It's a close call, but I think Bryan Price has made a case to return as Reds manager in 2017. I have no idea if he will or won't. His fate lies with the owner. And Bob Castellini hasn't said anything publicly about whether or not Price will get at least another year in the Reds dugout. Privately, sources tell me, he's warming to the idea that Price should return in 2017.
Let's face it: Price has never had a full deck of cards to play with in his time as manager. The team he inherited, while a playoff team in 2013, was a team in decline. And the decline began well before the Reds' "one and done" in the 2013 playoffs. While his predecessor, Dusty Baker, received roster help throughout his tenure as Reds manager, Price only saw talent leave his roster. And worse, his teams were decimated with injuries. His last two seasons have largely been spent without his starting catcher. Before this season, an entire starting rotation was placed on the disabled list. Zack Cozart has missed significant playing time this year. And when Jay Bruce was traded to the Mets, Price was handed a stop gap right fielder in Scott Schebler.
You can forget all of the above and just remember this. Since the start of the 2015 season, a rookie pitcher has started for the Reds in 163 games. That's more than a full season, with four games to play this year. The Reds finished the 2015 with a rookie pitcher starting the final 64 games. Try doing that and come up with a winning record.
More than a few things nuked this season. But at the top of the list is the bullpen the Reds General Manager, Walt Jocketty assembled. Last year, Jocketty gave us Kevin Gregg and Burke Badenhop. This year is was Ross Ohlendorf and Jumbo Diaz (again). Look at the bench players the Reds have had since 2012. "Anemic" would be a word you could use. That's not on Price.
Since getting Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen back from the DL in early June, the Reds have put together a 38-48 record. It's not good. But it's certainly more in line with what the rest of the team would have been capable of even with a depleted rotation.
To be sure, Price has his demerits. He made some dumbfounded coaching hires in his time here. And his profanity laced tirade from 2015 is the kind of thing that will outlive him. And to be sure, there have been some strange in-game decisions he's made.
This list of recycled talent that would line up to take Price's job would certainly be long. An established, winning at the big league level list of managers who would take the Reds managerial job would not.
But the legendary Hal McCoy made this observation recently on the Dayton Daily News website:
"There has been no announcement about extending his contract or letting him go. His contract expires after the season. I have said he deserves at least one more year because what has transpired is not his fault. Will he accept a one-year deal? Probably. What else could he do? If he is let go, look for owner Bob Castellini to get down on his knees and beg Lou Piniella to come out of managerial retirement. And experienced bench coach Jim Riggleman is an option. I recently saw Piniella and Riggleman huddled together in a clubhouse conference room. They probably weren’t discussing Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton."
Until the Reds become division contending again, which won't be anytime soon, why not Price? The known, in this case, is probably better than the unknown.
Some random thoughts on this random Thursday, while waiting to see if the Bengals do what they're supposed to do tonight....
I thought what Buffalo Bills Head Coach Rex Ryan did this week was hilarious. But "call crashing" Julian Edelman's conference call with Buffalo media may land him in some hot water...
Loyalty isn't always a good thing, nor a two-way street. Sounds like Les Miles found out that lesson this week. But he made a lot of money between 2011 and now....
By the way, if I'm Tom Herman and the LSU's and Southern Cal's of the world come knocking on my door, I take a long hard look at home they treated my predecessors....
How bad an afternoon do you think Rutgers is in for, at Ohio Statethis Saturday?.....
On National Coffee Day I decided to get my teeth cleaned. Think about that....
The Broncos Von Miller leads the NFL with three sacks in the first five games. The entire Bengals team has four. The Steelers have one....
USA Today's Lorenzo Reyes likesthe Dolphins tonight.....
So...it's a long read. But it's not hard to tell how the brother of European Ryder Cup golfer Danny Willett thinks about American golf fans in this story for the National Club Golfer
I dunno, I kinda like this story on anIrish Olympic boxer who bet against himself in his first round fight this summer....and then won.
This was the number one song in the USA 43 years ago today, coinciding with lead guitarists Mark Farner's 22nd birthday.
The lead singer on this song is drummer Don Brewer, who continues to front a touring version of the group. It's the title song from their 1973 album. Brewer wrote the song and the album was produced by Todd Rundgren.
The song is autobiographical, largely about the exploits of Grand Funk Railroad back in the late 60's and early 70's. They broke the Beatles record for the fastest ticket sell-out in Shea Stadium (New York City) history. The boys from Flint consisted of Brewer, Farner, Mel Schacher on bass guitar and Craig Frost on keyboards
Enjoy the Bengals-Dolphins game tonight. Final score: Bengals 31, Dolphins 17.
