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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 > 27
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Pulling for Homer Bailey’s succes
Former Chicago baseball writer Jerome Holtzman wrote a book, “No Cheering in the Pressbox” and, for the most part, that credo is followed. No cheering.
The only time in my 37-year career when I saw everybody in a pressbox cheer was when Pete Rose slapped his 4,192nd career hit off San Diego’s Eric Show to pass Ty Cobb. Everybody in the pressbox stood and cheered and applauded.
To me, that was acceptable. I was one of those who stood and cheered. We’ll never see that happen again.
I SAY THIS because I didn’t stand and cheer for Homer Bailey Saturday night. It’s hard to stand and applaud when a guy staggers through five innings and walks seven guys.
But, to be truthful, I’m pulling for him.
Here is a guy who signed out of high school, an 18-year-old drafted No. 1. Talk about pressure. So he has struggled with his tastes of major-league baseball, bouncing back and forth between the minors and the majors like a Standard Duncan yo-yo.
Think about it this way - and manager Dusty Baker says it all the time. If Bailey hadn’t signed and gone to college, he would have been drafted last year and probably been in Class A ball. Instead, he has pitched some in the majors for three years.
“He is an underclassman pitching against upperclassmen,” said Baker. “The guys who didn’t sign out of high school the year Bailey did and went on to college, well, they’re just starting their pro careers and Homer is three or four years ahead of them.”
It wasn’t pretty or fun Saturday night watching Homer stagger and struggle with his command. Despite the seven walks in five innings, he gave up only three hits and the best party? He won. The Reds won, 7-3, beating the Cleveland Indians.
It was Bailey’s first win in the majors since September 30, 2007 against the Cubs and after the victory he said, “Truthfully, all I thought about today was getting a win. And thanks to great help from my teammates, I got that win and the team got that win. I was terrible, but we won, so who cares?”
What I like most about Bailey is how much he has changed as a person. His first four years he was short and snotty and condescending to the media. But either somebody got to him or he has matured. This year he is a delight - cooperative, smiling, throwing out good quotes, self-deprecating.
So I pull for him. I don’t cheer. That’s not allowed. But inside my gut, I’d like to see him succeed. He has had it rough, battling high expectations at a young age. A lot of kids would have folded, but Bailey hasn’t.
And here’s a tip. If you meet him, put your hands in your pockets. DO NOT shake hands with him. I shook hands with him today and my knuckles still ache. His grip would squeeze the head off a rattlesnake.
I’d like to say, “Homer, this Blue’s for you.” But after shaking hands with him, I can’t hold a beer.
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