Leadership

Tracy, who pledged from the day he was hired that effort would never be an issue with his team, did not deny that Burnitz went less than all-out. But he also defended him.

"Well, you know, he went down the line," Tracy responded to a reporter's question. "Obviously, he hit a ground ball to the second baseman. I don't know ... do you think he's going to be safe? I mean, he was going down the line, Orlando Hudson fielded the ball cleanly and recorded the out. You know, it's not something to sit here and nit-pick things like that. I just explained very clearly why we got beat tonight. That's not why we got beat."

It pains me to write this, but I am beginning to miss Lloyd McClendon.