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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > March > 14 > Entry
Of lies and truths
The morning clubhouse was a blast from the past - there were more former Cincinnati Reds than current Cincinnati Reds lounging in chairs at 8:30, and there were more lies being told than in a lawyer’s office.
Lee May, former Reds first baseman, and Jack Billingham, former Cincinnati pitcher, were hassling one another. Both were part of a huge trade that sent May to Houston and Billingham to Cincinnati.
“They traded the whole damn Houston club for me,” said May. “And they included cash and a clubhouse boy.” The trade actually sent May, Tommy Helms and Jimmy Stewart to Houston for Joe Morgan, Billingham, Cesar Geronimo, Denis Menke and Ed Armbrister.
Billingham was the pitcher who gave up Hank Aaron’s 714th home run to tie Babe Ruth, the all-time record at the time. Current manager Dusty Baker was on-deck for the Atlanta Braves when Aaron connected.
“I wasn’t looking to see who was on-deck,” said Billingham.
May had been teasing Billingham this week. “The Slam from Birmingham (May’s nickname) owned you,” said May.
Billingham had somebody look it up and he said, “May hit one home run off me and batted .112. That’ll shut him up. But Dusty hit five home runs off me — but good for only six RBIs.”
Eric Davis, a next-generation player after May and Billingham, was listening to the back-and-forth and saw me standing there.
Davis played in the Marge Schott era and I was one of several writers banned from the media dining room for writing the truth about the Reds — they were bad.
Davis sent several pizzas to the press box one day, “And Marge called me into her office and said, ‘Why’d you do that? I’m trying to make a point.’” Davis said, “Because they get hungry up there.”
Davis said Schott once called the entire team up to her office during a bad spell to plead with them to play better, “Even though we were decimated by injuries and the only regulars in the lineup were me and Todd Benzinger. She said, ‘Maybe you guys aren’t praying hard enough.’ “
“I asked her, ‘Hey, what if the pitcher is praying hard and we’re praying hard? Who’s going to win that one?’ I told her with the lineup we had we were a Triple-A team, a bad Triple-A team. We stunk.”
Manager Dusty Baker, an old-school guy, loves having Ken Griffey Sr., May, Billingham, Davis, Benzinger, Geronimo, Jim Maloney, Mario Soto (who works for the team) and Ted Power (who works for the team) hanging around his players.
“I love having those guys around and I tell my players to soak up everything they can from them,” said Baker. “Get their (phone) numbers and if you ever need anything, talk to them. Most of the time old-timers aren’t going to volunteer stuff, you have to come to them.
“They can learn how to play first base from Todd Benzinger, Geronimo on how to play the outfield and when to use your arm. Talk to Jack Billingham if they are having trouble with their slider, because that was his specialty. Sinker and slider,” Baker added.
Baker said he told pitcher Homer Bailey to go to the end of the dugout and talk with Soto, “Because pitching coach Dick Pole is busy during a game.” Bailey was there the entire game.
Baker was told about his five home runs, but only six RBIs, in his career against Billingham and he laughed and said, “Hey, it wasn’t my fault Hank Aaron cleared the bases ahead of me.”
In Friday afternoon’s game against the New York Yankees, Matt Belisle did his best to pitch his way out of the rotation with an abysmal outing - three innings (he was scheduled for four), seven runs, nine hits, two walks, 62 pitches, only 36 strikes.
He gave up a three-run homer to A-Rod in the first, then had two outs and nobody on in the second and gave up a run in the second, then had two outs and nobdoy on in the third and gave up five straight hits for three runs.
With Homer Baiely struggling, with Jeremy Affeldt struggling, with Matt Belisle struggling, all those rotation options are skidding into mediocrity.
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Comments
By fred
March 16, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
starting rotation is looking great in my eyes. now that may be a little byist but im excited thats all im saying.
By fred
March 16, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
starting rotation is looking great in my eyes. now that may be a little byist but im excited thats all im saying.
By JRed
March 15, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez and Fogg. Sounds like a rotation that is at least as good as it was in 1999. Bailey is not ready for prime time as a big league starter and probably should go to Louisville—unless there is an injury and/or he is needed as the prime long reliever. Do not despair Bailey devotees. He is young, still more thrower, than pitcher, and he will be back soon enough. But the young man has to show us whether he is the next Roger Clemens (sans ‘roids) or the next Scott Scudder.
By Tom
March 15, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
Mediocrity, Hal? 1 & 2 are set, Fogg looks like a solid end of the rotation option and Cueto is coming out of nowhere to be #3. All we need is that 4/5 slot … Belisle is dropping and Homer is too slightly, I hope it is Volquez or Bailey: Harang Arroyo Cueto Bailey or EV Fogg sounds good to me!
By Gary Maloy Jr.
March 15, 2008 2:33 AM | Link to this
To redfuture: The only thing you’re doing with that suggestion is saving the young studs’ arms/shoulders for innings. Net gain of 2 or 3 wins? The way I see it, we need to have faith in our young studs and let them face Santana - and beat him. When we can prove that we can beat Santana (and Roy Oswalt), then we know we’re ready for October. If we transfer your plan to all of baseball - shall every team in the league handicap Santana so as to take care of their young studs? What kind of free ride to the Cooperstown is that?! Let Santana face the best there is! Bad idea, redsfuture.
By redfuture
March 14, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
Sorry to get off point a bit but here goes…. I know that good managers try to identify strengths and leverage them to their advantage. Here is my question though. Why don’t they try to identify weaknesses and leverage them to their advantage as well? Here is a scenario that I have in mind. Bear with me. The Red hitters are notoriously deficient versus LH pitching. Also assume that Cueto and Volquez keep doing what they are doing and go into the rotation. Assume further that one of their regular turns comes up against Ted Lily, Rich Hill, Tom Gorzelany, Johan Santana or Cole Hamels. Why not give the young stud an extra day off and plug the spot/long man in to pitch that game instead? Reds more than likely lose that game regardless. Come back the next day with an even fresher Cueto or Volquez against an inferior pitcher. Why allow the young stud to lose a game in which he gives up only 2 or 3 runs? Especially when an off-day is coming up within 5 days to re-sync the rotation and skip the 5th starter entirely. This way the young stud innings are held down a bit plus optimize the team’s chances to win. Looks to me like a good way to get a net gain of 2 or 3 more wins on the year. Heck, even one more win could spell the difference.
By Gary Maloy Jr.
March 14, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this
mmmm….. In both 1973 and 1974, Billingham won 19 games. During that time, Dusty Baker hit 41 HRs and drove in 168 runs. The Braves won 76 and 88 games those two years (good for 5th and 3rd places). The Reds won 99 and 98 (that’s gold and silver, Reds fans) during those same years. Billinghame meant alot more to the Reds than Baker meant to the Braves. Oh, and Hammerin’ Hank was an afterthought in 1974, playing in only 112 games, before being traded to the Brewers in November. Dusty Baker was traded to the Dodgers in November 1975, where he and Billingham continued to battle each other through the 1977 season after which Billingham was traded to Detroit. In other words, Dusty Baker and Hank Aaron played together - against Jack Billingham for 3 seasons (1972-73-74). (No, I’m not taking into consideration 1970-71 when Billingham pitched for the Astros and Baker played 43 games for the Braves.) I don’t mean to build up to a meaningless argument; I’m just being faithful to the Big Red Machine. Numbers don’t lie - Baker could barely get on-base against Billingham. But, hey, lockerroom arguments are just that; and lots of fun - especially 30-35 years after the fact! I’m glad to have Billingham at spring training, and it’s good to have Dusty Baker in our dugout this time!
By Paul, Dayton OH
March 14, 2008 4:06 PM | Link to this
i am not seeing the # 715 anywhere in this article……don’t get what you guys are talking about.
By ms
March 14, 2008 12:45 PM | Link to this
I see some others have pointed out it was Al Downing and not Billingham that gave up 715….Shake it off Hal…everyone else in The Hall of Fame made an error at one time in their career…You’re still the best!!!
By null
March 14, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Hal says..”Billingham was the pitcher who gave up Hank Aaron’s 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth, the all-time record at the time. “. Naw…it was 714…where is that DDN fact checker??…oops!!
By Pete
March 14, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
Hey Hal, Menke came to the Reds in the Houston trade & Billingham gave up Aaron’s 714th home run. Al Downing gave up 715.