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Monday, July 02, 2012

Miklasz: Dusty Baker’s obsession honors La Russa

Damn. Just as I was perfecting Eric “The Chest” Holmbeck’s devastatin’ “Kodiak Krunch” move…this continues on.

Even after he’s gone, and out of the way as a threat in the NL Central, the Reds are obsessed with La Russa. They’re still taking him on.

La Russa still lives in Baker’s head, still exists in the Reds’ collective consciousness. La Russa is the ghost in the big red machine. The Reds lead the NL Central, and La Russa is a civilian. But TLR has changed the rules of engagement, and he’s clearly winning the psychological battle with Baker.

The Reds lost Sunday’s game at San Francisco, and it’s no surprise, considering the way Baker went after Tony again. Poor Baker. He could be searching for La Russa’s phantasm in the attic, or looking under stairwells for strands from La Russa’s old Prince Valiant hairdo.

Memo to Dusty: when you return to your manager’s office, check the light fixtures. La Russa may have secretly installed a surveillance device. And the “fan” that sits by the Cincinnati dugout, taking photos of Reds players? It seems innocent enough. But the guy could be working for La Russa on a spy mission. Have him frisked, Dusty.

This is hilarious. The Reds are convinced that La Russa is out there, somewhere, plotting against them. They are certain that the diabolical La Russa played dirty roster tricks to enact his black-hearted revenge against Phillips and Cueto.

Repoz Posted: July 02, 2012 at 06:55 AM | 14 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: cardinals, reds

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   1. Gamingboy Posted: July 02, 2012 at 10:38 AM (#4171162)
I do have to say, the idea that Dusty Baker- himself the bogeyman of pitchers everywhere- has Tony La Russa as a bogeyman is... interesting.
   2. Harveys Wallbangers Posted: July 02, 2012 at 02:13 PM (#4171424)
you ain't paranoid if it's true

tony and dusty have a longstanding feud. this is one last chance for tony to stick it to baker
   3. vortex of dissipation Posted: July 02, 2012 at 02:20 PM (#4171430)
La Russa is now saying that Cueto wasn't chosen specifically because he'll be pitching the Sunday before the ASG. However, the new CBA prohibits not taking a pitcher for that reason...

   4. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: July 02, 2012 at 02:37 PM (#4171442)
However, the new CBA prohibits not taking a pitcher for that reason...


As it should. If you're going to allow bonuses to be tied to all-star selections, you ought to be able to be named to the team if you deserve it (and then pulled), rather than not being named in advance.

Dusty Baker- himself the bogeyman of pitchers everywhere


Yeah, there's that one guy, and, and, help me out here...

Seriously, other than Prior, who has Dusty wrecked? Wood was already broken once by the time he got there.

   5. asdf1234 Posted: July 02, 2012 at 02:49 PM (#4171451)
Somehow I doubt that Tony sat down to peruse the CBA tome before scribbling out his final roster.

TLR spent his entire managerial career making byzantine personnel decisions. Attributing errors in the NL roster to animosity rather than apathy or ignorance is a stretch.
   6. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: July 02, 2012 at 02:58 PM (#4171459)
Attributing errors in the NL roster to animosity rather than apathy or ignorance is a stretch.


Yeah, LaRussa is easily lazy and ignorant enough to screw up a fairly basic baseball-related matter.
   7. TDF, situational idiot Posted: July 02, 2012 at 03:16 PM (#4171475)
Seriously, other than Prior, who has Dusty wrecked?
And other than the fact that Prior got hurt while Baker was his manager, where's there any proof that Dusty caused his problems?

   8. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: July 02, 2012 at 03:28 PM (#4171491)
And other than the fact that Prior got hurt while Baker was his manager, where's there any proof that Dusty caused his problems?


No, obvioudly, we don't know that Dusty's usage caused the problem. But you'd think that for all the Dusty the Arm Shredder comments that are made, there'd be more than one player who actually had his arm shredded while under Dusty's command.
   9. Tripon Posted: July 02, 2012 at 03:33 PM (#4171497)
modern medicine is better able to get pitchers whose suffers an arm injury to pitch again. Edison Volquez was another pitcher who needed Tommy John surgery and who would throw a lot of pitches per start, so did Johnny Cueto. Aaron Harang's stuff and ability is nowhere near what it used to be early in his career and Dusty Baker abused his arm just as much as anyone he had. He's still pitching but its clear he's not the same pitcher he was.

If anything, Dusty's misuse is being mitigated today by better medical tech.
   10. Pujols Shot Ya Posted: July 02, 2012 at 04:24 PM (#4171544)
Cueto was the offender in the cleats vs. LaRue situation, right? I wouldn't be too surprised if La Russa still held that grudge. They were spittin mad at the time, since it sped up the end of LaRue's career and his head was minding its own businesses.
   11. asdf1234 Posted: July 02, 2012 at 05:24 PM (#4171581)
In all seriousness, Vlad, please get some help.
   12. PreservedFish Posted: July 02, 2012 at 05:37 PM (#4171589)
La Russa is now saying that Cueto wasn't chosen specifically because he'll be pitching the Sunday before the ASG.


This would make me MORE likely to choose a player. With 34 (or whatever) on the team, and the expectation that they should all get into the game, I would love having as many ineligible players as possible.
   13. Rickey Fredonia Fudge Duckery Precious Twiddle Posted: July 02, 2012 at 08:02 PM (#4171715)
Cueto was the offender in the cleats vs. LaRue situation, right?


Yes, this is clearly a payback from LaRussa for having his backup catcher injured in a fight his starting catcher started and his ace pitcher escalated into insanity.
   14. KJOK Posted: July 02, 2012 at 11:19 PM (#4171829)
Once he gets past all the nonesense comments, Bernie's comments starting at "A few points to consider" are pretty accurate.

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