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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > March > 07 > Entry
Cueto, Arizona and Attila
It was only his second outing this spring and it was against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but … it WAS the Pittsburgh regulars.
Johnny Cueto, 22, buzzed through the Pirates batting order Friday as if he carried a Black & Decker high-powered tree cutter — a 98-mph fastball and a U Can’t Touch This change-up.
In three innings, Cueto gave up one single while striking out four. If this keeps up, Cueto will be in the rotation.
“That kid has some really, really good stuff,” said Ken Griffey Jr., after watching Pittsburgh’s futility from his right field spot. “He is going to make it real tough on some guys who think they’re in the rotation. No. 34 (Homer Bailey) better turn it up a notch.”
Said catcher Javier Valentin, “His change-up is his best pitch, even with that good fastball. With that change-up, welcome to the big leagues, kid. People say he is the next Pedro Martinez.”
THINKING ARIZONA
Pack your Tilley hats and your sand screens, sports fans — it looks as if the Cincinnati Reds are headed to Goodyear, Ariz., for sure in 2010.
All this spring, Sarasota folks smugly thought their late bid to keep the Reds would work and grasped the idea that Goodyear was out of money and couldn’t find the $32 million needed to lure the Reds to the Arizona desert.
They were wrong.
Goodyear officials have until Thursday to guarantee to the Reds that they have the money and Sarasota people were confident in what they heard — that the Arizona Tourist & Sports Authority was tapped out, no more cash after they bankrolled the new University of Phoenix Stadium for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and $75 million for the re-location of the Cleveland Indians in Goodyear for spring training.
But Goodyear this week assured the Reds that they can come up with the necessary $32 million and Cincinnati’s negotiator, John Allen, said if Goodyear has the money, “Build it and we will come. If they come up with the funding, we are going to Goodyear.”
Just recently, the Sarasota county commissioners approved $17.5 million to contribute to the refurbishing of Ed Smith Stadium, but it’s too late. Now it looks as if they’ll have to turn to the Baltimore Orioles to fill Cincinnati’s spot in Sarasota.
Meanwhile, the Reds remain in Sarasota this year and next year while a new clubhouse, offices and practice fields are added to the Goodyear complex where the Cleveland Indians move next year.
That means new manager Dusty Baker will have to empty his book shelf of some interesting reading, mostly motivational and inspirational stuff.
“Here’s one of my favorites,” Baker said, pulling out a soft-covered book entitled Attila the Hun. “Everybody thinks I’m crazy for liking him. Attila was one of the best leaders of all time. But I don’t think I can cut off hands and arms if you don’t do what I tell you. I like it because his people (soldiers) were all nationalities, different languages.
“I read all kinds of stuff,” he added. “Zero Limits, John Wooden gave me a book that he signed. I have Bill Walsh’s book that I’ve read a couple of times. Positive-thinking stuff. All kinds of stuff.”
Before taking the Reds job, Baker spent a year as an ESPN analyst and was asked if he considered himself media.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “Everybody in the world had my phone number, so I had to be media. Everybody called, too. The first thing I did after I left them was change my phone number.”
Comments
By Jeff
March 8, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this
Short on options Adding a second team is estimated to cost $33 million, Interim City Manager Brian Dalke said. If funding is secured, the Reds would not train in Goodyear until 2010. An exclusivity agreement was signed Jan. 28 by Goodyear and the Reds. It prevents both parties from seeking other teams/training facilities for 75 days. A finance package is to be in place by March 13 and the exclusivity agreement ends April 11, Dalke said. Finding ways to fund the facility is proving challenging, he said. The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority and a voter-passed bond helped Goodyear pay for the Indians’ $75 million facility. Going back to the AZSTA has been considered, Dalke said. He and Mayor Jim Cavanaugh have been meeting with AZSTA members to discuss finance options. A Feb. 21 letter sent to Cavanaugh by AZSTA Chairwoman Debbie Johnson expresses support for adding to the Cactus League but recognizes that the authority will not be able to give any money to Goodyear. “In short, there has been nothing in the performance of our revenues that would support becoming more optimistic on our prospects for future revenues from our [Maricopa County Stadium District Intergovernmental Agreement]. And, the revenues from our tourism taxes that are earmarked for Cactus League promotion are fixed by statute,” Johnson wrote. “We wish you well with your efforts to identify funding that would allow the Reds to relocate to Arizona, but we are unable to offer any further funding beyond those monies previously committed to you in support of the current project scope and budget for Goodyear,” she wrote. Goodyear remains optimistic, Dalke said. “We have not given up and we will continue to ask,” he said.By Jeff
March 8, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
I have heard that there is a divide among the Goodyear City council, as far as supporting the funding of a second team goes.By John In GC
March 7, 2008 7:34 PM | Link to this
If you really love baseball and never been to AZ, don’t knock it. In 10 minutes you can be accross town seeing another spring training facility/team. Also, it’s not as expensive as you might think. So, stop sleeping on your retired parents/grandparents sunporches in FL and hit the biggest beach in the US.By Y-City Jim
March 7, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this
Sarasota voters didn’t tell the Reds they didn’t want them. They simply said they weren’t willing to take on more of a tax burden. Why do the taxpayers of Sarasota have to build a facility that the Reds will profit from?By Tim in Stuttgart
March 7, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
Sorry, Still not going to Az. Some other Fl. team will get my money. Great too see Cueto stepping up.By TJ
March 7, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
Its not as if the whole team is moving to become the Goodyear Reds. From all I can tell the Goodyear site is a beautiful state-of-the-art facility. Also, think of the all-Ohio combo of Red Legs and Wahoos, that has to add an exciting twist to the desert relocation. As far as Cueto goes, if he proves himself this Spring he of course deserves a spot in the rotation. I just hope Dusty is cautious with him and doesn’t burn out a solid young arm.By Ryan
March 7, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
I’m all for baseball tradition, but the location of spring hardly gets me roweled up. Sarasota voters proved to us that the didn’t want us there. Goodyear, on the other hand, opened their arms to us. I’m all for the Reds going to where they’re wanted, and where they’ll get the best care and attention from the city.By Y-City Jim
March 7, 2008 3:45 PM | Link to this
Cueto has to be in the rotation. This kid could make the Reds a serious team to deal with if the bullpen is decent.By Deaner
March 7, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
The geographic shift of spring training sites continues… a sad day for baseball traditionalists.