Graves: 'Real fans' support him, Reds

[CincyRedsFan30]

Graves: 'Real fans' support him, Reds

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | With Everybody Loves Raymond going off the air, it was suggested that Cincinnati Reds closer Danny Graves star in a sequel: Everybody Hates Danny.

Graves says everybody doesn't hate him. It seems that way because Great American Ball Park shakes, rattles and rolls when he shows his boyish face.

His mail tells a story, too.

"A bunch of people have written to tell me they still are behind me and the team," said Graves. "Those are real fans, ones who have supported us for years, not the drunks who wait until the eighth and ninth innings to come down to the front rows to throw things and swear."

Graves plans to answer every supportive missive.

And he does understand the frustrations.

"When you've had success, in any sport, expectations are so high that you can't mess up," he said. "I'm not saying that just for me, it's for Ken Griffey Jr. or anybody who has been successful. You are expected to continue to be successful, to be perfect.

"In any professional sport, there is no such thing as perfect, unless you bowl a 300 every time," Graves added. "It's the same for our team. The expectations were high and our fans are discouraged. Unfortunately, we've been on the bottom side of a lot of things."

Speech well-received

Manager Dave Miley's oration before Friday's game was a one-man stand-up, but comedy was not part of the act.

"It was short but stern," said Sean Casey. "It was good and overdue. He said what he felt and I hope the guys respond. No names were named, but he told us we were much better than what we're doing and that we have too much talent to be where we are. I agree."

Said Graves, "It was short, quick and to the point. It was his stage. And it was good. Sometimes something like that has to be done."

The 'Right Move'

The removal of D'Angelo Jimenez from the roster was met with near-unanimous approval in the clubhouse.

Graves said it best.

"When you don't want to try and you don't want to try to get better, there are guys in the minors who do," he said. "That attitude can become a cancer. D'Angelo didn't have the attitude that I'm going to help the team. If a guy isn't going to try to contribute, why keep him around?"

Said Casey, "I tried to be nice to the guy, but he was mean to me. I felt like putting a fence in front of my locker and putting up a sign that said, 'Keep that negative attitude on your side of the clubhouse.' "

Jimenez left the team without comment, and his agent has not returned phone calls.

Another chair-man

For most of the season, Adam Dunn has a black recliner massage chair near his locker. Until Friday, Ken Griffey Jr. hadn't sat in the chair and fooled with the controls. On Friday he did.

Guess who had a black recliner massage chair in front of his locker on Saturday?

Just stay tuned

The rotation for the three-game series against the Washington Nationals will be revealed today, Miley said.

It if goes in turn, it would be Paul Wilson on Monday, Eric Milton on Tuesday and Aaron Harang on Wednesday.

The only for-sure is Harang on Wednesday.

Left-hander Brandon Claussen is ready to pitch and was told to be in the bullpen for Saturday's game. If he wasn't used, he was to throw "a bullpen" in the ninth inning.

That would mean he could start Monday in place of Wilson (1-5, 7.77) or Tuesday in place of Milton (2-5, 7.16).

"I'm ready to go, man, I'm recovered," said Claussen after running hard in the outfield before Saturday's game to test his formerly sprained left ankle.

Teaching the newbies

The newest infielders, William Bergolla and Luis Lopez, were hard at work at 2:30 Saturday afternoon.

First they performed bunting drills, then they worked on turning double plays as Miley and his coaches watched and advised.

"Bergolla is such a good kid," said Miley. "Always smiling and a very hard worker."

[Cincy]

I can't wait until 2006 when Dannny Boy Graves is out of Cincinnati.

[Sea Ray]

If Graves was a real man he'd say "hey I'm allowing more than 2 base runners an inning that that just plain stinks and is unacceptable. No wonder the fans are upset with me. They should be. They deserve better from their closer."

[NFLman2033]

well.. i guess he must think all the fans are not good fans, since report is he gave a few fans the bird today when he left the game

[Jr's Boy]

Graves is a joke and a disgrace to the uniform.

[redsrbetter]

I am still wondering what moves DanO has planned next.

[CincyRedsFan30]

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Starting to sound like we might need to be thinking about what moves are planned FOR DanO next.