Former Reds pitcher, Mat Latos, gave an interview to Ken Rosenthal that was published a few minutes ago. Latos was asked about how he could help the Marlins. The pitcher said a veteran player can provide valuable leadership for the clubhouse. He then offered numerous examples of how that leadership was missing in the Reds clubhouse with the departures of Scott Rolen and Bronson Arroyo. Here’s what Latos said:
Well, that one little veteran presence in there can make a big difference. You look at the Reds after we lost Bronson (Arroyo, after the 2013 season). Everything went to s—. You look at it after we lost Scott Rolen (after 2012). Everything went to s—. When Scott was there, we had guys doing exactly what they were supposed to do. After Scott left, we had guys with two years in the big leagues, in the clubhouse, on their phones, laying down in the video room, just hanging out during games, not in the dugout, not cheering their teammates on. Our dugout looked like a ghost town. After Bronson, the same exact thing. We had starters in there roping our (clubhouse attendants), like, cattle-roping our clubbies. Guys on their computers, buying stuff, hanging out in the clubhouse. We had a guy with a year-and-a-half in the big leagues wandering around the clubhouse, hanging out. We had a closer in there sleeping until the seventh inning. We lose that veteran leadership, that’s what happens. You can’t have that . . . it turns into a circus.
a circus.
Yikes.