Indians manager Terry Francona spent the night tossing Bradley McDougald Jersey , turning and trying to forget.
There are tough losses during the course of a season. And then there are troubling ones – like what happened Tuesday night.
”I thought about it at 1 o’clock. I thought about it at 2 o’clock. I thought about it at 3 o’clock. I thought about it at 4 o’clock,” Francona said Wednesday, still coping with the Indians’ shocking – and embarrassing – 7-4 loss to Cincinnati. ”Between 6 and 8 I actually slept.”
He wasn’t the only one with insomnia.
Francona and several of his coaches had trouble moving past a communication breakdown that helped the Reds score seven runs in the ninth inning. As the Reds were rallying, Francona wanted to bring in left-hander Oliver Perez to face slugger Joey Votto with two outs, the bases loaded and the Indians clinging to a 4-3 lead. But pitching coach Carl Willis thought he heard Francona tell him to summon right-hander Dan Otero.
Votto promptly hit a three-run double off Otero, giving the Reds a 6-4 lead.
”He thought I said O.T.,” Francona said, using Otero’s nickname. ”I said O.P.”
Whatever was said, it wasn’t OK as the Indians suffered their third straight loss and intensified discussion about a beleaguered bullpen that dropped to 5-16 with an AL-worst 5.37 ERA.
When he arrived at Progressive Field for the series finale, Francona felt the need to apologize to his players for his role in the gut-wrenching loss Kenny Stills Jersey , which wasted a brilliant performance by All-Star Trevor Bauer, who struck out 12 in eight innings.
”It falls on me,” he said. ”But then, you’ve got to move on, too. So the best way for me to do that was I actually talked to the team and told them that I thought I messed up. And I apologized because I don’t like messing up. And inadvertently I came in last night and I thought took responsibility. But I also put O.T. in a tough spot. And I didn’t want to do that.
”So I told the guys. I said, `Hey man, that was not my intention.’ So I thought that was the best way for me to move on. It was a tough one. It was a tough night. I didn’t sleep very good.”
Francona said Willis, bench coach Brad Mills and bullpen coach Scott Atchison all felt culpable in the loss, but the Indians manager made it clear he’s the one who bears responsibility.
”Atch was killing himself,” Francona said. ”I said LaAdrian Waddle Jersey , `Let’s look back at it. You can’t pick up the phone and go, are you sure?’ You know, everybody is just so conscientious. It was a mistake and I’m confident it won’t happen again, but I don’t take it lightly either.”
Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman knows how Francona felt. As someone who has managed over 1,500 major league games, Riggleman knows how quickly a decision – good or bad – can escalate.
”Anybody who’s managed any length of time, something similar has happened,” said Riggleman, who has managed in San Diego, Chicago Larry Csonka Jersey , Seattle and Washington. ”Whether it’s a lineup error or whether it’s a miscommunication in the dugout, a miscommunication on the phone to the bullpen, miscommunication on a double switch. I would almost have to call somebody and question, somebody who’s been in the game for a long time if it hasn’t happened at some time to them.”
”Because there’s just so many things said and done and decisions that are made, that the slightest misunderstanding can turn into that and you figure people who have done this between the minor leagues and big leagues, if you’ve done it 20 or 30 years, there’s going to be a few of those. It’s painful.”
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Freelance reporter Ashley Bastock contributed to this report.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross says he won’t force his players to stand for the national anthem, even though he believes kneeling is a counterproductive way to promote social justice.
Ross’ comments Tuesday in a statement released by the Dolphins came after the New York Daily News reported that he said all of the team’s players will stand for the anthem in 2018. Ross was in New York on Monday to be honored by the Jackie Robinson Foundation and receive its ROBIE Lifetime Achievement Award.
”I have no intention of forcing our players to stand during the anthem, and I regret that my comments have been misconstrued,” Ross said in his statement.
”I’ve shared my opinion with all our players: I’m passionate about the cause of social justice Chris Godwin Jersey , and I feel that kneeling is an ineffective tactic that alienates more people than it enlists.”
Colin Kaepernick started the NFL anthem movement when he was with the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. President Donald Trump has criticized the movement, saying it’s disrespectful to service members.
”I know our players care about the military and law enforcement too,” Ross said in his statement, ”because I’ve seen the same players who are fighting for social justice engaging positively with law enforcement and the military. I care passionately that the message of social justice resonates far and wide, and I will continue to support and fund efforts for those who fight for equality for all.”
Dolphins players Julius Thomas, Michael Thomas and Kenny Stills knelt during the anthem before games last season. At one point coach Adam Gase established a team rule requiring players either to stand for the anthem or stay in the tunnel.
When protesting players told Gase waiting in the tunnel was interfering with their game preparation, he relaxed the rule and allowed them to resume their sideline kneeling.
Stills was the Dolphins’ nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors involvement in the community and performance on the field. He’s expected to be back with Miami with 2018, but Julius Thomas and Michael Thomas are less likely to return.
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20.09.2018 03:37
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