6 days ago
Why Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona planned meeting if team had lost to Cubs
CHICAGO – If Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona seemed as locked in as his players during this week's high-adversity series opener at Wrigley Field, maybe it's because he was.
'I was so into the whole game,' he said, 'because we wanted to win. And nobody felt sorry for themselves or for us.
'In fact, if we'd have lost, I probably would have talked to them.'
Blindsided by an unplanned bullpen game for the second day in a row after their long, wet ordeal in the Bristol Motor Speedway sideshow game over the weekend, Reds reliever after Reds reliever kept the Chicago Cubs in check for a comeback, 3-2 win Monday night
No need for a message after a finish like that. Besides, veteran Brent Suter did the inspirational honors well enough after the game anyway, Francona said.
But had they lost another tough one after all that rain, extra travel and the sudden finger blister that waylaid their hottest starting pitcher in the second inning?
'That's what mean,' Francona said. 'We've had a lot thrown at us. And sometimes your margin for error's less. 'OK, then let's not make errors. Let's just play the game the way we know how.'
'This can be our time to shine. We don't have to feel sorry for ourselves.'
The Reds went from the mess of Bristol, Tennessee, into the teeth of a final 50-game stretch run that opened with three against the Cubs and two of the next three series after that against two more of the NL's top teams: Philadelphia and Milwaukee.
'Divisional games are huge, especially where we are in the season,' said closer Emilio Pagán, who earned a career-high 24th save with a 1-2-3 ninth. 'And so we talked about it as we're not going to have any excuses moving forward.'
That seems to especially apply to bullpen core that has carried a heavy load at times – none more than Scott Barlow, who has pitched in six of the Reds' last seven games, including two innings Monday.
'Everybody down there just wants the ball at all times,' Barlow said.
'We've just kind of had the attitude of, 'Bring it on.' '
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds manager Terry Francona planned meeting if team had lost to Cubs
