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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 > August > 30
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Another good change-up artist
Looks as if the Reds have another functional arm that knows how to throw change-ups that keep hitters off stride.
OK, OK, so it was the San Francisco Giants, the NL West version of the Cincinnati Reds. They have nearly identical records.
But 24-year-old rookie Ramon Ramirez was impressive - after his fifth pitch of the game to San Francisco leadoff hitter Randy Winn went spiraling into the stands for a leadoff home run.
Over seven innings, Ramirez gave up three runs and five hits, walked two and struck out six.
He is another Edinson Volquez and/or Johnny Cueto - except he is from Venezuela, not the Dominican Republic. And while Volquez and Cueto get their fastballs giddy-upping at 95 and 96, Ramirez only touches 91-92.
But he had the Giants swinging at the breeze.
He left with a 6-3 lead after seven, and said he could have gone eight, but manager Dusty Baker thought 98 pitches was enough and wanted him to leave on a positive note.
Bill Bray then gave up three straight hits, including Winn’s second homer of the game. Mike Lincoln came in and blew the save, giving up the tying run on Aaron Rowand’s home run.
And here’s one baseball rule that stinks like a dead skunk in the middle of the road. Lincoln blew the save, gave up the tying run. Yet when the Reds scored in the bottom of the eighth, that made Lincoln the winning pitcher. How bad does that smell? Rotten as Denmark, as they say - although I hear Denmark is a nice place to visit.
Anyway, the Ramirez kid looked good and deserves another shot. But if Johnny Cueto is ready by the time Friday rolls around, Ramirez will be back in Louisville trying to help the Bats win the playoffs.
Here’s what Ramirez said of his major-league debut:
Of his first batter hitting a home run: “I was feeling nervous and I was trying to calm down and make adjustments after that.
“I tried to relax and think about the way I was pitching in Louisville,” he added. And of his first taste of the majors, he added, “It was the best thing ever.”
At least we think that’s what he said. Like Cueto, he doesn’t speak English and his words were interpreted to us by Juan “Porky” Lopez.
I remember when Fernando Valenzuela first joined the Dodgers from Mexico and spoke no English. He would be asked a question and his answer would go on and on, like: Da-da-da-da. Da-da-da-da-da. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-day.”
And the interpreter would say, “He said, ‘I felt good.” Oh-kay. I took two years of Spanish in college, cut too many classes, so I have only myself to blame for needing an interpreter.
So what did Baker think of Ramirez?
“It was a very good seven innings, one of the better seven innings from somebody we called up and it might be the best,” Baker added. “He was calm and cool and you could tell he is a good athlete. He gave us what we needed.”
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TweetCueto close, Masset injured (slightly)
God bless Continental Airlines. It is so nice to find an airline that still cares, still gives service and doesn’t gouge.
Flew Continental from Houston to Dayton Friday, No extra charge for luggage. Left on time. They served ham sandwiches, drinks and plain M&Ms. No extra charge. Arrived early. My luggage was the SECOND off the carousel and the one wheel that United left on my luggage on the trip from Denver to Houston was still there.
One complaint. How about some peanut M&Ms? Just kidding. I managed to spill my Diet Coke all over my lap and the flight attendant was ready with mucho towels and a whole new can of Diet Coke.
Service. What a concept.
SOME NUGGETS:
Johnny Cueto played long toss before Saturday’s game and all went smoothly. The plan is for a couple of bullpen sessions to test his elbow, then a decision.
“He’s chomping at the bit,” said manager Dusty Baker. “If it wants to pitch and he is OK to pitch after the two bullpen sessions, why not let him pitch?”
I can think of quite a few reasons why not. He is 22. He has pitched 155 innings this year after 30-some in winter ball and after 20-some in spring training. He is approaching 200 innings, maybe already past it.
Now I check the standings and what do my wondrous eyes see? Twenty-seven games to go and 26 games out of first place. Why? What take a chance on a 22-year-old pitcher who has been exposed to enough big-leaague experience this year to know what it’s all about. He doesn’t need any more this year, does he?
TO MAKE ROOM for Saturday’s pitcher, rookie Ramon Ramirez, the Reds sent infielder Adam Rosales back to Louisville and Baker said, “He’s going back to help them win the playoffs, then come back to re-join us.”
Rosales says it is a win-win situation for him: “If I stayed here I’d be exposed to the big-league experience, the learning experience. That’s good. But I’m going where I get to play every day and hopefully I can help bring a ring back to the Cincinnati organization.”
Told that he had a great attitude, Rosales said, “Always, man. Always.”
RELIEF PITCHER Nick Masset was not available Friday or Saturday after he banged his pitching hand on something when he was involved in an accident.
It happened as he was driving home from the airport when the Reds returned from Houston Monday night and he was within 500 yards of his home.
“A young woman pulled out of the Kenwood Mall in front of me,” he said. “I was two minutes from home. Everybody is OK, but my car (Lincoln Mark LT) may be totaled. We probably won’t get the verdict until Tuesday when the insurance company gets to it. The front end is smashed really bad.”
Masset said he thinks his pitching hand is good enough that he plans to throw on the side Sunday, “And I may even be game ready. The man is just a little bumped up. My car? Much, much worse.”
Said Baker, “My mom always told me accidents happen within a mile of your house. I believe it. So the closer I get to home, the more careful I am and the slower I drive.”
Said one media comedian, “A friend of mine heard that most accidents happen within a mile of home, so he moved.”
The story, as I heard it, is that Chris Dickerson is a nephew of former NFL running back Eric Dickerson. Wrong. A myth.
“That got into some bio the first year of my career and it has never stopped,” said Dickerson. “We’re not related. I get asked all the time - when I sign autographs, by members of the other team. The legend continues.”
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TweetCease and desist - NOW!!!
This is going to be short and not so sweet.
I’m appalled and disturbed and angry.
You may have noticed I didn’t post Friday. I am seriously considering shutting this thing down. I was going to keep it going in the off-season, now I’m not sure.
I couldn’t believe it when I got back from Houston Friday and checked the blog.
Some of you are out of control. This is not a blog for politics, religion or ANYTHING other than baseball and the Reds (with some minor transgressions on my part about my travels and relationships - not political, not religious.
Yes, I read every comment on the blog. I don’t answer. They are your discussions. But I DO read them and what I saw Friday turned my stomach.
Matt, why did you bring religion to this blog? I haven’t said anything to you while you have hogged the blog and tried to be a policeman and criticized other people’s postings.
I respect your opinion and permit you to express it. But let other people express theirs, too, without telling them they are wrong or criticizing them.
The name-calling MUST stop. Please don’t make me go through the blog every day and delete postings. That’s too much work and I don’t have time.
It would be much easier to just shut it down. I hate to do that because tons of people read it and never comment. It is the same folks arguing back-and-forth.
Let’s be civilized and respect each other. Leave the politics and religion for blogs about politics and religion - so I don’t have to waste a post trying to keep the space a fun place to come. Some of you are chasing away readers.
Thanks and I look forward to returning to the days of intelligent postings and intelligent discussions.
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