a lot of problems in that organization. I feel bad for the guys over there. It's got to be miserable for them. They're all loving it for me." --Graves

Maybe we can run an underground railroad between Cinci and Queens . . .

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Graves in that Inquirer article went on to say that Miley and GM O'Brien were on different pages.

Miley preferred to play Lopez at SS while O'Brien favored Aurelia, etc etc.

Strange how often it seems that teams will name field managers and general managers separately, often without much seeming concern that they'll be at cross-purposes.

O'Brien jacked up the payroll because he wants to compete sooner and increase revenues so here's proven vet Rich Aurelia, while Miley looks at the talent he's offered and figures "I want this team to improve over time," so he wants to play Lopez.

In the end, Miley's faith in Lopez is interpreted by Aurelia as a 'dis' and as insubordination by O'Brien and he's out on his ass.

The Mets rarely have their field & general manager aligned: FM Valentine proceeded GM Phillips, who was senior to FM Howe, who was senior to GM Duquette. Little wonder there's been so many puzzling moves and slippery philosophies.

I suppose there's an alliance between Omar & WWSB at this point, as choosing the latter was the former's first move.