Saturday, May 26, 2001
Baylor's comment stings Reds
Boone says injuries, not effort, to blame
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Chicago Cubs manager Don Baylor's line “They played as if they had a plane to catch” didn't play well with the Reds.
Baylor's remark came after Jon Lieber one-hit the Reds 3-0 Thursday in Chicago. The line implies the Reds weren't trying very hard. They didn't like that implication.
“I don't know one guy in here who would ever give up on a game,” first baseman Sean Casey said. “It was an ugly game. Give Lieber credit. He pitched a great game.”
The game — excluding rain delays — lasted only an hour and 48 minutes. Lieber threw only 79 pitches.
“We swung at a lot of first pitches,” Casey said. “They looked good then would sink at the last second ... Everyone was busting their butt out there.”
Reds manager Bob Boone had no problem with the effort. Injuries have left the Reds with a makeshift line-up every day.
He comparedthe Reds to the kid who gets picked on by a bully while the kid's brother is out of commission.
“When big brother gets back, we're going to kick butt,” Boone said. “We'll see who's trying then. We'll see who's got an airplane to catch. When you're down people are going to kick you, so you've got to be strong and try to get up.”
Barry Larkin, one of the injured, agreed.
“Everything is magnified when you're struggling,” Larkin said. “If we swung at a lot of first pitches and won 10-0, nobody would say anything. I guarantee you everyone was giving 100 percent.”
Only two players from the Reds projected Opening Day lineup played Thursday (Casey and Alex Ochoa).
“We knew coming out of spring training where our vulnerability was,” Boone said. “When you have a $40 million payroll competing with an $80 million payroll, your top eight better be good.
“ ... and they better stay healthy.”
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Baylor's comment stings Reds
