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Y! MyWebPlenty of intrigue as Reds, Jays meet
HAL MCCOY: Sleepless on the way to Toronto
COMMENT: Will the Reds turn things around in Toronto?
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
TORONTO — There is an aura of excitement on the streets of Toronto.
It has nothing to do with a possible on-the-field meeting between Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Dunn and Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi.
It has nothing to do with the start of the Canadian Football League season Thursday, nor does it have anything to do with any member of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs spotted in a local bistro.
Cito Gaston is back.
The manager who led the Blue Jays to the 1993 World Series championship is back managing Toronto,
replacing the fired John Gibbons, and tonight is his home debut in Rogers
Centre.
As one Toronto writer put it, "Even Joey Votto is now (just a note) in our stories."
Votto, a Canadian and the Reds' best hitter right now, plays his first major-league game on his native soil tonight and there had been a number of requests from Toronto media seeking to interview him.
That, though, was before Gaston's return.
Most likely, it will be a media triumvirate — Gaston, Dunn-Ricciardi, Votto.
Ricciardi ripped Dunn's talent and baseball commitment on a radio show last week.
Pitcher Bronson Arroyo defended Dunn, sort of, by saying, "Sometimes it appears he isn't running hard out there or running out balls to first base, but he plays 155 games a year, and he'll play with a broken hand or a broken finger and you have to respect that."
The Reds are a season-worst 13 games out of first place as Arroyo goes against A.J. Burnett — a matchup of pitchers who might be available in trades, to the extent rumors are based in fact.
Toronto resides at the bottom of the American League East, 10 1/2 games behind. The Blue Jays, like the Reds, were expected to contend, but they suffer from the same malady — no hitting, especially in the clutch.
Next Game
Who: Reds
(Arroyo, 4-6)
at Blue Jays
(Burnett, 6-7)
When: 7:05 p.m.
Radio: WONE-AM (980)
TV: FSN Ohio
Comments
By Jim
June 24, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this
PRIDE Is a big word the REDS have lost what little they ever had three players standing next to first base (Weathers,Votto,Phillips) no one could field the ball no one could cover first base (the reds don’t have a infield coach)Bronson Arroyo gave up ten runs in one inning (no pitching coach)The manger shows his concern by going fishing with Adam Dunn maybe that’s what the fans should do”
By Master Pain
June 24, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
They can win if they replace Adam Dunn with Will Farrell. I mean C’mon we know Farrell is a better hitter plus he would bring John C Riely to coach third that would loosen them up and the winning would start. I could not imagine Farrell doing worse than Dunn.
By Zack
June 24, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this
Their turn will be in 3 years when all of their great minor league players will be thier to team with their current young starts. Votto, Stubbs, and Bruce in the outfield wow.
By Wilbur Shaw
June 24, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this
Only if they can leave Patterson and Dunn there after the series… Maybe Dusty can get some pointers on managing from Gaston… It is hard to believe a team with such good talent can be so far out of contention. Play hard or go home, period. No one wants to watch another millionaire slacker.