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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > June > 26 > Entry
A night of Red-faced embarrassments
You can sugar coat it, say it was just one of those games, throw a blanket over it to make it go away.
But it’s there and it stunk to high heaven. A genuine embarrassment.
Cleveland Indians 9, Cincinnati Reds 2. It was 9-0 while fans were still finding their seats.
They had one hit over seven innings against lefthander Jeremy Sowers, who was 1-5 with a 5.95 ERA.
Embarrassing.
The Indians had lost eight of nine and in the last 11 days had blown two five-run leads and a seven-run lead. Not even close on this night.
Embarrassing.
Aaron Harang, the so-called team ace, is 0-4 over his last six starts with a 5.03 ERA. And he gave up seven runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings to the last place Indians. And 10 screeching and howling hits.
Brandon Phillips made a la-de-dah throw from second base, a lob that bounced in front of first baseman Joey Votto and skipped past for a throwing error that led to two unearned run. Then Phillips hit one that he thought was a home run and went into his strut, but the ball hit the top of the wall and bounced back in.
Phillips is being short and snippy with the media since we all reported that he refused to look for a sign from the third base coach in Kansas City and swung at a 3-and-0 pitch when he had the take sign.
Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Phillips has too much talent to piddle it away.
There were fireworks after the game and fireworks during the game by the Indians, not the Reds, who are back to two games under .500.
There was a rumor that Shaquille O’Neal would throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game. He was acquired this week by the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Phoenix Suns. Had he done it, he would have been the biggest pitcher in the history of major-league baseball.
The rumor was false, but during the game it looked as if some of the Reds pitchers were throwing basketballs toward home plate.
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Comments
By myrle
June 27, 2009 2:32 PM | Link to this
Realvern…if teams used your formula their would be no place on your baseball team for, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, Joe Pepitone, Ty Cobb, Rube Wilson, the list could go on and on. In other words your team would be in last place, no fans and broke. Nice formula for disaster.By matt11
June 27, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this
Phillips is sad. He runs though stop signs, ignores signs, loafs out of box.Its really sad because Votto/Phillips are the only top notch ML players they have. Hernandez/EE are average, the rst of squad would not give you a dime for. Harang is not even a 500 pitcher hes overpaid big time. The Reds cant hit cant pitch Arroyo/Harang are BP on most nights. Owings is a OF trying to pitch. Hes terrible. Jocketty is the guy who needs to go. HIS team will finish LASTBy Jimmy C
June 27, 2009 2:06 PM | Link to this
This hitting problem has to be the coaches.Last nights pitcher has walked more then struck out and the hitters are swinging at the first darn pitch!By realvern
June 27, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this
Been a Reds fan for 60 years and more, seen so many good and bad ball players. Some are good men, moral and conduct good. then some who are rotten to the core and always a problem to the team. If I owned the Reds would get rid of all players who dont conform to good standard, ability to play is secondary. Leaders are men of self discipline and character. few these days have it.By Mutaman
June 27, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this
The problem is Harang. But thats not going to play here. Better to scapegoat a guy who actually got a hit last night. Wonder why? Anybody?By RC
June 27, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this
I thought Phillips’ foot (the one on the dirt) slipped on the throw. Doesn’t let him off the hook for the other stuff, though. He needs to pull his head out of his hindquarters - when everybody’s already pressing as badly as these guys are, having one of your “leaders” pouting like this is immensely unhelpful. He needs to grow the heck up.By Florida Buckeye
June 27, 2009 11:42 AM | Link to this
It constantly amazes me how the Reds make horrible pitchers look like Cy Young canidates…add to that BP’s continuing antics…BTW, I have YET to see anyone point out that he blew through a stop sign at third base the NIGHT after he was reprimanded by Baker and Dusty declared: “It’ll never happen again…” Oh really? Cause it happened the very next night…and it shouldnt matter that he scored on a close play at the plate…he is NOT a team player, or a leader and his attitude, and continued antics are a big disappointment…At least there are some high points this year: We’re only 2 games under 500; Joey V is having a good year (Let’s hope he stays healthy!); Hanigan is having a great year; Dickerson is putting up some good numbers eventhough he’s getting limited playing time; Cueto is showing flashes of brilliance, but still needs to mature as a professionaly player…overall I’m enjoying the season; I just wish that it wasnt such an emotional rollercoaster ride!By chafman
June 27, 2009 11:13 AM | Link to this
Sounds like someone needs a hug. Feel free to ask your mommy. Please everyone - lets talk about puppies and flowers so we don’t insult Enough Again’s sensitive nature. To make amends, I apologize to Joey Votto. But Enough Again, you are a true fool.By Enough Again
June 27, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this
I’m not trying to sensor your opinion, I am trying to get you thrown off the blog permanently for your classless attack on perhaps the classiest Reds and best role model the Reds have had in years. Posting Votto isn’t a leader and that he is “crying like a little girl” who can’t count “his prozac pills” is not an opinion, it is a classless personal attack on JV - calling you and your post moronic and idiotic was dead on accurate.By Randy
June 27, 2009 10:34 AM | Link to this
People have a right to view there opinions on here as long as they keep it clean. There are federal laws concerning censorship and freedom of speech. What was the topic again? Oh, Dusty is losing the handle on the team, if he ever had it. It’s time for Walt to do something.By chafman
June 27, 2009 10:27 AM | Link to this
Enough Again - Your call for sensivity is noted. Yet you throw around words like “idiot” and “moronic” as you are trying to censor my opinion. How sensitive is that? Last I checked, this is America and my opinion is just as valid as yours. As far as blocking the IP address, do you really know what an IP address is? Sorry, I didn’t mean to question your lack of intelligence. For know on I will only make “dignified” comments when discussing your stupidity.By Enough Again
June 27, 2009 10:11 AM | Link to this
Hal - feel free to ban chafman forever - he/she/it is obviously an idiot and wants to get a good blog going where we all write “great” posts about he/she/it’s insensitivity and rudeness about JV … let’s not bite on this person’s moronic views … let’s ignore going forward, you can block the IP address and we can move forward with some dignity discussing the Reds. I, am hopefully others, have grown weary of the personal attacks on JV and Baker on this blog …By chafman
June 27, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this
Votto as the team captain? Votto having a “Greg Vaughn” moment? Are you kidding me? Votto is still trying to figure out how many Prozac pills he is suppose to take. A team captain doesn’t run off the field crying like a little girl. The problem starts at the top, Baker is the wrong manager for this team. He sticks with the veteran players too long. Sit Tavaras and Hernandez. Play the hot hitters Dickerson, Gomes, and Hanigan. Isn’t it a managers job to put the best team he has on the field?By Steve
June 27, 2009 9:40 AM | Link to this
You know it’s going bad when the other team puts up 2-3 runs and you have no faith that the Reds can catch up. However, if you asked me in March that come the end of June they would be 2 games under and 4 games out, I think I would have taken it. What do you really expect, anyway? A game with more than 1-2 runs scored would be nice, though. Anybody ever ask Jacoby what is going on?By Steven Ross
June 27, 2009 9:12 AM | Link to this
I wouldn’t be surprised if Phillips is traded. If you read between the lines, the signs are there. Walt can then get rid of Dusty, (Please) bring in his own man so I can have peace with the daily lineup. This current team is done. Turn out the lights.By Scott
June 27, 2009 8:49 AM | Link to this
If BP is starting to be juvenille about the KC game then someone needs to give him a kick in the butt. I nominate Joey Votto team captain. He should be able to do this. I look for Votto to have a non-publisized “Greg Vaughn” moment with the team real soon if this doesn’t turn around.By TheNaturalMevs
June 27, 2009 7:09 AM | Link to this
Say what you want about stats…. but at least Jay Bruce plays his butt off each and every night. As a fan I appreciate it and that is the guy I want in my fox hole, not hot dog Phillips. Phillips is honestly a poor man’s (not as notable) Ocho-Cinco. Phillips will never be on a World Series team just like Ken Griffey Jr., they aren’t comprised of championship fiber.By goredlegs
June 27, 2009 2:54 AM | Link to this
Actually BP is the most fined player on the team; fined by Dusty that is. I am sure Dusty lets Brandon know what is up, even if we don’t hear about it. Let’s hope he learned a lesson on this one, with all our youth we could certainly do with some leadership.By BrarHopper
June 27, 2009 1:44 AM | Link to this
Embarrassing. Sickening. Disgusting. The only thing that Brandon Phillips leads is being the team punk. This is the second time he has styled his butt around on what he thought was a homer and showed himself to be a complete b!tch to his team. Leader? Ha! That’s such a laugh. His punk@ss throw tonight was just another example of his terrible attitude. I guess he was putting on a show to let the Indians know they did the right thing getting rid of him. His act has worn thin in Ohio. Could this team be worse without him. The team just really totally blows. How about BP & Harang to San Diego for Peavy? And of course, Dusty NEVER scolds his boy Brandy. Wonder why? Anybody?By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
June 27, 2009 12:59 AM | Link to this
We often hear the phrase a team plays to the level of its competition. But in truth, a team, over the course of the season, ultimately plays to its own level of talent, as we have seen with the Reds the past few weeks.By Gary
June 27, 2009 12:10 AM | Link to this
After Dunn and Junior were traded, I recall Brandon Phillips declaring himself the leader of the club. I don’t think he has done too good of a job at that.