Narron key to future
Interim manager's success may decide O'Brien's fate

By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

CLEVELAND - Dan O'Brien's fate rests with Jerry Narron.

After manager Dave Miley's firing, the bull's-eye - as far as sports talkers and Web posters go - is on general manager O'Brien's back.

With only one year remaining on his contract, it's hard to imagine he can survive, because there's no doubt that when fans speak, this club listens.

But Narron can save him.

How, you say?

If the Reds play well under Narron - say they go 49-43 in Narron's 92 games - the Reds might be tempted to bring back Narron and O'Brien for 2006.

There are other factors that will affect O'Brien's fate. Eric Milton's going to have to show he's not a long-term bust. The other players O'Brien signed - Joe Randa, Rich Aurilia, Kent Mercker and David Weathers - have to continue to play well. Chief operating officer John Allen is going to have to be convinced the player-development department is making progress.

But the key factor is how the team plays under Narron. If the Reds play well, Allen and Reds chief executive officer Carl Lindner might surmise that the first 2½ months of this season were as bad as they were because of Miley.

Narron was off to a 3-0 start going into Saturday's game.

How much Narron had to do with that is debatable. The Reds got quality starts in Narron's first two games. In his third, Milton kept the Reds in the game for one of the few times this year.

The Reds' horrific starting pitching made it virtually impossible for Miley to survive.
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