Corky Miller causes Reds Fans to ponder their very existence

This is from a Cincinnati Reds discussion forum I visit frequently to check the pulse of things. The discussion thread is titled “We have to talk about Corky”.

Reds fans are starting to echo our same point about Corky Miller from a while back – we assumed it would be his final big league stint – and now that festered splinter is back. Here are their mortified responses.

He hit .203/.288/.344 at Louisville as a 37 year old. He has a .563 OPS spanning parts of eleven Major League seasons. Defensively, he’s beyond abysmal. I am okayish with whatever intangible mojo he has granting him a slot as the AAA back up. But why/how is he on a MLB roster, particularly a team looking to bring home a World Series? When does this stop? This is the single most maddening thing about the 2013 Reds, Hanigan has been hurt/bad all year, and there hasn’t been anyone brought into Louisville. Now, I am not saying the person they’d get would be any good. But I refuse to believe that there isn’t anyone out there who could be had for nothing who could beat out Corky Miller. Why settle for historically terrible when there is an opportunity for bad?

The worst part is the Reds have a catcher in AAA with an .801 OPS this season and a .743 career minor league OPS.

I kind of assumed Ashley must only have one leg or something for him not to be up. Has anyone seen him play?

And this isn’t a new topic. We had this same discussion last season.

I get that Corky’s ‘stache is cool and he’ll make a good manager or coach some day, but he really shouldn’t be on this team.

Each at bat he takes weakens the club.

He sucks, say it, embrace it… it’s a sport not a fashion show, I can swing a dead cat and hit 4 guys in Portland with a great mustache, that and 10 bucks will get you into Heavy Metal Karaoke on Tuesday night and nothing to do with why he should be on the team.

I think part of the reason for Corky is when his time is up in Cincy (for now) he can clear waivers and be removed from the 40-man when he goes back to Louisville. I don’t know if that is true for any of the other catchers.

And what’s up with that little ninja move he makes as if he’s going to gun someone out who wanders too far off 1st after a pitch?

Corky, one of a few franchise head-scratchers.

This is simply a case of the old boy network that is still strong as ever in baseball. They are repaying the “good soldier” career with a brief stint. If other options are too expensive or about equal, I applaud that. When the player is over the hill and done, then reward him with a coaching gig or managerial spot in the minors, not a role on a contending squad, especially when the banged up condition of Mes and Hanigan may mean some meaningful playing time. I like Corky, but I wish he’d take a hard look and decide it’s time to coach – or that a member of the Reds FO would tell him that.

It’s puzzling….the Reds take a hard line not to bring Rolen back because they feel he’s done but then they keep Corky hanging around when he is not even half the player at the same point in time.

Corky batting is painful….remember in little league when that kid on your team that truly stunk came up and you’d sit there thinking “I hope he doesnt swing at all…our best bet is taking a chance on 4 balls before 3 strikes.” That’s how I feel watching Corky….and even if he walks there will be a 6 minute delay waiting on him to get to first.

Corky is too slow to play on my softball team. You have no idea just how insulting that actually is.

Hey look on the bright side…at least we know Corky is not taking PED’s. Not unless PED stands for Pancakes, Eclairs, and Donuts.

So, I click on this thread and as I’m scrolling I get a text message from a friend of mine who played in the minors and was from the same general area as Corky in Cali. His text reads: “Holy crap, Corky is still playing? He was a senior when I was a freshmen.”

My friend is 35 years old.

I know the Reds front office has better things to do then read a half-assed baseball blog like this one (though finding a big league catcher is apparently not among those distinctions). I just want to say that Walt Jocketty sending this team up shit creek without a proverbial paddle to fight current would have been more kind then sending them into battle with Corky Miller in the plans for this season. He is a special brand of awful, one that you cannot simply just find anywhere. This is an atrocity. This is an American tragedy. I hope Walt Jocketty’s bald head gets stuck in a hole somewhere for doing this to all of us – and screw all the former GM’s that never sat Corky down and told him that he should be cleaning high school gymnasiums because the benefits were good.