"Today's losses only help me prove what I said previously. We have no
pen, really. They try, really they do, but we shouldn't lose so many of
these 1-run and 2-run games. The offense
has finally started to come around in the last week or so but our relief
pitching is still coming up short."
Those were the words of frustrated
New Orleans Manager Pete Rose following
the team's 5-4 loss at the hands of the Montreal Royals. Although not
directly accusing Doug Drabek for the team's misfortune's but moreso at
the entire pen, Drabek still felt offended,
"Hey, I'm trying to do my job out there. I had 2 or 3 quality
appearances before today. Why the **ck am I being singled out? The
whole bullpen is struggling, not just me."
The
Vampires clubhouse was fairly quiet and the team noticably frustrated
with both of the 1-run losses to Montreal today and the winning streak
coming to an end.
"We suck," replied
rookie lefty Brad Woodall. It's easy to understand the team's
disappointment after putting up 9 runs or more its last 4 games and,
especially, since they spoiled another stupendous effort
by Sterling Hitchcock who lowered his ERA to 2.22 on the year through 45
innings of work. But Hitchcock pointed no fingers. "We're all out of
sync," said Hitchcock, "I'll just continue
to keep trying to do my job as best I can. I can't worry about anybody
else. We *all* have room for improvement."
Rose seemed to agree as he
immediately called a meeting of his
coaches following today's losses. No one revealed what the closed-door
session was all about but it is speculated that he wants to see some
improvements, adjustments and an overall
increase in effort put out by his players soon. Rose then spent the
evening in GM Peter Gammons' office reportedly demanding something be
done. When asked what went on,
Gammons responded, "Pete has some legitimate concerns with our club. We
all do." When asked to expand on that, Gammons replied, "Some changes
need to be made, obviously. But
we're talking about the bullpen and the bullpen only. Try to leave the
players alone."
