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View Full Version : Savran says Lofton should have played Thursday

GiveHyzduashot
05-31-2003, 12:58 PM
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20030531stan0531p1.asp
GiveHyzduashot
05-31-2003, 01:04 PM
Lloyd explains:

To rest or not to rest? Questions lingered about sitting Kenny Lofton in Wednesday's game against the Cubs or why he didn't pinch-hit for Abraham Nunez in the ninth inning with the tying run on second, even at the risk of ending his 25-game hitting streak. Explanations were repeated yesterday, although Manager Lloyd McClendon knows the logic won't appease all the fans. "The positive in all of this is we have passionate fans. They care about baseball in Pittsburgh. I'm just as passionate. But I have to manage these 25 guys every day," he said. "I'm not a rotisserie-league manager. I have to manage human beings, and I can't lose any of those guys. They have to play for me for 162 games, not just in April or May. The guy's hurting. His legs are tired. He's mentally exhausted. You tell him he's going to get that day off, he's going to get that day off. It's that old thing, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Because I guarantee you, if I would have pinch-hit Lofton in that game and he doesn't get the hit and we lose that game, people would be asking how can McClendon kill his 25-game hitting streak?"
GiveHyzduashot
06-01-2003, 02:02 PM
Ron Cook chimes in with his two cents.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/columnists/20030601cook0601p1.asp
3-2 Changeup
06-01-2003, 03:45 PM
In a way I don't blame the Mac Daddy--he's close enough to getting canned without the veterans calling for his head. But then again Lofton could have stepped up and showed some veteran leadership by volunteering.

Cook is clearly right in that the inmates are running the prison in professional sports. Look at the NBA--one star player can get a coach canned.