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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 > 2009 > April > 21 > Entry
King Arthur wants no court
Writers from other cities where Arthur Rhodes pitched warned me: “He’s different. He’s, ah, a bit intimadating.”
If you’ve seen his stern, intimidating look on the mound, well, that’s the way he looks all the time - in the clubhouse, on th team bus, probably in church, if he goes.
Admittedly, I’ve avoided the guy. During spring training as I was heading out the clubhouse door outfielder Darnell McDonald was coming in from the other side. He saw me and stopped and held the door for me. Seeing that, Rhodes said, “Why are you doing that? He’s only a reporter.”
I was tempted to say, “Well, you’re only a 39-year-old relief pitcher,” but I value my teeth.
On Monday, Rhodes pitched an exciting eighth inning with the Reds up, 4-3. He filled the bases with two outs and then engaged in a 10-pitch battle with Houston’s Hunter Pence. He threw 10 straight fastballs, finally striking out Pence to end the inning.
“That was awesome,” said manager Dusty Baker. “That was like the playoffs, fans standing and screaming.” Rhodes gave up a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Jason Michaels, “on a breaking pitch, not his best pitch. From there, though, he went with his best pitch (including the 10 straight fastballs to Pence).”
So I decided to chat with Rhodes about that Pence at-bat and the inning. As I approached his locker, he said, “Nope. I’m done. No talking. You’re not going to mess up my rhythm.” And he got up and walked into the trainer’s room.
Yeah, strange dude. But he’s doing his job, so I’ll give him the space he wants and not step all over his rhythm.
JOEY VOTTO granted somebody from Yahoo.com an interview in the clubhouse Tuesday, being polite as usual.
“But the guy started asking me a bunch of strange questions,” said Votto. He asked about bowling and mustaches and why didn’t Votto play for the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic instead of Canada? Votto, polite as always, let the guy finish but shook his head later and said, “I was nice to him, polite to him. But I should have shut him down. That was a good learning experience for me.”
THE TEMPERATURES were expected to be near freezing at game time Tuesday and manager Dusty Baker said, “The guys I feel sorry for are the guys in the bullpen. It’s not covered, you just sit out in the open.”
David Weathers, a guy who doesn’t appear in games before the eighth inning, smiled and said, “You’ll see me go out there about the seventh inning,” implying he’d be in the warm comforts of the clubhouse until then.
The lineup? Yes, Alex Gonzalez and Ramon Hernandez were back in the lineup and Paul Janish and Ryan Hanigan were back in the dugout.
JERRY HAIRSTON Jr. was watching himself on video - the play in left field Monday in Houston where he ran into the corner of the left field wall. “I wasn’t even trying to catch the ball because it was too far up on the wall. I was just trying to brace myself for the collision with the wall.”
Hairston stayed down a few minutes and trainer Mark Mann ran to his aid, but he stayed in the game. Pitcher Bronson Arroyo was listening and said, “I missed it. But I hear you put on an Academy Award performance.”
BAKER TO a Chicago writer: “I really like my team and we’re going to get better. In our division, everybody is capable of beating everybody else so that should keep things close.”
How about the money aspect and the Cubs’ $140 million payroll, twice as high as Cincinnati’s? Does that make a difference in any part of a team’s makeup, like the bench? “All aspects,” said Baker. “The lineup, the bench, the relief pitching, the pitching.” So far, though, it hasn’t helped the last place Houston Astros, who have a $105 million payroll.
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By JB
April 24, 2009 1:51 PM | Link to this
Read Yahoo’s “Answer Man” interview with Jay Bruce, then read the interview with Votto … one of these guys REALLY needs to lighten up. And it’s not Bruce.
By Pauls brother
April 23, 2009 9:50 PM | Link to this
paul is a dummy.
By blogcopwatcher
April 22, 2009 11:34 PM | Link to this
Hey Albert! After reading this statement from your stupid a$$; was wondering if you are FAT, also? Obviously you haven’t been paying attention to the fine young leftfielder, Dickerson. What was it his first error? You’re an idiot.
By Albert
April 22, 2009 9:01 AM | Link to this
Dickerson in LF is horrible..that guy plays like a single A player..can the Reds score more then 2 runs a game
By N
April 21, 2009 10:42 PM | Link to this
Rhodes seemed like a nice fellow when he was on P-Doc’s show during spring training…
By Big Daddy
April 21, 2009 9:53 PM | Link to this
Owings is lucky the wind is blowing in to left and center. The Cubs would have about 10 runs by now and it is the 5th inning.