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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 > 28 > Entry
Hiding from the elements
Sitting in the press box at 3 o’clock, four hours before game time, looking at the overcast skies. Rain predicted. Might be best for the Cincinnati Reds these days. Rain, rain and lots more rain.
Lightning is dancing around the skies and somebody said, “Just get yourself a one-iron golf club and hold it over your head. Not even God can hit a one-iron.”
Before batting practice could begin, they pulled a tarp over the field and Reds pitcher David Weathers headed for the clubhouse, telling people who asked if it is raining, “I don’t know, but they’re gathering animals in pairs.”
Staring at the scoreboard in Progressive and they’re testing the bulbs color by color - red, blue, white, black, green. How many bulbs? 3 million. I didn’t count ‘em, somebody told me.
A young man who works for the Indians is telling somebody that Shoeless Joe Jackson is his all-time favorite player because the man’s grandfather used to read Shoeless Joe’s mail to him because Jackson could neither read nor write.
You can’t make this good stuff up.
Dusty Baker said something interesting after Friday’s 6-0 loss to the Indians. Unsolicited. For the first time, somebody with the Reds brought up Josh Hamilton’s name.
The question was about the offense, the lack thereof. Hamilton’s name wasn’t mentioned. Said Baker, “We lost a big bat out of the middle of our lineup, traded it to Texas. But we did obtain (pitcher) Edinson Volquez. But Josh Hamilton was a big bat in the middle of our order.”
From that, Baker went to his familiar and all-true refrain: “We strike out too much. Way too much. We have to do better. Much better.” C.C. Sabathia struck out 11 Reds.
At the halfway point to the season, not one Reds hitter is on pace for 100 RBIs, but six are on pace for more than 100 strikeouts (Adam Dunn, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Paul Bako, Ken Griffey Jr., Edwin Encarnacion).
The Reds have struck out 564 times, which isn’t the worst in the NL, but the guys who are whiffing the most are the guys who are supposed to be driving in the runs.
Speaking of Sabathia, he hit a 440-foot home run when the Indians played in Dodger Stadium and the pitcher had to bat. Whose bat did he use? Adam Dunn’s.
When the Tribe was in Cincinnati in late May, Sabathia borrowed some bats from Dunn and used one for his home run.
“I’m going over there and get it back,” said Dunn. “I used to work out with C.C. and he is a very good athlete. I’ve played basketball with him and thrown passes to him in football. Don’t let how big he is fool you. He’s a good athlete.”
So who’s bigger? C.C. or Adam? Dunn is 6-7, 275 pounds. C.C. is 6-7, 290. Whatever, the scales are yelling no mas, no mas after those two step on them back-to-back.
Said Dunn, “I gave him two bats. Obviously the wrong one. I’m going over there and get it back.” Now there is a wrestling match I’d pay to see.
Before Friday’s game, manager Dusty Baker spotted Daryl Thompson on the street, carrying a McDonald’s bag.
“Son, c’mere,” said Baker. “What kind of car do you drive?”
Thompson told Baker he drove a Lincoln Navigator and Baker said, “Do you put cheap leaded fuel in it or do you put supreme high-test? You put the cheap stuff in it and it’s going to start sputtering. Same with your body. You’re gonna run out of fuel late in the game eating that stuff.”
It was suggested that Thompson might be used to minor-league meal money, which barely pays for a couple of Big Macs. Said Baker, “I’ve seen a lot of Latin players their first year lose weight. I ask them about it and they told me they send most of their meal money home to their families.
“I always told them to take care of their bodies and eat right and soon they’ll be making a lot more money to send home to their families.”
Baker, turning philosophical, as he often does, shook his head and said, “Tomorrow is a tough sell when you’re young.”
Hey, man, it is even tougher when you’re old.
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By Colgar
July 2, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
I read somewhere that Pittsburgh pitcher John Van Benschoten holds the Kent State and MAC single season home run record with 31. Was it your record that he broke? It couldn’t have been Stick Michael’s. He couldn’t hit 31 home runs in APBA if you let him roll the dice for a month straight.
By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
June 29, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
Mercy, this might have been your best blog post of the year, and that says something. What a great, great read. Get bored more often. Puh-leez
By coach
June 28, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this
They are so close to being a legitimate contender—well, maybe not so close: eliminating Griffey/some bad pitching/Dunn/Encarnacion/PATTERSON/YO-YO Arroyo—and adding some good right-handed hitters for the outfield—and we could be right there!
By Hal McCoy
June 28, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
H-TUCKY: Hey, my friend. Please don’t quote something from Yahoo that I wrote two days before on MY BLOG. Makes me think you aren’t paying attention, buddy. As you can tell, I;m pretty bored right now. Hal
By FedUp
June 28, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this
Interesting stat that Marty just shared: Corey Patterson has the lowest on-base percentage of any Reds player in the last 48 years. How ‘bout that, Dusty?!
By HuberTucky
June 28, 2008 7:39 PM | Link to this
Here we go…1st inning , the Reds have a GREAT scoring opportunity, but they forgot how. Lack of hustle running to first (Brandon must be watching Griffey)and a space-out going to second (Bruce)… it’s starting to rub off on him, too. This does not bode well for tonight’s game. I hope I’m wrong but it looks like my June 9th prediction of 5-13 for the 18 games ahead (at that point) might just come to pass. I sure hope not. C’mon Reds, win one. Whoops UPDATE pass ball Bako (totally catchable)…and whoops, Cueto just hit a man toload the bases. I like what Chris Welch just said “I was taught to run hard all the time. These guys need somebody to give them a kick in the behind.” Yeah, they’d probably file a greviance for player abuse if you talked to these big shots like that. Sigh.
By Hal McCoy
June 28, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this
Hey, Todcop: Do you think I made it up. The quote marks around Dusty’s statement means he said it, my friend. HAL
By Hal McCoy
June 28, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
Hey, Todcop: Do you think I made that up? The quotes around it means he said it, my friend. HAL
By Y-City Jim
June 28, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this
Think I exaggerate the effects of Arlington? Look at Hamilton’s home/away splits: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6679/splits;_ylt=AmryqHPFwmY.exJh2K3EXQWFCLcF
By Y-City Jim
June 28, 2008 6:01 PM | Link to this
I think if Hamilton were here that he would be struggling along with everyone else. Plus Arlington Stadium makes GABP look like a pitcher’s stadium.
By todcon
June 28, 2008 5:57 PM | Link to this
“We lost a big bat out of the middle of our lineup, traded it to Texas. But we did obtain (pitcher) Edinson Volquez. But Josh Hamilton was a big bat in the middle of our order.” Did Baker actually just say that?
By rob
June 28, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
Speaking of Thompson, he is listed at 6’ even. Of course, that means he is probably closer to 5”10’ or 5”11’. No big deal he seems to have an idea on the mind.
By Pat
June 28, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this
Let me guess, Dusty took the full McDonalds bag from Daryl and left? Maybe Dick Pole should give him some eating advice too.