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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 > June > 24 > Entry
Tales from Toronto
A fire alarm went off at 12:45 this afternoon in the Westin Harbor Castle, but we all know it wasn’t because the Cincinnati Reds’ bats were on fire.
It was a false alarm, just as the Reds put up so many false alarms with minor winning streaks, only to revert to being The Hitless Blunders.
Walked the seven blocks to the Rogers Centre — formerly SkyDome. Watched them roll back that humongous roof. Takes 20 minutes, and when open it looks like a giant version of the Hollywood Bowl.
Of course, I had nothing else to do. A computer expert with the Blue Jays worked 45 minutes on my computer, trying to get it to hook up to the internet. Amazing that they had so much trouble with the wireless. Rogers (the Rogers Centre) is a telecommunications company.
We’re good to go now — I hope. I’d hate to revert to the Golden Days of journalism when I’d have to call the office and say, “Give me the sports desk and a dictationist.” Then I’d have to dictate my story to somebody who would type it. Yech.
There is much excitement in Toronto because Cito Gaston is back as B-Jays manager and this was his first home game. It also excited Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker.
“Got one of my own boys up here now,” he said. “Cito and I go way back.”
Bakler said he and Gaston share a baseball bubblegum card, “One of those manager’s cards where they put two managers on one card, half and half,” said Baker. “I had him sign it and I still have it. I think it was 1993 (the year Gaston and the Blue Jays won the World Series and Baker was in San Francisco).”
And they go back farther than that.
“My first year in pro ball, 1967, I was playing in Austin, Texas, and Cito was on my team,” said Baker. “We played our first game in Little Rock, Ark., and I dropped the first fly ball hit to me. I started crying and called my mom and said I was coming home. But Cito grabbed the phone and told my mom, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.’ And he did.”
Baker said he and Gaston call each other constantly for advice and to cheer each other up when things aren’t going so well.
And, of course, this is a homecoming for Joey Votto, who grew up 20 minutes from Rogers Centre. His mom and dad own a restaurant and dad is the chef. Votto said if he didn’t play baseball, he’d be a chef.
“Votto can be one of our team leaders,” Baker told Toronto writers. “He never gets out of line and is very respectful. He mom and dad did a great job. You tell him something that he did wrong and he says, ‘Don’t worry, skip, it won’t ever happen again.’ “
Votto is the regular first baseman and will play every day, regardless, but Baker says he always tries to get a player into a game in front of his hometown friends and family.
“I can remember a teammate of mine once was going home to play for the first time and he left 50 tickets,” said Baker. “He didn’t get a sniff — didn’t play, didn’t pinch-hit, didn’t pinch-run. Nothing. I said right then that if I became a manager I’d always get a player into a game in his hometown. And I do.”
With Edwin Encarnacion out of Tuesday’s lineup with back spasms, Baker came up with another innovative lineup. Adam Dunn was batting second.
“Toronto has four left-handers in the bullpen and you have to be careful not to stack your left-handed hitters,” said Baker. “Pittsburgh has three lefties in the bullpen, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen four.”
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By Mike
June 25, 2008 4:51 PM | Link to this
Reasons why Dunn doesn’t bat 2nd..he is 7 for last 60..a whopping .116..out of the last 231 AB’s he has struck out 77 times…that computes to 1 K every 3 AB’s. He can’t bunt, at 6’7 280 lbs he sure doesn’t have the speed for the top of the order..
By null
June 25, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
I think that Dunn should always bat second. He gets on base alot. The third and fourth hitters should be Phillips and Votto.
By Bill
June 25, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this
Forget the Reds…that was embarrasing. I’ve stayed at the Westin Harbor Castle. Very nice hotel Hal! There is a little joint right next to it, in front of the boat that has the best Gyros in the world!
By donb51
June 25, 2008 9:22 AM | Link to this
Hi Hal, I’ve noticed a recurring theme about Dusty Baker when you write about him - For example, you wrote, “Votto can be one of our team leaders,” Baker told Toronto writers. “He never gets out of line and is very respectful. His mom and dad did a great job. You tell him something that he did wrong and he says, ‘Don’t worry, skip, it won’t ever happen again.’ “ Now, it seems that there is a thread of commonality about Dusty coming through in your writings. Dusty seems to be overly concerned with how players respond to his correction of them. I certainly hope Dusty has an approach for correcting players that is respectful and not derogatory. A leader should be able to earn his men’s respect by treating them like men instead of recruits. Now, I am not in a position to really observe if Dusty is positively correcting his players, but fans chanting Cito Gaston’s name tells me managers can make a big difference, one way or the other. Semper Fi from Virginia.
By HuberTucky
June 24, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this
When I saw that Arroyo was matched against Burnett, I went ahead and put a big “L” on my calendar page, knowing the game was over before it began. What the hell is wrong with these highly paid “professionals?” Arroyo and Harrang are getting worse, not better. And tonight, it takes Pole way too long to come out to the mound…most of us already saw BA implode before the glacial Pole lumbered out to the mound. Fire him and get Mazzone NOW! The last place Reds just keep getting worse. Imagine this team without Volquez, Cueto, Votto, Bruce, Kepp, Phillips, Hopper. Imagine the high points being Griffey, Dunn, Arroyo, Harrang. Very depressing to be a Reds fan these days (these years). Go Rockies. Go D Backs, Go somebody! Oh, I guess Dunn and the Reds really showed Ricciardi, huh!?
By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
June 24, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Uh Hal, I think you and Fay can write your ledes. :)
By rusty
June 24, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this
in 2 of burnetts last 3 outings he has given up 8 runs and what happens when he faces us ? CY BURNETT im embarrased to be a reds fan watching arroyo pitch. Like odave is crying said how can 3 kids 24 years old and 2 22 year olds shut down the yanks in 3 straight games then arroyo come and pitch like this to a team that had lost 9 of its last 12 games and at the bottom of the al in most offensive categories
By Wizard
June 24, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Are they still charging admission to see these guys play?
By Chris S
June 24, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
This game is almost too painful to watch- another less than stellar performance by Bronson Arroyo. It’s time to get rid of him and pitching coach Dick Pole. Please tell me why Pole FINALLY came out to calm Arroyo down after the score quickly ballooned to 4-0. He always comes too late and after the damage is already done. It’s too bad this outing didn’t help Arroyo’s trade chances. He must have a JTM contract that says he can’t leave, after having such a horrible evening with scouts looking on.
By rlg
June 24, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
Obviously, something is very wrong with Arroyo…even going back to last year. I think it is time for him to visit AAA and get straightened out, no matter how long it takes. It is a real momentum killer to have the three young guns pitch their hearts out, only to have them get bombed every time he pitches. Maybe time to bring Maloney up…a left hander, and change the mix of what other teams see.
By ohdave is crying
June 24, 2008 8:04 PM | Link to this
I’m crying like Chris Welsh in that meat commercial, and for the same reason: The god awful pitching of Bronson Arroyo. The guy is a joke. After the last three pitching perfomances, Arroyo ought to be ashamed to go out there and get demolished like that. The guy has no heart, no desire, and no clue. Sigh. What happened to “we’re just not going to lose anymore?” I wish Castellini meant that.
By Mandy
June 24, 2008 6:27 PM | Link to this
Any word on a Dunn/Ricciardi brush?
By Mandy
June 24, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
Any word on a Dunn/Ricciardi brush?
By HuberTucky
June 24, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this
Uh oh, sounds like Dusty’s trying to think again. Watch out, could spell trouble!
By econprof
June 24, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this
Hal, Are you going to dine at the Votto restaurant while in Toronto? We’d all like a review.