Tough road ahead for Ruhle
Column by The Post's Lonnie Wheeler

Unable to land the job as Michael Jackson's makeup artist, stymied in the attempt to catch on as President Bush's private English instructor, Vern Ruhle went ahead and agreed to be the Cincinnati Reds' pitching coach.

He knew what he was getting into. He was painfully aware that Reds pitchers had been battered for the most home runs in the game, the most hits, the highest batting average (a remarkable .302) - essentially turning the entire National League into Albert Pujols. "It is a very large challenge," he allowed.

He knew, also, that he was crawling into jaws that had swallowed one of the best in his business. Jack McKeon used to refer to Don Gullett as St. Jude, "the patron saint of the impossible." McKeon also said that there was nobody better with a pitching staff.

"It's not about Don or what he was teaching," remarked Ruhle. "He's nothing but an icon here in Cincinnati, and it's tough shoes to fill. I've been in that situation before, where the coaches change because they can't change all the players. That's professional baseball. It's not forever."

With Gullett, though, it seemed to be. And with manager Dave Miley, who was fired with him. Between them, they had put in exactly half a century with the Reds' organization. And the first three months of the 2005 season lasted about that long.

Life in Redsland should not just speed ahead as those loyal soliders roll down the hill, flung from the train as it careened crazily along the wrong track. Ruhle and Jerry Narron, the new manager, are looking fine at 2-0, both victories against a St. Louis team that has typically mocked the Reds with its dominance; but neither boasts of magical secrets. Neither claims a working wisdom that his predecessor was without.

"It's not like big changes," said Ruhle. "The biggest thing you do is try to get them to believe there are some things they can adjust to.
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