Narron not ready for instant replay

[CincyRedsFan30]

Narron not ready for instant replay

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

MILWAUKEE | When is a home run not a home run? When the umpires say it is, then change their minds.

Rich Aurilia thought he had a home run in the third inning Friday. So did Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron.

As Aurilia circled the bases, fans in the left-field corner screamed that the ball hooked in front of the foul pole and was not a homer. Milwaukee manager Ned Yost protested, and after the umpires held a four-man discussion, they reversed the call.

Foul ball.

"I didn't agree with the decision, but I was happy they discussed it," Narron said. "I like how NFL officials get together to discuss calls. If there is a close call, they'll at least consult to try to get it right. On Aurilia's ball, they consulted and came up with what they thought was the right call.

"It seemed like forever that baseball umpires wouldn't do that, and in the last few years they have," Narron added. "It was almost like an umpire was insulted if you asked him to ask for help. That's changed, and they have tried to get calls right."

Narron won't take it a step farther and say baseball needs the NFL's instant replay.

"I hope not," he said. "In the NFL it's fine, but I'm not part of the NFL. I'm a fan. It becomes a question of where do you draw the line — balls and strikes, close calls? I hope they don't do that."

Olmedo at SS?

Narron's lineup card Saturday had rookie Edwin Encarnacion on the bench and Aurilia at third base. Just a rest.

"I'm trying to get as much playing time for as many guys as possible and try not to have guys just sit," Narron said. "I'm going to get Ray Olmedo into more games, and I'm thinking about playing him at shortstop (today)."

Relayed that information, Olmedo's lips parted in a wide smile. When he has played this year, it has been second base. But he is a Natural Born Shortstop.

"Great, that's my spot. Shortstop is what I want," he said. "I'm happy for Felipe Lopez because he is an All-Star shortstop who is having a good year and is a good player. For now, shortstop and second base is the same for me, different positions, but the same because I get to play.

"The important thing is to get into the lineup, and so far when I have, I have been able to do good," he said.

Olmedo is hitting .333 during his limited activity — three starts at second base during which the Reds are 3-0 and he is 7-for-13. As a pinch-hitter, he is 3-for-12.

Lopez ended a 0-for-27 slide with an infield hit in Friday's first inning, but went 0-for-2 (two walks) the rest of the game and began Saturday's game 1-for-30 and 9-for-66 (.136).

The Chicago joke

As usual, Ken Griffey Jr. provided a humorous twist to the rumors of a trade to the Chicago White Sox.

Griffey has a regiment of friends and relatives in Chicago, and his request for tickets is lengthy for games at Wrigley Field.

"See, I can't play in Chicago," he said. "Too many tickets. If I played there it would be easier and cheaper to buy season tickets."

Now that the IRS requires players to pay taxes on complimentary tickets, Griffey's very full wallet is not as full.

ESPN reported Griffey cleared waivers, and he did, but his agent, Brian Goldberg said Saturday, "Neither I nor Junior has heard from the Reds asking our permission to trade him. And he isn't lobbying to be traded. He likes it in Cincinnati and is just answering the persistent questions. Junior and I cannot give an answer to something we have not been asked."

Farm report

• Relief pitcher Ben Weber completed his rehabilitation assignment and was optioned to Class AAA Louisville.

• Pitcher Jimmy Serrano, the Louisville pitcher who could have taken free agency from the Reds last Sunday but decided to stay, held Norfolk to one run and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. But he didn't get the victory because Joe Valentine blew the save in the eighth inning, giving up two runs in a 3-2 defeat. Valentine, who spent the first month of this season with the Reds, is 0-7 with four blown saves and a 6.59 ERA.

• Pitcher Travis Chick, acquired from San Diego in the Joe Randa trade, gave up five runs and eight hits over four innings, but Class AA Chattanooga came back to beat Mississippi, 8-5.

[BigRedMachine]

It was a shame the HR didn't stand but it was foul and it just totally messed up Aurilia for the rest of the game, you could tell by the very next at bat. I don't see instant replay in the MLB for a while.