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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 > 23 > Entry
Votto at first base, batting third
SO JOEY VOTTO is back. Not only is he back, he IS in tonight’s lineup, playing his normal first base and batting in his normal third spot in the order.
He is holding a press conference at 4 o’clock in the Reds dugout and because he is a Toronto native and resident it is expected to be a crowded dugout with local TV. It is doubtful he’ll talk about his stress-related issues.
We’ll see.
AIR CANADA HAS three non-stop flights a day from Dayton to Toronto and the aircraft looks two steps above the Wright Flyer — two prop-driven engines and seats for 18.
There were six on my flight Tuesday morning, plenty of room to spread out if there was room to spread out.
The flight was great, until we landed at Pearson International Airport and our crop-duster taxied for half a day before stopping behind some gasoline storage tanks at the far side of the airport. I kid you not — Gate 238. We boarded a bus for the ride to the main terminal and customs. Fortunately, nobody was in customs and I whisked through it.
Not a bad day’s travel — and zero surcharges for luggage from Air Canada. And my luggage made it.
You laugh about that, since there were only six passengers?
ONCE UPON a time I flew a commuter airline called Air South from Atlanta to Bowling Green, Ky. I knew I was in trouble — twice. First I saw the pilot kicking the tires. Then he walked up to me and asked, “Are you my passenger?”
I was. The ONLY passenger. And they lost my golf clubs. I wrote a story about it for the paper, citing the loss of my golf clubs despite being the only passenger. My clubs caught up with me a week later and shortly after that I received an irate letter from the airline’s president, offering to play a round of golf with me, winner gets to keep the other’s golf clubs.
I declined by saying, “You’ve already had my golf clubs long enough.”
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By Wizard
June 23, 2009 10:24 PM | Link to this
Chris Dickerson LF 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .279 two for three= .279 And, still playing him in the wrong outfield position!
By Rick M from Anderson Township
June 23, 2009 8:05 PM | Link to this
Paul Janish? who’s he? Oh, the guy who pulls the tarp, throws BP and then goes home? I’m just awaiting the 2010 All_Star Break
By Rick M from Anderson Township
June 23, 2009 8:05 PM | Link to this
Paul Janish? who’s he? Oh, the guy who pulls the tarp, throws BP and then goes home? I’m just awaiting the 2010 All_Star Break
By Dr. Octagon
June 23, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this
Greg In London - you have no idea what you are talking about …
By BrarHopper
June 23, 2009 5:50 PM | Link to this
How strange is it to use the 4th worst hitter in baseball as your lead off hitter? How much hate does Toothpick have for Janish to continue to play anyone BUT Janish at SS or 3B? The man defies ALL reason! And his defensive petulant excuses and “rationale” when he answers questions …well, his logic escapes any thinking person or baseball fan. One must question his sanity. No wonder SF and the Cubs dumped him.
By Mike-Cinci
June 23, 2009 5:11 PM | Link to this
Todd Frazier is now an outfielder.
By enfueago
June 23, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this
Its amazing how one good hitter can be the difference between a mediocre offense and a terrible offense. If only he had missed time to be reunited with his long lost identical triplets…reunited with his
By ogdenm
June 23, 2009 4:26 PM | Link to this
Votto is needed in the line-up on a daily basis. let’s keep our fingers crossed.
By dmcgee
June 23, 2009 4:06 PM | Link to this
Good to have Votto back. Now let’s get EE back from Louisville. Taveras and Dickerson should platoon in center. I’d like to see Taveras come in as a pinch runner and then take over as a defensive replacement in the late innings. Gomes and Nix should platoon in left. Hannigan should get equal time behind the plate with Hernandez. Hairston and Janish are okay at short, but I’d like to see what Valaika can do, once he gets hot. Keep an eye on third baseman Todd Frazier in AA.
By Steve M.
June 23, 2009 3:46 PM | Link to this
One last question, Hal. Does Dusty think Taveras has been a better CF than Dickerson? Dickerson definitely has a better arm, and has seemed to do a better job covering ground lately. So if both of them are going to be in the lineup why not play Dickerson in the field? Answer: because then to play Willy it would have to be at DH and since he is the FOURTH WORST HITTER IN ALL OF BASEBALL it would be really strange (even for Dusty) to play him as the DH. Very strange.
By Steve M.
June 23, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this
Hal, could you check to see if Paul Janish is still on the team? I mean how much worse does Adam Rosales have to hit before Dusty gives Janish a chance for a few days? He could play Janish at SS and Hairston at 3B or try Janish at 3B. Maybe he’s no longer on the team?
By Greg in London
June 23, 2009 3:21 PM | Link to this
I really hope Votto is Ok, but I have a suspicion that this isn’t over yet and he rushed himself to be in his hometown.