Something Dusty Did Right

Saw this bit this morning buried at the bottom of a daily news brief by John Fay.  I thought it was a good example of the kinds of things that Dusty Baker did really well...like handle a clubhouse full of twenty- and thirty-something athletes through the ups and downs of a major league season:

ALMOST GOT AWAY: The Reds blew an 8-0 lead in the split-squad game with Seattle that Price managed but came away with a 10-9 win. 

“It doesn’t matter what it is,” Price said. “Spring training or not, you know these games happen. You hate to lose them when you have that type of a lead. Those happen. It stinks. You can’t let it stay with you." 

The game reminded Price of a walk-off loss in Atlanta in 2010. The game ended with Brooks Conrad’s grand slam off Francisco Cordero that Laynce Nix nearly caught. The Reds lost 10-9 after blowing a 9-3 lead in the ninth. 

When the club arrived in Cleveland later that night, manager Dusty Baker had a mandatory meeting in the hotel bar. 

“Everyone had to get a drink,” Price said. “We had to say: ‘OK, that one’s over with, we go back to work.’ We beat Cleveland the next day. That kind of got the bad taste out of our mouth. ... It was a really good idea by Dusty.”

I remember that game, as I'm sure many Reds fans do.  Just brutal.
Source: FanGraphs