GT: 2012 Cincinnati Reds Post Season GT: Reds vs. Giants

[stsparks72]

for a second day in a row, Bruce Bochy made Dusty look like a fool. he was able to get the Giants and the Reds to do exactly what he wanted.

The Reds NEED (and I mean, NEED) to learn to score with runners on. 4 innings in a row they had an opportunity to tie/take the lead, and all 4 times they failed.

Latos let his emotions get the best of him, and it cost us the game, but Dusty should have known that and pulled him after he loaded the bases, any other manager would have.

Reds apparently had an optional workout on Monday, and only a handful of players showed up. I don't think they took it too seriously.

If Cueto pitched, chances are we would have swept them

Rumor is that Dusty has a 1 year extension on the table, and if his health allows him to take it, i'm sure he will. I think he's a good manager, he just writes bad lineups and makes some ballsy decisions sometimes and it costs us big sometimes.

when Dusty had Bruce and the other runner (I can't remember who it was) go for a double steal when Hanigan was batting, it was a good idea. but Hanigan hit a foul, and Dusty tried it again on the next pitch. problem is, when Hanigan fouled it, he gave it away.

I can't argue any of that. You are spot on and the truth hurts.

[hidalgo]

so lame & predictable. this city can't have jack didly shhht with these teams. not one time advancing in the playoffs since 1995. unreal. i knew it would happen

[sfgiants5518]

Bruce Bochy proved to me that he is an excellent manager.

It took me 5 years to realize that. He's a genius.. in the playoffs. Good luck next season and hopefully your offseason wishes become reality.

[Buckwheat]

for a second day in a row, Bruce Bochy made Dusty look like a fool. he was able to get the Giants and the Reds to do exactly what he wanted.

The Reds NEED (and I mean, NEED) to learn to score with runners on. 4 innings in a row they had an opportunity to tie/take the lead, and all 4 times they failed.

Latos let his emotions get the best of him, and it cost us the game, but Dusty should have known that and pulled him after he loaded the bases, any other manager would have.

Reds apparently had an optional workout on Monday, and only a handful of players showed up. I don't think they took it too seriously.

If Cueto pitched, chances are we would have swept them

Rumor is that Dusty has a 1 year extension on the table, and if his health allows him to take it, i'm sure he will. I think he's a good manager, he just writes bad lineups and makes some ballsy decisions sometimes and it costs us big sometimes.

when Dusty had Bruce and the other runner (I can't remember who it was) go for a double steal when Hanigan was batting, it was a good idea. but Hanigan hit a foul, and Dusty tried it again on the next pitch. problem is, when Hanigan fouled it, he gave it away.

I don't think we'll ever see Dusty Baker manage a major league baseball game again. His health would be the perfect excuse for him to "turn it down". When in reality, I don't think the Reds want him back and no team would take a chance on him after this. Every team he has coached has had a collapse of epic proportions in the playoffs.

[jlohm1]

I don't think we'll ever see Dusty Baker manage a major league baseball game again. His health would be the perfect excuse for him to "turn it down". When in reality, I don't think the Reds want him back and no team would take a chance on him after this. Every team he has coached has had a collapse of epic proportions in the playoffs.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty told reporters (including John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that he expects manager Dusty Baker and the coaching staff to return in 2013. Baker has completed his last year under contract with the Reds and said he's “not sure where my career is going here in Cincinnati. We’re going to talk about that in the next couple of days. But I’m not through managing. I have more to do.”

mlbtr


when I read this, I think that unless Dusty is getting another offer from someone else, which I doubt, then he'll be back. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not though.

[Buckwheat]

I don't see where he says there is an offer on the table, though. That's just a GM talking like a GM. He isn't going to say "Yeah, we're done with that toothpick eatin' bastard!".

No matter what the reports currently are, I don't see him ever managing again. If he does, the Reds have some serious thinking to do.

[jlohm1]

the rumor is he has an offer on the table. it wouldn't surprise me with this ownership. like I said though, i don't know how I feel about an extension for Dusty.

[stsparks72]

the rumor is he has an offer on the table. it wouldn't surprise me with this ownership. like I said though, i don't know how I feel about an extension for Dusty.

As a fan it's really tough to evaluate such a thing after a devastating loss. However, the Reds are a better team since Dusty has taken over as manager. I don't think he is the best manager in baseball, but he is a good one. Unless the Reds are going to replace him with somebody better (which is unlikely), then I'm satisfied with Baker as the manager. I think one of Baker's best attributes as a manager is also one of his biggest flaws in the postseason. He concerns himself so much with the feelings and emotions of his players that it can hinder his decision making process at times (most notably in the postseason). I don't want to get into specifics, but when ESPN analysts say that Baker is a great regular season manager, but not so good in the postseason (this was before the playoffs even began), then somebody smarter than us realizes it too. That's why a lot of experts were picking the Giants to win the NLDS over the Reds.

Dusty is well liked by his players, and he will continue to lead this team to the postseason, but is that good enough for the fans? Even more importantly is that good enough for Jocketty and Castellini? I believe at some point if the Reds continue making the postseason they will prevail and at least make a World Series appearance. Changing managers could mean that the Reds don't make the postseason at all, which is way worse than losing a NLDS.

[dogdaddy]

Im sure sometime this year Dusty covered in one of the team meeting that when someone gets on second base... hit the ball and not to the opposing team.

[stsparks72]

The biggest thing I would like to see Dusty overcome is the fear of losing his players respect or confidence. A prime example would be with Mat Latos in game 5 of the NLDS. After allowing 2 Runs in the 5th inning we all were thinking the same thing at that moment (not in hind sight), get somebody up in the bullpen, don't let this spiral out of control. Next thing you know bases are loaded and Posey is at the plate. 6-0. Here's the thing, Dusty said in a post game interview that he thought about getting somebody up in the bullpen too, but didn't because he thought Latos still had plenty left in the tank. His mistake was putting too much confidence in Latos in the most crucial game of the entire season. He catered to the player and not to his instincts, the same instincts that all of us had. I'm not blaming Dusty for the loss, but now Mat Latos is blaming himself for the the whole thing. Dusty was showing confidence in Latos, but he would have served Latos better by pulling him one or two batters before Posey came to the plate. There are other examples throughout the season, but those tend to not be as glaring a postseason mistake.

[jlohm1]

As a fan it's really tough to evaluate such a thing after a devastating loss. However, the Reds are a better team since Dusty has taken over as manager. I don't think he is the best manager in baseball, but he is a good one. Unless the Reds are going to replace him with somebody better (which is unlikely), then I'm satisfied with Baker as the manager. I think one of Baker's best attributes as a manager is also one of his biggest flaws in the postseason. He concerns himself so much with the feelings and emotions of his players that it can hinder his decision making process at times (most notably in the postseason). I don't want to get into specifics, but when ESPN analysts say that Baker is a great regular season manager, but not so good in the postseason (this was before the playoffs even began), then somebody smarter than us realizes it too. That's why a lot of experts were picking the Giants to win the NLDS over the Reds.

Dusty is well liked by his players, and he will continue to lead this team to the postseason, but is that good enough for the fans? Even more importantly is that good enough for Jocketty and Castellini? I believe at some point if the Reds continue making the postseason they will prevail and at least make a World Series appearance. Changing managers could mean that the Reds don't make the postseason at all, which is way worse than losing a NLDS.

I completely agree


I mean, look at the numbers. he won 97 games this year. obviously, he's right more than he is wrong. however, when it comes to post season, I agree with you. he puts too much confidence in his players when they should be on a shorter leash

[dogdaddy]

I completely agree


I mean, look at the numbers. he won 97 games this year. obviously, he's right more than he is wrong. however, when it comes to post season, I agree with you. he puts too much confidence in his players when they should be on a shorter leash

agreed.

[Teufelshunde4]

I'm not blaming Dusty for the loss, but now Mat Latos is blaming himself for the the whole thing. Dusty was showing confidence in Latos, but he would have served Latos better by pulling him one or two batters before Posey came to the plate. There are other examples throughout the season, but those tend to not be as glaring a postseason mistake.

Question for ya... Had Dusty pulled Latos and then the bullpen gave up the grand slam, what would your thought process be there? Would it be Dusty pulled his best pitcher to soon?

I think there is a trap many fall into during postseason and that's Push Button Managing.. The media fuels it with their so called experts screaming out their opinions..
Baseball is funny and cruel.... Have the right pitcher in the game vs the right hitter and its a toss up who wins the battle..

Keep your heads up... Reds had a great year nothing to be ashamed of...
WJ is an excellent GM and will do well for the Reds fans.

[stsparks72]

Question for ya... Had Dusty pulled Latos and then the bullpen gave up the grand slam, what would your thought process be there? Would it be Dusty pulled his best pitcher to soon?

No, if the bullpen gives up the slam then it is what it is. Latos was clearly frustrated after he walked the first batter on 4 very close pitches, none of which he got the call from the home plate umpire. It's one of Mat Latos' major drawbacks.

I understand the meaning of your question, but Dusty has a track record and a lot of us can bring up several more examples just in the final 2 games of the NLDS. I don't want to do that because it's just too frustrating to discuss right now.

[jlohm1]

Question for ya... Had Dusty pulled Latos and then the bullpen gave up the grand slam, what would your thought process be there? Would it be Dusty pulled his best pitcher to soon?

I think there is a trap many fall into during postseason and that's Push Button Managing.. The media fuels it with their so called experts screaming out their opinions..
Baseball is funny and cruel.... Have the right pitcher in the game vs the right hitter and its a toss up who wins the battle..

Keep your heads up... Reds had a great year nothing to be ashamed of...
WJ is an excellent GM and will do well for the Reds fans.

I disagree...


but I agree with sparks about Dusty pulling Latos early