Allen puts team on notice
Makes surprise visit to express owners' concerns
By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer
DENVER - The intent was to send a message. It did.
When Chief Operating Officer John Allen showed up in the Reds' clubhouse before Sunday's game with the Colorado Rockies, it caused a stir among the players, coaches and media.
"The last day of a road trip?" Ken Griffey Jr. said. "The general manager, maybe. But the president of the ballclub? He didn't even check in the hotel. He came straight to the park. Yeah, that'll get your attention."
Allen met with Reds manager Dave Miley. He also spoke to Griffey.
"It's a message," Allen said "We're not sitting there twiddling our thumbs and saying 'Oh me, oh my, what are we going to do?' We do care. We're involved. It's not getting done right now.
"We want the fans to know we do care."
Allen said no one would be fired on today's off day.
"I don't have the solution," he said.
But the Reds - from Chief Executive Officer Carl Lindner on down - are looking for a solution.
That's why Allen and not general manager Dan O'Brien made the trip.
"Dan is just a notch up the food chain (from Miley)," Allen said. "Everyone knows I represent Mr. Lindner and ownership. I think it's important that we understand that it is all the way to the top. Mr. Lindner and the other owners are all very concerned."
Speculation in the clubhouse was rampant that Allen's visit was a prelude to a shakeup.
"Certainly the status quo results are not acceptable," Allen said. "I'm not going to pinpoint names or anything like that."
So what might the Reds do?