The Reds have announced that skipper Bryan Price will return as the team’s manager for the 2017 season. His new deal includes a club option for 2018, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets.
Per the team, all of the coaches have also been offered contracts as well. At this point, it seems, it’s not yet clear whether any will choose instead to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Price had originally been signed to a three-year deal upon taking over the staff. That pact was set to expire just days from now, at the end of the 2016 season. Price had previously served as the Cincinnati pitching coach under then-skipper Dusty Baker before taking the helm when his predecessor was fired.
Clearly, the 54-year-old Price isn’t being retained for delivering wins. The rebuilding Reds have compiled an awful 207-276 record over his three seasons in the dugout. Still, it would be hard to blame him for failing to deliver results with the rosters he has been handed.
The organization evidently felt that Price has succeeded in other areas of importance. Certainly, he has overseen some bright spots in spite of the general difficulties. And the club’s brass has suggested that the win-loss record wouldn’t determine Price’s fate, with his ability to oversee growth from the team’s young players representing the top priority. Though it was reported recently that a final decision hadn’t been made, the Walt Jocketty-Dick Williams front office duo evidently decided since that time to entrust the club to Price for at least one more run.
Boy… I don’t know about this move. I’m not a Reds fan so I may be way off, but I’ve never gotten a sense that Price is really the right person for that job. I know that he hasn’t always had much to work with, so maybe I’m not being fair, but have things improved at all during his tenure?
I would hold judgement until it’s announced what the term of the deal is. If it’s anything more than a one year extension I would be shocked. It’s as if the front office already punted on winning in 2017
Many Reds fans blame Price for the roster and bad options he’s given. I’m not one. He’s a fine, albeit unremarkable, manager. I don’t think he’s hurt the team, several young players have demonstrated major improvements playing under him, and the team is ~.500 in the second half despite all of its problems.
Finnegan, DeSclafani, Lorenzen, Billy Hamilton, Peraza, Schebler… and older Straily and Duvall… have all exceeded the general expectations set upon them this year. Jay Bruce had a comeback to facilitate his trade for Dilson Herrera.
The team’s overall outlook has definitely improved in the last year, despite the high loss totals. Given relative success in the second half (after an injury plagued first half which saw the whole intended rotation on the DL) it was looking likely that Price might be extended, although it’s sure to be a controversial move with much of the fan base, who believe that firing somebody will fix everything (although it didn’t happen when Dusty Baker was fired). In my judgment renewing Price would’ve been a coin flip. Heads, he won? Fine, cool.
But… How the #*@% does that help the Cincinnati Reds?
Next year Price now has to worry about turning top prospects Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson, Amir Garrett, Dilson Herrera, and Jesse Winker into successful MLB players. Can he do it?
Fortunately for him he won’t be given starter Alfredo Simon and closer JJ Hoover next time around.
As a Reds fan, very “meh” about this.
He hasn’t had a lot to work with, but he has certainly left me scratching my head many, many times
redsfanman’s description of “Fine, albeit unremarkable” is about as apt as I could put it.
I’m fine with him staying. I also would have been fine with him leaving.
He’s alright.
Its not his fault the Reds are bad he doesn’t have much to work with.Maybe in 4 or 5 year they might get better. They have the 11th best farm system so maybe they will have a few of those players help.
It certainly isn’t his fault they had, possibly, the worst rotation performance in history. So eh, we’ll see
Casey Stengel, Miller Huggins, Sparky Anderson, Joe Torre etc could not have done much better. You can’t make chicken salad without chicken. Price deserves to continue to grow club atthis juncture. Won/loss record not his fault . Future looks better with second half improvement
Price deserved more time. He is a solid baseball man. The Reds pitching was a disaster during the first half of the season.
After the Price’s ridiculous tantrum early last season about reporters announcing the call-up of a backup catcher before the team (it’s their job, you dope), it became clear that managing a club might be out of his depth. Combined with several manager reviews that Price did not take this season (and could have changed the outcome for the better), my guess is that Price is on board with the unofficial tanking by the Reds front office.
Are they wasting some great years by Votto? Sure. But are they wasting great years by anyone else???