Reports: Bryan Price to Manage the Reds [Updates]

Photo: Cincinnati Enquirer

Various outlets, both national (Bob Nightengale, USA Today) and local, are reporting the Reds will announce Bryan Price as their manager tomorrow.

Paul Daugherty’s early reaction. “I do think this team needs a manager with an edge. It doesn’t have to be overt. It can be as subtle as setting high expectations, and settling for nothing less. This ought to be a group of players starving for greater success, given their collective talent and the impression that they haven’t honored it fully. The tone Price sets will be as important as anything he does. His team is ready to win bigger, now. Its window isn’t opening any wider. Expect, Mr. Price. Don’t accept. It could make all the difference.”

C. Trent Rosecrans posted a long article on Bryan Price this morning. It’s primarily based on an interview with San Diego Padre manager Bud Black, who is a former pitcher/pitching coach. There are also a few quotes from Mat Latos, who likes the idea of Price as manager of the Reds. Here’s the conclusion: It’s not just that Price is a great pitching coach, Black said, it’s that he’s shown to be a good communicator and leader. That’s what makes a successful manager, not what position he played or his area of expertise. “The whole thing boils down to whether a manager has those qualities to lead men,” Black said. “And I think that can come from any position.”

Latos is quoted in the Rosecrans article: “I think he (Price) needs to be the front-runner for the managerial position,” Latos said. “He’s a guy who played the game, knows the pitching aspect and works hard. Let’s be honest, look what he’s done with the pitching staff.” “In 2010, our bullpen was unbelievable,” Latos said. “Yes, we had a lot of talent in the bullpen, but you have to give a lot of credit to how Buddy used the bullpen, he made the calls as to which pitchers to put in at what times. He played good matchups, pitchers against hitters. … A lot of that I think is from being an ex-pitcher.”

John Fay is tweeting that he believes Price was the only one interviewed for the job.

Reminder of Bronson Arroyo’s endorsement for Price: “I think he’d be unbelievable,” Arroyo said. “He’s as organized as anyone in the game, he holds people as accountable as well as anyone I’ve seen. He doesn’t buy into stereotypical things in the game, things that other people buy into that I don’t feel are relevant. Price looks at evidence. He’s a freaking smart guy, he makes his decision on reasonable evidence. Sometimes in baseball we go by hunches, what someone else said or they way things have gone in the past. He doesn’t do that.”

If you didn’t read this article by Mark Sheldon when it came out a month ago, you definitely should now. It’s about how Price has instilled accountability with the Reds’ pitching staff. Reading this, plus the obvious success the Reds pitchers have had under Price, was what convinced me he’d be a good option for the Reds.

The article contains quotes from several Reds pitchers, but mostly cites Homer Bailey. “One thing I can say about them that’s helped not just the starting rotation but the bullpen is the fact that we are held accountable,” Bailey said. “We demand certain things out of everyone here, whether you’re the No. 1 starter on the team or the mop-up guy — it doesn’t matter. Our expectations are held so high. Some things are just unacceptable. Our starters are expected to go seven innings. We are expected to keep our team in the game. We are expected to put up quality starts.”

The Sheldon article also credits assistant pitching coach Mack Jenkins. You have to think he’s the front runner to be the new head pitching coach. We know that he and Price have worked together successfully, not to mention all the pitchers.