If you think it’s “bush” for anyone to criticize the Reds by simply stating what they see…or reprinting what others say about what they see, understand. It gets worse the closer you get to Cincinnati.
Received over the past few days in the wake of our last “Reader Speaks” post were comments from those upset with readers’ criticisms of the Reds.
Going back to the June 6 column where we outlined five suggestions over how a “small market” team should share the burden with “small market” fans, some took exception.
One wrote: “They’re trying to rebuild. They’re doing the best they can. Dumping on them is bush.”
Now there’s a favorite axiom from days gone by. My grandmother, and your grandmother, used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.” Right?
Another: “It’s the burden of ownership to make a profit. Tell me you wouldn’t do the same.”
Except if you’re a big league baseball team, and then the burden is to win? But owners of most businesses make a profit by selling legitimate products or services. At this point the Reds fail legitimacy. I’m just saying.
And this: “Every team will have an example of an usher or security man just doing his job with some bad judgment. Back off.”
Well, my first inclination was to ask…was it the usher’s judgment or a directive from the front office? Poor judgment in the case of the usher, or horrible judgment on the part of management?
Concessionary logic: “We’re lucky to have a major league team with a great tradition like the Reds. If you notice the Yankees aren’t doing so good, either.”
Whoa, now! If you want to compare traditions the Yankees have won the World Series 27 times. The Reds have won, what…5? Here’s another thing. The Yankees try, even when they don’t win. They didn’t really need Aroldis Chapman this year, with Miller and Betances already in their bullpen, but they signed him anyway.
And the best: “I think the Reds have done pretty well over the years for a small market community.”
Hmmmm! Pound for pound the Reds market is about the size of St. Louis and the Cardinals have won 11 world championships. I think that’s doing pretty well, better!
But if words bother your sensitivity for our backyard ‘ballers’ and their tradition of catching lightning in a bottle about once in every, oh, 25 years, read columnist Paul Daugherty’s piece from last week in the Cincinnati Enquirer, the hometown newspaper.
In a piece entitled, “Reds Losing Getting Ugly”, he posted this email (with permission granted from the writer) from right there in the heart of the Rhineland (remember that, you traditionalists?).
“A complete embarrassment on the field. An organization outclassed in every way. This is no “rebuilding”. This is an owner too poor to own a team, general managers who can’t find hitters, and run pitchers out there who no other team would employ. Horrible base running, terrible base coaching, poor defense and lack of hustle, no accountability, and an incompetent manager spewing the company line day after day. Tell me I didn’t just read that Price called Hoover an “animal” when he’s on his game. He’s an animal all right — road kill. Where’s Kevin Gregg when you need him? I haven’t forgotten about that, Walt.
“Throw in insipid promotions, woo-wooing fans, annoying nods to a past team 40 years ago and compliant media and you have a complete perversion of the game of baseball right here in Cincinnati, where it all began. I don’t know how anybody down there can look in the mirror. I hope they lose 115 games, so the charade can end and everyone responsible for this can step down.”
If people get upset with what they read on Press Pros…well, that kind of trumps what Paul, from Mason, wrote about ushers, don’t you think?
You can sympathize with their record and you man make the point that no team wins every year, even the Yankees.
But fans aren’t dumb, living in the buyer’s world of today. They know a bad baseball team just like they recognize bad fruit at Kroger’s – they have a sense of value wherewith. The Reds, and every other team in every other sport, can no longer play the game just to play the game.
Not at today’s prices!
"An owner too poor to own a team", one frustrated fan from Cincinnati wrote to the Enquirer, which led to the Reds dumping Johnny Cueto, now 12-1 with the Giants. (Press Pros File Photos)