Baseball pressure (?)

Much has been made about P. Mackanin's ability to get the Reds to play loose. To M's credit, he's certainly managing that way. Witness his bringing in R. Freel to be a 5th infielder last week in Atlanta... he's managing as if he has nothing to lose, which he doesn't... but, I don't know, isn't "Baseball pressure'' kind of an oxymoron?

Pressure is running out of money before running out of month... it's dealing with a sick child... A. Gonzalez knows what pressure is... pressure is being falsely accused of a serious crime and not having the money to pay for a lawyer... it's losing your job, getting sued, a marriage falling apart. It's any number of things. It's not a millionaire losing a baseball game. What pressure, really, is J. Coutlangus under? Or K. Saarloos? Who else are the Reds going to wheel in here right now that's going to do any better?

You could argue the Reds havent felt enough pressure. The so-called "sense of urgency'' never really kicked in, did it? What, exactly, were the repercussions when J. Griffey loafed down to 1st last night, then got thrown out by about 6 miles going into 2nd? Will he feel "pressured'' to run harder next time? Uh, no.

Please give the rest of us the pressure of playing a game for guaranteed money, where you make no less a year than something like 325k. Where, when you go to arbitration, you either get a big raise or a bigger one, even if your performance lacks. Where you can be T. Coffey, bless him, and be rewarded for your badness with a 2-year contract. Where you can be M. Stanton and know you're making 3mil next year, no matter what.

Give the rest of us some of that pressure.Sometimes, a little perspective works.