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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 > 31
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Corey Patterson: right or wrong?
It took manager Dusty Baker a while to think about it, but on Sunday - the day after the event - he was ready to explain and defend, uh, Corey Patterson.
On Saturday night, with the Reds leading, 7-6, in the eighth inning, Patterson was on third and Ryan Hanigan was on first with one out.
Pinch-hitter Javier Valentin unloaded a bullet down the first base line. Giants first baseman Pablo Sandoval stopped the ball right at the bag. He immediately stepped on first for the put out on Valentin.
That, though, removed the force at second on Hanigan. Patterson started home from third, but hesitated. Had he sprinted from the crack of the bat he crossed home plate before Hanigan was tagged out at second, the run would have counted.
Instead, Sandoval threw to second and Hanigan was tagged out, the third out, before Patterson crossed home. No run.
After the game, Baker said he wasn’t watching Patterson but when it was explained that he had hesitated, or stopped, Baker criticized him.
On Sunday, he changed his mind and explained, without asking, “I thought about that afterwards. That wasn’t a bad play on Corey’s part. If that was an accomplished first baseman (Sandovar is a catcher), he would have tagged first and thrown home. Not thrown to second. That’s why Corey stopped. A more accomplished first baseman wouldn’t have gone for a double play the way he did, by throwing to second with a runner on third.
“As hard as Javier hit that ball? If her had stepped on first and threw home, Corey would have been out by a mile,” said Baker.
Uh, don’t know about that.
OK, here’s another one. When Sandoval stepped on first, removing the force at second, why didn’t Ryan Hanigan stop en route to second and get in a rundown, enabling Patterson to possibly score from third? Instead, Hanigan continued hard into second, without hesitating, and was tagged out.
What do you folks think? Is Dusty right? Is he protecting Patterson (I KNOW your answer to this one)?
Instead of getting picked off all the time and making baserunning gaffes, maybe Patterson, with his speed, should adapt the old Chris Sabo T-ball baserunning theory: run until you are out. Just keep running until somebody tags you out or you score.
SOME NEWS:
Wilkin Castillo is not a household name, but manager Dusty Baker thinks of him as several kitchen utensils rolled into one.
Castillo is a catcher by name, but also plays first baseball, second base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field — and wouldn’t it be easier to say he plays everything but pitcher and center field?
“He’s Eli Marrero, that’s who he is,” said Baker. Marrero played 10 years in the majors, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals, and was a catcher/first baseman/outfielder.
Castillo, 24, was called up Sunday from Class AAA Louisville, where he has been since the Reds acquired him in the August 14 trade of Adam Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He combined to hit .248 at Class AAA Tucson and Louisville, but the big thing is that he caught 54 games, played 48 games at third, five games at second, six games at shorstop and eight games in left field.
“I had to have another player because I played a man short yesterday (Saturday) and I didn’t want to be another man short today (Sunday), especially for the outfield,” said Baker. “I was short Saturday.” To make room, pitcher Ramon Rameriz, who was outstanding in his major-league debut Saturday, was optioned to Class A Sarasota.
It it a procedural move, a paper shuffle. Ramirez didn’t actually go to Sarasota. The SaraReds season is over and Ramirez will return to the Reds roster Tuesday when it can be expanded from 25 to as many as 40.
ANOTHER PITCHER joins the Reds Tuesday when bullpenner Jared Burton returns from the disabled list, where he has resided since the week before the All-Star break.
He pitched an inning Thursday and an inning Saturday on rehab at Louisville and was back in the Reds’ clubhouse Sunday, ready to pitch.
“My command was better Saturday than Thursday, but there was some rust Thursday,” said Burton. On Saturday he walked one, but gave up no hits or runs. “It has been a long time and I’m anxious to get back and finish strong. I was having a good season and I’ve worked hard, now I want to get the rewards of that hard work the last month.”
Said Baker, “Jared was having a great year, almost an All-Star year, really.”
SECOND BASEMAN Brandon Phillips was given a rare day off Sunday, meaning with today’s off day he gets two straight days.
“Brandon hasn’t had a day off in I don’t know how long,” said Baker. “I believe he has played all but two games (133 of the first 137). I can see him slowing down a little bit. He’ll be ready Tuesday.”
An indicator that Phillips is tired is the fact he has been thrown out trying to steal in four of his last five attempts.
Jolbert Cabrera started at second and has now started eight games at shortstop, three in right field, four in left field, three at second base and two at third base. Another Eli Marrero?
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