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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 > July > 04 > Entry
To pitch or not to pitch to Pujols.
One of the clubhouse attendants, Brian, was getting his kicks before today’s game by walking through the clubhouse and wishing a happy Fourth of July to all the non-Americans - Canadian Joey Votto, Dominican Johnny Cueto and Venezuelan Ramon Hernandez.
They all smiled and shook their heads.
Even more entertaining was former Reds media relations director Jon Braude, who now does work for Fox. He brought a bat into the clubhouse. Calling it a bat is like calling a Rembrandt a finger painting. It was a bat once used by Lou Gehrig to hit a home run. Braude’s parents were friends with the Gehrig family and they gave the Braudes the bat.
Asked if he ever had it checked for monetary worth, Braude said, “Yes. Priceless.”
Most of the Reds players held the bat, swung it, admired it, posed for pictures with it - except one, who shall remain nameless. When asked to pose, he said, “Why? It’s just a bat.” Yeah, like the sword Alexander the Great used was just a big knife.
Aaron Harang hefted and swung the bat and said later, “My mom once got an autograph from Ted Williams in a store in San Diego. He was just walking around in the store and my mom saw him. She ran to sporting goods and grabbed two baseballs and Williams signed them for her - even before she paid for them. She was afraid he’d leave while she was paying for them. After he signed, then she paid.”
SOME WORDS about Homer Bailey from Albert Pujols: “He threw an unbelievable game. He has electric stuff. He is going to be around a long time.”
Said Bailey, hearing that, “Coming from a guy with his stature, that sinks in deep. Somebody sent that quote to me via e-mail last night. Usually people just send stuff when something bad is said about me.”
SOME WORDS about Albert Pujols from Jerry Hairston Jr.: “I know Hank Aaron and Willie Mays were great righthanded hitters, but I can’t imagine a better righthanded hitter than Albert Pujols.”
I HAVE THIS question for all of you out there:
With the Reds leading, 3-0, and the bases loaded with one out in the eighth inning, would you intentionally walk Pujols? I saw it done once and I know it has been done at least twice - walk a home run hitter intentionally with the bases loaded.
With a 4-1 lead, I saw Sparky Anderson walk Willie McCovey when the Reds led, 4-1. That forced in a run to make it 4-2, but the Giants didn’t score again. Arizona manager Buck Showalter walked Barry Bonds intentionally with the bases loaded in the ninth jwith a 3-0. That worked, too. The D-Backs won, 3-1.
Would I have walked Pujos with a 3-0 lead and the bases loaded. Even before he hit the grand slam off David Weathers, I was saying to my companions, “Walk him. You better walk him.”
And what does Reds manager Dusty Baker think about it?
“Maybe with two outs. Maybe. But you have to think about the guy batting behind him. He’s an RBI man, too.” On Friday, that was Ryan Ludwick, owner of 41 RBIs to 82 for Pujols. “You ask yourself do you want to take a chance on one hit beating you or two hits beating you.”
Me? I walk him. But the next game I manage will be the first game I’ve managed - other than my slow pitch softball team about 25 years ago. How about you?
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By Cecil Hays
July 8, 2009 11:38 AM | Link to this
I will remember that game for a while. I hope not but I think that could be the negative turning point for the season. Pitching was the strong part of the team, now it is going south. I am seriously doubting the coaching staff.
By Monroe Says
July 5, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this
Of course, you walk him. Pujols, who practically never strikes out, is going to get at least one run in. It should be on your terms, not his. I’ll take on Ludwick with bases loaded, up 3-1, over facing Pujols up 3-0 any day.
By Steven Ross
July 5, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this
Walk him. His June numbers were staggering. Pujols had one of only two hits vs. lights out Tim Lincecum a few nights earlier. Me? I’m taking my chances with the next two hitters.
By Gapper
July 5, 2009 2:17 AM | Link to this
Walk Pujols or not, with Weathers’s record against Pujols, I wouldn’t have put him out there in that situation in the first place.
By Diamond Dave
July 5, 2009 1:08 AM | Link to this
May God strike me dead if I’m not telling the truth here, but I said to my girlfriend when Albert came up, “Hit him.” I have not seen a guy in a zone this year like Albert. I just look at the facts. Up four times this year with the bases loaded and has hit three home runs. I was horrified they were going to pitch to him and I thought they were going to be okay at two strikes. Even the unintentional intentional walk. But, no. They pitched to him. They died. AARRRRRGH!!!
By Cait
July 4, 2009 11:33 PM | Link to this
I don’t intentionally walk Pujols. But I don’t give him anything decent, either. Weathers made some great pitches and one mistake. Pujols doesn’t miss mistakes. I’d rather unintentionally walk 82 RBI and try my luck against 41 RBI. You don’t let Pujols beat you - make the mere mortals beat you.
By Colgar
July 4, 2009 8:21 PM | Link to this
So Silverquill is a follower and not a leader of a competitor. Like Pujols is not a 1.000 hitter, Marty, Hal and the Cowboy are not always right. And the Cowboy that was on the mound would have trusted his abilities and challenged Pujols all day long. As for Pat Monahan and his stats, OBP doesn’t even come into play. Of course his OBP is going to be high if everyone is afraid to pitch to Pujols and you guys would have walked him intentionally further skewing the stats. As for his stats with the bases loaded, although they are impressive the sample is much too small to be meaningful in the context of the game. If you want to further look at stats, Pujols does have double the RBI of Ludwick behind him but Ludwick is on pace for 80 plus RBI even with Pujols picking up the bulk of them in front of him. Ludwick could easily be a 100 RBI man. As for this don’t let the one guy beat you, I have never, ever believed in that rubish. You have to believe in your ability to compete to be a winner. You have to beat the best to be a champion. The same situation came up Sunday. Pujols was the tying run. God love Masset. He didn’t back down. He didn’t even worry about who was in the batter’s box. He concentrated on making his pitches and challenged the best. Now the Reds are within two games of first and competing with The Great Pujols and the Cardinals with Tony La Genius at the helm. In Japan they never issue the intentional walk, they feel it is against the spirit of competition. And we wonder how a little island nation with limited resources can be a world power even after suffering a defeat like they were handed by our fathers in WWII. It is a mindset. Compete with confidence and don’t back down. You are going to suffer setbacks like the Reds did Friday. Turn the page and get after them tomorrow.
By #39 George Culver
July 4, 2009 6:16 PM | Link to this
You do not challenge/ pitch to him. The count was 2-2. I would have buzzed a fastball up under his ribs for leaning out over the plate after fouling off the good fastball on the outside corner on the previous pitch. Then come back with the good slider on the corner away There is no way on earth you let the undisputed best hitter in baseball beat you in that situation. Eve if it forces in the run. The chances of anyone else running into a big one other than Albert are greatly diminished. Also, I know Weathers has been the 8th inning guy, But Pujols is hitting at a .500
By Pat Monahan
July 4, 2009 6:09 PM | Link to this
colgar, with all due respect Pujols has a .460 obp, so he only makes outs 54% of the time. Actually .588 of late. so, he only makes outs about 40% of the time. In 10 games with the bases loaded against righties, AP is six for six with seven runs. Four homers and 20 rbi’s out of 28 possible. Hal, I would have walked him even if it meant walking in the tieing run. And I would have walked him on Saturday too. Walking him is similar to punting on fourth down. Or folding in poker. A stategic retreat is much better than patting Bailey on the back and saying sorry.
By Roy Bowman
July 4, 2009 6:01 PM | Link to this
I heard you ask Marty this question. Typical Marty response, “Are you kidding me?” Well it’s an absolute dumb idea. Puljos fails 7 out of 10 times. Even more if you are thinking home runs! You can’t have a winning ballclub always playing to avoid the worst-case senario. You have to go after him in that situation. Besides, the Reds hadn’t lost the game at that point. Several other bad plays followed later to seal the loss.
By Randy
July 4, 2009 5:39 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t have given Pujols anything good and if he walked so be it.The Cardinals have been struggling for offense just like the Reds and I’d have taken my chances with the other hitters.
By NYCRedsfan
July 4, 2009 4:16 PM | Link to this
i agree with johnny d. i would never have pulled bailey from the game. his stuff was too good last night. pujols didn’t have a clue against him.
By Bill from Florida
July 4, 2009 3:48 PM | Link to this
Too bad from yesterday’s game, an outstanding performance by Bailey just lost in one pitch. That’s the difference between an excellent manager and a just good manager. I’d let Bailey continue pitching or give the intentional walk to Pujols or bring in Masset, but NEVER EVER put Weathers in!!! It looks like Taveras is recovering at the 2nd spot, good for him and for the team. There is EE struggling again at the plate, as well as Bruce. I really expect they´ll recover soon, the next 20 games are going to be a challenge: 3vs St. Louis, 4 @Philadelphia, 3 @New York, 4vs Milwakee, 3 @LA and 3 @Chicago. GO REDS!!!
By silverquill
July 4, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this
Colgar, you miserable slut: The fact the Hal, Marty and Jeff all agree says enough for me. You don’t establish a winning attitutde by letting the ONE guy who can beat you do just that. You make somebody else beat you. Pujols has twice as many RBIs as the guy batting behind him. Weathers gave up a game-winning home run to Pujols a couple of years ago and the odds of Pujols doing what he did to Weathers are close enough that you have to be an idiot to test him. Citing the “almosts” like Votto not catching the pop-up is like the Titanic ‘almost’ missing the ice berg.
By colgar
July 4, 2009 3:13 PM | Link to this
I heard you and the other Hall of Famer discuss this while I was loitering in the booth. With all due respect I must disagree. Even Albert Pujols makes an out 2 out of every 3 at bats. And I will argue with anyone who says he is arguably the best hitter in the game. He IS the best hitter in the game. Still the odds of getting him out were in Weathers favor. Yes I know that Pujols was 9-for-18 with 2 home runs lifetime. A .500 average is still not a lock. Weathers had gotten Albert as many times as Albert has gotten Weathers. When you ad in the odds of a home run the stats still support pitching to him. Pujols leads baseball with a home run every 8.8 at bats. There is one chance in 9 that he will go deep. Then Weathers makes the pitch to get him out and it is just out of Votto’s reach. In my opinion you can not develop a winning attitude by fearing the opponent no matter how good they are.
By Mike-Cinci
July 4, 2009 2:43 PM | Link to this
I would not intentionlly walk him as you are automatically giving the Cards a run and you still have the bases loaded with some good hitters coming up. I would have tried to get him to swing at a bad pitch hoping he would be anxious to try to hit the long ball and make a mistake. Pujols is probably too disciplined to fall for it but it would be worth a try. It’s OK to pitch to Pujols as Weathers did with the bases empty or with only one on. With the sacks loaded in that situation you can’t let the guy beat you with a long ball. Pitching off the plate is the correct move. Unfortunately Weathers grooved one down the middle.
By Amanda
July 4, 2009 2:42 PM | Link to this
I would have either walked him or had Cordero ready to come in and face him. Other closers like Papelbon,Rivera,Nathan,etc are brought in the 8th inning all the time. There’s no way Weathers and his 88 mile an hour fast ball shoulda been facing him. I bet Larusa would have walked him.
By Aaron B.
July 4, 2009 2:23 PM | Link to this
What are Pujols careers numbers vs Weathers? Therein lies your answer. I distinctly remember a walk off game winner Pujols hit off Weathers 2 yrs ago. The Reds should never ever give Albert anything over the plate to hit. Ever.
By Johnny D
July 4, 2009 2:05 PM | Link to this
I wouldn’t have even pulled Bailey from the game. Bailey owned Pujols last night. I believe he could have faced Pujols one more time without any trouble. He was getting himself out of trouble the whole night, and I would have rather him have given up one or two runs, than to have the shaky relief pitching that came in let it go. I think this game would have had a more positive outcome if Bailey had been allowed to remain. The bullpen should be ashamed of themselves for giving away a remarkable pitching performance by Bailey.
By Dan H
July 4, 2009 1:54 PM | Link to this
If I don’t intentially walk him, I would have pitched around him. Hopefully but doubtful that he swings at something out of the zone. But I’d try it,with his record vs. Weathers, 9-18 especially. Or knowing his record vs. Weathers,how about Massett warming up to face him? I also agree with you Hal,and also Marty and Brantley, of all the years I’ve followed baseball (since the early 60s) ,Pujols is the best overall player I’ve seen.
By marty
July 4, 2009 1:48 PM | Link to this
walk pujols? heck no. I have a mean streak. I’d have ordered weathers to put a pitch in his back. serves the same purpose with three less throws. besides, if it was good enough for bob gibson…
By RC
July 4, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this
In retrospect, it seems obvious. I thought about it last night, and kind of thought I wouldn’t give him the intentional walk, but I sure as heck wouldn’t give anything to hit. But I also thought - are we -ever- going to try to move that guy off the plate? He needs to get plunked today. Twice. That’s way more fun than an intentional walk.