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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 > May > 01 > Entry
All in another day’s work
While some of you absurdly used the blog the last couple of days to express racial concerns in all aspects of the Cincinnati Reds (Can’t we all just get along?), I took Thursday’s off day to go back to baseball’s roots.
And I refuse to say anything further about the racial stuff because it is so far out there — I mean, it doesn’t exist except in some of your demented minds.
Anyway, my grandson, Eric McCoy, is a catcher for Centerville High School and the Elks play Springboro Thursday at Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons. The Elks won, 7-6, with Eric scoring the walk-off run in the bottom of the last inning. He was on base all four times he batted. Was grandpa proud? I busted four buttons on my shirt.
My grandson is named after Eric Davis, my all-time favorite Red, and this spring Davis signed a baseball for my grandson.
I’D LIKE TO thank Delta Airlines for starting my trip by providing me with angst and trepidation today.
First of all, there are no direct flights from Dayton to Pittsburgh. Can you believe that. There used to be about six flights a day. That meant I had to fly Delta from Dayton to Cincinnati and then fly from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh.
My flight was scheduled for 7:15 and it’s only a 20-minute flight - wheels up to wheels down. Somebody once told me that Delta is an anachronym for Don’t Even Leave The Airport. Well, we almost didn’t leave Friday. The plane was at the airport and they had to wheel it to the gate. They wheeled it in at 7:20. By the time we boarded, it was 7:45. Then we sat and sat and sat.
Finally, the pilot says over the p.a. system: “We have to take on some more fuel.” What? First of all, how much fuel does it take from Dayton to Cincinnati? Second, didn’t jsome think of this overnight as the plane sat on the tarmac?
Well, we didn’t leave until after 8, nearly an hour late. I could have hitchhiked and made it quicker and it wouldn’t have cost the company hundreds of dollars.
And, of course, there was the usual upset baby exercising his tonsils at the gate. Now who do you think sat right behind me on the flight. It wasn’t Tanya Banks. It was the poor infant, still angry at the world - or at least his mommy and daddy. But he did quit crying once we were airborne.
Now the kicker. My flight from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh was 9:10 a.m. We were still i the air over Blue Ball or Red Lion or somewhere when the flight attendant was telling everybody their fate. To me, she said. “We’re using gate B8 and your flight leaves from A28. You probably can’t make it. It’s like a half-mile away.”
I was so upset I almost ate the barf bag. Resigned that I wouldn’t make it, I looked up as the plane pulled into the gate and it was - ta-dum - A26 - right next door to my departing flight. I made it with five minutes to spare.
AS ALWAYS, it was pouring rain when the plane landed in Pittsburgh and continued to pour during the cab ride from Pittsburgh International to downtown Pittsburgh, a trip longer by distance and time than by air from Dayton to Cincinnati.
But by early afternoon, just before I ate lunch at Primanti Brothers, the sun was checking us out. Primanti’s, by the way, is a must stop in Pittsburgh. All their sandwiches are served with french fries right on the sandwich between the bread. Supposedly, Primanti’s used to be a stop for truck driver’s, who grabbed sandwiches on the run so Primanti’s began putting the fries on the sandwich so the truck driver could eat everything at once with one hand.
THE REDS lineup for Friday was as expected: Willy Taveras, Jerry Hairston Jr. (left field), Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Adam Rosales (third base), Alex Gonzaales, Ryan Hanigan (catcher) and Bronson Arroyo.
Hairston started in place of Chris Dickerson because the Pirates started lefthander Zach Duke. Hanigan started because he is Arroyo’s personal catcher, having started all five of Arroyo’s starts.
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By wizard
May 2, 2009 9:53 PM | Link to this
And Hernandes plays in front of Hannigan because he hustles after wild pitches!I’m less interested in playing veterans, and ‘proven commodities’ than I am in playing people who are doing it NOW, regardless of their history, or lifetime stats!!!!
By Wizard
May 2, 2009 9:13 PM | Link to this
Mike-Cinci: No you don’t! That is a myth!We don’t take Bruce out—and he sure ain’t a proven commodity vs Lefties. It’s about who is ‘branded’ and who isn’t. IMO.
By duane w
May 2, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this
Eric Davis is also my all-time favorite Red…so much so, that I named my first born in his honor….You can never go wrong with Eric The Red
By Andrew
May 2, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this
check out panini’s overstuffed sandwiches in cleveland. theres one maybe 5 blocks from the stadium. italian bread, coleslaw, fries, and just about any other toppings you want.
By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
May 2, 2009 1:32 PM | Link to this
I applaud the Primanti Bros. recommendation. No place like it. Never been anywhere that has a side order of cardiologist on the menu, without shame.
By Mike-Cinci
May 2, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this
Hairston played ahead of Nix because Duke is a lefty and Nix is 0-5 so far against lefthanders. You have got to play Hairston in that situation. Is it Dickerson or Nix against the right hander on Daturday?
By Wizard
May 2, 2009 9:59 AM | Link to this
“I’m trying to figure it out,” Hanigan said. “It’s different. I’ve never been in this role before.” One word: Dusty.
By BrarHopper
May 1, 2009 11:45 PM | Link to this
Don’t get me wrong, I am always grateful for a Red’s win. Tonight’s battle of the NL titans included. But, I saw a very troubling repeat of last year with Reds players once again showing very little patience at the plate and repeatedly swing at the pitchers pitches, junk in the dirt, stuff way out of the strike zone. For the most part, I like what we’re seeing this year. The pitching has been very impressive and the team record is fines of a team with the 2nd worst batting average on the planet (Cincy .235, AZ .231). BTW, the only team in MLB with a worse fielding % is the Nationals. Two areas that MUST improve or the Reds are going nowhere.
By Mark in Sun Valley
May 1, 2009 11:29 PM | Link to this
BH, I agree Nix is a stud, but “they” were wrong. He’s hitting .310 overall. He’s 0-5 against lefties. But I would still like to see him in there against all comers, at least for a whjile.
By Wizard
May 1, 2009 11:27 PM | Link to this
Agreed Hopper!Some question marks to add: If Dusty doesn’t play favorite veterans first—why was Gonzo hitting in front of Hannigan tonight, when H has better numbers? Regardless of times at bat—Hannigan keeps proving himself, even though he plays sparingly! In addition: The entire world wanted Nix in left tonight, including me, whose favorite is Dickerson—but we saw Hairston. What a terrible disservice to Mr. Nix! Another: tonight with the bases loaded Gonzo swung at three balls in the dirt, after the pitcher demonstrated that he could not find the plate pitching to the previous hitter. He should have been watching Janish play tonight—another player who has better numbers than a starter!Play Janish. Play Hannigan.Play Nix. Play Dickerson. BLOGGERS. WHAT DO THEY KNOW?
By BrarHopper
May 1, 2009 11:01 PM | Link to this
In Wednesday’s game, they said that Lance Nix is batting .310 against left handed pitching. The guy is a stud. Plus he just had an awesome game. Plus Baker talks about playing “the hot hand.” I guess that all adds up to benching him tonight and playing Harriston. I guess this theory about Dusty’s faves is correct. Otherwise, his decision, once again, defies logic…even his own!
By Wizard
May 1, 2009 10:58 PM | Link to this
Hey Walt: What were you drinking when you said this? Better pay attention, big boy!The guys who you said aren’t any good, are proving you wrong. Now dummy Dusty needs to get Janish in the lineup, since Gonzo keeps proving me correct, also. By jocketty April 30, 2009 4:43 PM wizard..listen to you..Rosales, Dickerson, Nix, Mcdonald, hanigan..those guys are terrible..not one of them should be on a ML roster maybe nix..can you see the reds score about 2 runs a night..these are not good players
By wizard
May 1, 2009 10:02 PM | Link to this
previous wizard post not mine!
By Ian
May 1, 2009 8:24 PM | Link to this
I am currently enrolled at Ohio University, but this semester I am studying German in Austria. I am having a hard time following the Reds due to the time difference, yet I do my best. Being over here has made me realize that the USA should made more of an effort to benefit from a train system. I am sorry for getting off the topic, but it needed to be said. Public transportasian in Europe is better than ever and if the the States want to lower gas prices and strengthen the econmy then they should take advide from the Europeans. But anyways, Hal, I read your blogs everyday and I hope to meet you some day. I love the Reds and I can not give crappy advice like the rest of you guys because none of us have the knowlede the people in the organizationd do.
By Joseph
May 1, 2009 7:02 PM | Link to this
Ah Hal, wouldn’t you love to just be able to take a train there? How do we not have a train line from Dayton-Columbus-Pittsburgh? Would make a lot more sense than flying to Cincy to fly to Dayton, methinks.
By wizard
May 1, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this
Primanti Brothers is the way to go.
By RampantRedsFan
May 1, 2009 4:51 PM | Link to this
I always enjoy hearing about your travel problems (not that I enjoy the fact that you have to endure them, but they are entertaining nonetheless)… Good lineup, although I’d like to see BP move down, Bruce up, and Rosales up.
By nick w
May 1, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this
great article Hal that really needed to be said about the racial comments. Let’s hope the reds can have the same results this road trip as the last one!!