Reds not giving the extra effort

[missionhockey21]

Reds not giving the extra effort

By Paul Daugherty
Enquirer staff writer

It's so bad in the home clubhouse at Great American Morgue Park now, even the starting pitcher was wincing. Three hours after Ramon Ortiz took a one-hop single off his cheek, his left eye looked like he'd gone 12 rounds with Roy Jones Jr.

"We need to come together as a team," said Ortiz, eye wide shut. Nice sentiment. But even a blind man can see that isn't happening anytime soon.

The Reds are playing like it's Labor Day and they're 30 games out. There comes a point in every out-of-it team's year when it knows it's playing for things other than the postseason:

For the 15th and 30th of the month. For personal numbers and a better arbitration argument. For the first plane toward the blessed offseason. For everything but living up to the high expectations from March.

Usually, the playing-out-the-string portion of the year comes in August or September, even if you're lousy. For the 2005 Reds, it looks like it's already here.

Just two days after Dave Miley read them the riot act and Dan O'Brien backed him by dumping D'Angelo Jimenez, the Reds were back to normal. The Cleveland Indians, not exactly a rolling ball of butcher knives, busted them 9-2. It was the ninth time in 22 days the Reds have lost by at least four runs.

If you're looking for a symbol of this team - other than the two deluxe reclining chairs taking up space in the clubhouse - Danny Graves will do. Graves' year has gone south faster than a flock of migrating birds. He came in Sunday in the ninth inning, Reds down 3-2. To a chorus of boos that began at a fever pitch and escalated, Cincinnati's erstwhile savior was whomped like a slow-pitch softball pitcher.

"My velocity wasn't even close to where it needs to be," he said.

No argument there.

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[Wally Mo Pena]

that's a depressing article. Makes me want them to cut the whole team. maybe keep dunn. why isn't austin kearns taking extra batting practice, he could be a star?

[Wally Mo Pena]

after reading the other article, we can keep felo too. and freel, he's doing what he needs to do. and crazy joe. but that's it.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I've stated for some time that Freel/Randa are two of the only hard working players on the team.