pinson343: Overall I think Larkin was a class act. Back when Marge Schott was embarrassing the Reds, reporters would try to get Larkin to dump on her, hoping to get a story. He refused to say anything negative about her, and defended her more than once. He liked it that she brought in some good free agent players. (Too bad she and Bowden ruined our farm system, but that’s another story.)

I do remember that. Reporters would throw out some of Marge’s quotes and wait for Barry’s reaction.

(Too bad she and Bowden ruined our farm system, but that’s another story.)

Toward the end of his career, the guy spoke his mind, especially when the Reds were in contention and did not make a move (at least not a good one) in 2002.

I liked the way he would teach (try to, anyway) young players how to play SS, even when they were competing for his job. He took Felipe Lopez under his wing, for example. Ozzie Smith was not so kind to Royce Clayton, to say the least. Yet Ozzie is associated with the smily face.

From what I could tell, Larkin was fed up by the Reds not investing in the team. Harris wasn’t the future and should’ve been dealt.

It was the wrong time to complain about Larkin but his thoughts about management not investing in the team were right…and still holds true today.

Anyone remember this?

He also stood up for the fans and suggested to the team that they spend money to have a quality team …this came after Bowden told the fans to buy more season tickets and the Reds would go get some players…they went and got Greg Vaughn and we won 96 games…

shane: True, its not really much of a distraction when the captain of the team is begging to be traded. That really pumps the rest of the team up and makes them want to play their best.

I actually prefaced my comment by saying “in the early 90’s”, but point taken.

preach: and was never a clubhouse distraction

True, its not really much of a distraction when the captain of the team is begging to be traded. That really pumps the rest of the team up and makes them want to play their best.

Larkin was the guy Bowden went to for info about the team, including McKeon. Remember, the press liked McKeon because he wasn’t afraid to throw players under the bus (see Konerko, see Tomko…). Sparky used to go to Rose and Bench. The difference was the team winning in the 70’s, so it was spun a different way.

McKeon had lost control of the team…we remember the 99 wins, but McKeon complained about almost everything the Reds did….even if he was the lovable ol’ grampa. He spent more time smoking cigars and entertaining his cronies and the press than managing his team.

As for counting stats…don’t get fooled…Larkin didn’t hit ‘milestones’ but, again, the press or our memories have messed us up. I believe he’s 13th in all-time games played at shorstop.