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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 > June > 10 > Entry
It all came out in the wash - another win
Adam Dunn wasn’t kidding when he said, “It rains every friggin’ day here. I kid you not, dude.” And as the course of the night progressed, it rained hardest on Dunn’s head.
But this? This was ridiculous. The Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals played 8 1/2 innings Wednesday night before the rain came - the fifth straight time rain hit and affected a Washington game.
The Reds led, 2-0, in the bottom of the ninth when closer Coco Cordero walked the leadoff hitter and was 3-and-2 on Josh Willingham when lightning and a heavy rain caused the umpires to flee for cover while the tarp was applied.
It was the ninth rain delay of the season for the Reds. And I haven’t carried an umbrella or a rain coat to any of them.
OK, now. The last four games: an 11-inning game. A 14-inning game that lasted more than five hours. A game that’s start was delayed 1:47. And a game that combined both a rain delay and extra innings - a 2:10 delay and 11 innings.
Yeah, I wanted to be a baseball writer. I should have been a basketball writer - a roof, quick games, no muss, no fuss.
Some amazing things in this game. The Reds finally won in the 12th inning when pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes doubled home a run in a 4-2 victory.
THE REDS’ first five batters in the order went 0 for 20 in nine innings, 2 for 24 for the night. And they still won.
JAY BRUCE, 3 for his last 38, hit a two-run homer in the second and doubled in the seventh. Two hits. The Reds had three the first nine innings.
AARON HARANG pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up no runs and five hits for the seventh straight quality start by a Reds pitcher, 10th in 11 games. And he received nothing but heavy duty work for his efforts.
ADAM DUNN was the Reds’ best friend. In the first he popped out with a runner on first and two outs. In the third he popped up with runners on first and third with two outs. In the sixth, he got picked off second base with runners on first and second and two outs. In the eighth he grounded out to first with a runner on first and two outs.
Harang didn’t win 2-0 because closer Coco Cordero blew his first save since July 21, 2008, covering 29 opportunities. He began the ninth by walking a batter and going 2-2 on the next before the rain came.
After the delay, Cordero was back on the mound and he gave up two runs to tie it, 2-2.
Manager Dusty Baker’s explanation?
“That’s similar to a closer closing both ends of a doubleheader. Same thing. He said he felt great. I conferred with (pitching coach) Dick Pole and we talked to Cordero. Hey, he walked the guy before the rain and walked the guy after the rain and both scored. He’s our closer and it just didn’t work this time.
“Bottom line, we won. But we never do anything easy. That’s not how we drew it up or scripted it, but they tied it and we came back to win it.”
GOMES SAT for 8 1/2 innings, then sat for 3 1/2 more after sitting in the clubhouse for the 2:10 rain delay. Then he rips the game-winner.
“No method to the madness,” he said. “I just took a swing and it fell. Two outs, runner on second, you just want to miss all the gloves.”
Asked what he did during the rain delay, Gomes said, “I watched the end of the Red Sox-Yankees game, I watched the end of the Phillies-Mets game and I watched the end of the Brewers-Rockies game.”
Then he helped end the Reds-Nationals game.
ONE OF THE players had his kid in the clubhouse before the game and Gomes, a throwback to when the clubhouse was a sanctity, walked past and muttered, “What is this, Romper Room?”
Brandon Phillips pinned the kid down on table and made him say, “Brandon Phillips is the best.” Made him say it louder each time.
WHEN THE REDS host the White Sox in the Civil Rights Game on June 20, manager Dusty Baker said his wife, Melissa, and son, Darren, will take the red-eye to Cincinnati, “After Darrin’s All-Star game. It has been a very eventful year for them, the Inauguration and the Civil Rights Game. That’s pretty heavy - although most young people don’t know what ‘heavy’ means in this context.”
WHAT DO players do during rain delays? They go to the clubhouse and play cards, listen to music, drink coffee, snack and, if they’re ahead, hope the game is called. If they’re behind, they hope it is resumed - unless it is the Nationals, who probably don’t care one way or the other.
And what do the writers do in the press box? Well, the media dining room is cleaned and closed. No food. No card playing. Mostly we sit surfing the internet, talking to each other (lies, lies, lies) and listen to Bob Seger singing “Night Moves” on the stadium public address system.
I saw no people, zero, waiting under the stands for the game to continue. When play resumed, less than 100 were still there and they were all standing behind the two dugouts.
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By Wizard
June 12, 2009 12:25 AM | Link to this
By Steve M. June 12, 2009 12:19 AM Willy Taveras: 2009 - .235/.294/.301 Since May 15: 7 for 74, 2 SB Last 40 AB: 0 walks Last Month: 1 RBI “He’s my leadoff hitter.” - Dusty Baker Hal, how in the world can Dusty justify playing Taveras ahead of Dickerson??? (or anyone for that matter) Why is Taveras not batting 8th?
By wizard
June 11, 2009 9:45 PM | Link to this
Oh, and once again, since this is a blog for comments both negative and positive{both of which I do, and have made}; you should recognise this-and stop feeling that only you are able to have an opinion on Dust Bag Baker!
By wizard
June 11, 2009 9:38 PM | Link to this
Apparently, you are not comprehending what I have written. I believe I have already said, several times, that Dickerson is the best center fielder on our roster, and should be playing, regardless of what he is hitting. I say that because the only competition he has at that position is Corey Taveras—and that isn’t good enough to remove Dickerson from the starting lineup!
By nick w
June 11, 2009 6:21 PM | Link to this
Well u can keep bashing dusty and the reds will keep winning. I really dont care i just know that if dickerson is put in center and he starts to go on a slump u will be the first person to say that dickerson should not be playing and that dusty is an awful manager. No matter how good the reds are playing you will find something they are doing wrong so please keep bashing dusty and if the reds make the playoffs and he is given his 4th moy award u will probably say that he picked up the trophy wrong.
By wizard
June 11, 2009 6:06 PM | Link to this
Dickerson wasn’t in a slump when playing in center-so why take him out in the first place, to put someone back in the lineup who isn’t hitting? Not exactly what a good decision-maker would do!
By wizard
June 11, 2009 6:03 PM | Link to this
Defensive ability should be #1 in Center! Taveras loses that category.
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 5:59 PM | Link to this
Please refer to 5:16 PM June 11th. I stand by what I have said. Baker has made too many goofs, not to be questioned. Good Managers? Always and forever, will be known as such because of the players who played for them! Casey Stengel: Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto,Roger Maris, Whitey Ford…
By Nick w
June 11, 2009 5:46 PM | Link to this
Im not talking about their defensive ability. Dickerson got benched over his hitting not because he was bad in left. Taveras is doing just fine in center im more worried about his hitting. I do like Dickerson I think he is a great young player with a lot of potential but I don’t know if he can hit like he did when taveras was out all year. I think if taveras doesn’t start hitting in the next few games Dickerson should be playing but lets give taveras a chance to get out of his slump. But putting Dickerson in center will not make a huge difference the whole team needs to start hitting were lucky we are playing the nationals this series. I think you need to give dusty a little more credit because he has this team believing they can win something that we have not seen in a long time in Cincinnati.
By wizard
June 11, 2009 5:16 PM | Link to this
Anyone who follows each game closely knows that Dickerson’s natural position is center field, not left field-thus the one game of two errors, in left, where the ball comes off the bat differently. From that point he has been flawless, in the outfield! HAMSTRING? GIVE HIM TIME? Are you joking? With Dickerson’s speed and ability in center you want to play someone with a hamstring injury that in YOUR words needs TIME? Taveras needs to sit down. He is NOT our best center fielder.. An error in judgment by the brass. They already had Dickerson; but Dusty wanted his “Corey !
By nick w
June 11, 2009 4:57 PM | Link to this
Well he is not my hero i do think dickerson is a good player but taveras isnt this awful player. He is coming off a hamstring injury give him some time. Dickerson was given the opportunity to start everyday in lf and we all saw how he did then. So if he falls back to that hes not any better then taveras. I don’t know what is going to happen with taveras but if starts to play like he did earlier in the year we will be fine. I agree that janish should be playing over gonzo but im not going to say that dusty is this horrible manger because of two young players he isn’t starting. The team is winning with out our best player and a group of young players that play hard no matter where they are put on the field.
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 4:35 PM | Link to this
If Baker gives Dickerson as much opportunity to play center field , as he did GONZO at SS, he won’t fail, because their is no one who is his equal,with the glove, or arm, or speed. And Taveras isn’t going to out hit him, over an equal amount of times at bat-or get on base, as much. His defense in center, is at least as dominant at that position, as GONZO’s at SS.
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this
Dusty has a propensity of giving veterans more playing time than Dickerson/Janish/Nix/Gomes-and IMO,only because of their past, and/or their predicted future. GONZO has been playing for two months with essentially nothing to show for it, offensively. Anyone, who has observed Taveras play, and Dickerson’s play, in center field, can only come up with one conclusion as to who the better athlete is! End of that conversation. Dickerson-no contest! Taveras can’t hit/can’t bunt/doesn’t steal/and his on base % isn’t as good as Dickerson/ Chris is a better lead off hitter, if for no other reason than he has more walks, and gets on base more{with better speed}. Sorry Nick, but your hero, Dusty, often plays the wrong people, for the wrong reasons.
By PTownFan
June 11, 2009 4:15 PM | Link to this
Jack is on it. If you want to see this offense get going, give Gomes a starting role regardless of the leftie rightie baloney. Let’s have some fun
By Nick w
June 11, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this
okay so everytime a player goes in a slump u bench him? So he puts dickerson in center every game and he starts to slump and then your going to say why the hell is dickerson in there dusty needs to put taveras back in. Thats going to make them play alot better everytime a player goes on a slump dusty benchs them. I say let taveras get through his slump against the nationals and if he doesn’t get out of it then he will put dickerson in. Look at earlier this year when dickerson was struggling and nix was hitting the ball great. Dusty gave dickerson more then 2 bad games to try and get over it and when he didnt he replaced him with nix. We have a very deep bench which is something that will help us later in the year. If one of the problems is that we have to many players that can play everyday im fine with that.
By Luke
June 11, 2009 4:11 PM | Link to this
Now i see why Hal McCoy is a hall of fame writer…Keep up the good work
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 3:58 PM | Link to this
Oh, and I DID predict in February 88-90 wins for this team, because of their pitching! In addition, the Reds are 1.5 out; because of a lack of pitching, and less than good play, from those in their division who were supposed to run away with it. Dusty ain’t special, by any means.
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 3:51 PM | Link to this
Nick w.: In my humble opinion, what Dustbag is supposed to do when people don’t hit, who are starting-is replace them with people who have been hitting; but whom he sits on the bench, because their bubble gum card does not agree with their present performance! PLAY OTHERS! Good examples: Last year’s Corey Patterson— this years Corey Taveras! This years Gonzalez-he’s been in the lineup all year and hasn’t hit a lick; but a .300 hitter, with a near equal glove, at his position, has been sitting on the bench, because Dust bag loves ‘veterans’! What’s he supposed to do? PLAY OTHERS. Other than his favorite’s!!! The Reds are being successful because of good pitching; AND, certainly NOT because of Dusty’s expertise in using them properly, in all occasions!
By Halky
June 11, 2009 2:57 PM | Link to this
I agree with another comment here, this team could be real good if they hit. I mean my gosh-the hitting?! They are a little less frustrating than the past 8 years-if only by a little!
By Jack
June 11, 2009 2:24 PM | Link to this
Nick, saw the same girl, it made that 9th inning meltdown actually enjoyable. Does Baker know that you are allowed to bat right handers against right handed pitchers. Play Gomes.
By Nick w
June 11, 2009 1:57 PM | Link to this
if i was a fan of a different team and read the comments on this blog i would think the reds were in last place. They are 1.5 games out of first and playing better then anybody thought and all you guys can talk about is how bad of a manager dusty is?? what the hell is he suppose to do when the 1-5 hitters go 0-20, or when bruce goes on a 3-33 slump during the biggest stretche of games this year, or when votto goes out with something that has no real timetable for a return, or when one of your best pitchers goes on the dl. How is any of that dusty’s fault, yea he has made some questionable calls but what manager doesn’t. I say give him a break and hopefully they can stay close and then make a run when everyone gets healty.
By Roho Radio
June 11, 2009 1:25 PM | Link to this
Just think how good this team would be if we could actually HIT!!
By Mutaman
June 11, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this
Boy, 8 years of sub .500 ball and now we’re 4 games over with our best hitter and our best pitcher on the DL. Just think how good we’d be if we didn’t have Baker as a manager. What, you say old Dusty actually deserves some credit for holding this team together? Are you crazy?
By BrarHopper
June 11, 2009 1:03 PM | Link to this
That’s right Wiz, and we watched en entire season with great frustration as Dopey Baker played Patterson and Bako again and again and again. Insanity is repeating the same behavior and expecting different results. By that def, Dusty is insane.
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 12:11 PM | Link to this
Dickerson riding the bench, when he is the best centerfielder we have is ludicrous, no matter what he is hitting! Taveras was a waste of money. Nix, Gomes,and anyone else they call an outfielder should alternate in LF; or RF, when Bruce doesn’t hit—but not CF! THAT position should be manned by the best fielder we have—and that is Dickerson. No one else compares to his defense; and no one else is hitting that much better than he is to warrant replacing him. Baker is too interested in bubble gum cards and “‘veteran’s’.
By BrarHopper
June 11, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this
Amen to Mark in Sun Valley & AP Florida. Baker did his best to throw another one…but in spite of his numerous, frequent, and many blunders, this team keeps winning. Go Reds!
By Wizard
June 11, 2009 12:00 PM | Link to this
Taveras playing in place of Dickerson in CF, after the performance put on by Chris,is an outlandish mockery of MLB.Dusty Baker is a damn fool, dressed up to be a manager.
By Mark in Sun Valley
June 11, 2009 11:29 AM | Link to this
Another win despite Dusty’s best attempts to lose it. Amazing what good pitching can overcome. And how much longer can Taveras play over Dickerson?
By claxton kraku
June 11, 2009 10:54 AM | Link to this
colgar continues with his idiotic comments. he has never made a good solid non-offensive comment without resorting to personal attack. what a punk.
By colgar
June 11, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this
AP-Florida: I was thinking base hit when Hanigan was up. It is the classic amateur second guess to yell squeeze AFTER a player failsin the clutch aand blame the manager
By nick w
June 11, 2009 10:06 AM | Link to this
dont know if any1 else noticed this or not but the girl in the white shirt standing behind the dugout that fsn kept showing was smokin hot!! Just thought i would mention that, back to the game good win we gained another game in the standings and now in second place. The rockies are our best friends the past two weeks sweeping the cards and could sweep the brewers tonight.
By Zeke
June 11, 2009 9:30 AM | Link to this
NAts have 3 guys over .300… Reds had 1 K and 2BB through 7 innings. What is Jacoby teaching them?
By AK
June 11, 2009 9:02 AM | Link to this
Dusty has done a great job with a line-up full of back-ups. Jock face has done nothing to improve the offense of this team which is awful. I like this coaching staff
By AP-FLORIDA
June 11, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this
Gomes saved Rusty’s a— last night. Anyone else thinking squeeze when Hanigan was up?????? Alas, we still won, even with Baker. Please make note Walt.