John Fay with an excellent editorial in Sunday's Enquirer:
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060820/COL09/608200427
Judging by the e-mails and comments I've received, you'd think the Reds were the clear choice to win the NL Central Division this season and the only reasons why they are not running away from the Cardinals is Jerry Narron's poor decision-making and Wayne Krivsky's poorly-executed trades.
If Narron and/or Krivsky are to blame, then who gets the credit for the Reds, picked fifth in the NL Central by most pundits, being in the pennant race to begin with?
Fay's correct. If voting for NL Manager of the Year and Executive of the Year commenced today, both Narron and Krivsky would be in the top two or three.
4 comments:
I suspect that people whose jobs don't require them to speak to Jerry Narron every day are a little more free in their criticism. Fay's article is a cheap way to cozy up to a source, while laced with just enough qualifiers to criticize later, if he wants.
FWIW, this is, by my count, Fay's second "criticize the fans" article in as many weeks.
Narron's done some good, some bad. Perhaps he has played a role in the great seasons from Hatteberg, Phillips, and Ross - though he'd also have to take the blame for some of the underachievers.
I meant "cheap" as in "easy and cost-free," not in the more pejorative sense.
The heat Narron has taken this season would seem to indicate that most fans believe this team should be a lot better than it is. I find that very hard to believe.
Fay's best point was this:
Individuals who cover baseball (not just the Reds) for a living believe Narron has done one of the best managerial jobs in the NL. If the Reds make the playoffs, he'll likely finish in the top two for Manager of the Year.
Fay's opinion on Narron is shared by those who have no reason to "cozy up" to the Reds skipper.
The reason: the Reds are viewed as a fifth-place ballclub who is overachieving.
Reds fans obviously believe differently.
Can't argue with the fact that they're overachieving, in the broad scheme of things.
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