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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 > September > 10 > Entry
A rocky few days in the Rockies
OBVIOUSLY, THE CINCINNATI REDS can’t do it without me. I help them put together a seven-game winning streak, then I don’t go to Colorado and they return to early-season losing form.
Yeah, as if I had anything to do with it. The last team I managed my right fielder picked dandelions and my shortstop watched airplanes on the flight pattern into the Dayton airport.
If nothing else, I’m happy for Rockies manager Jim Tracy from Hamilton. The Rockies were hob-nobbing with San Diego at the bottom of the NL West when the Rockies fired Clint Hurdle and gave the job to Tracy for the rest of the season.
Now he has them leading the wild card and if he isn’t manager of the year I don’t know who is. Yeah, Tony LaRussa has done a great job with the Cardinals, but what Tracy has done has been phenomenal. Not only is he manager of the year, if the Rockies don’t take the interim off his title and make him manager, then they aren’t trying to win.
OF COURSE, I thought the Reds should have kept Pete Mackanin when he was interim manager but owner Bob Castellini wanted a name manager so the Reds hired Dusty Baker.
I MISS DENVER, one of my favorite cities. When I could drive, I used to love to drive the 20 or so miles from downtown Denver, where it is a mile high, up to Central City and Blackhawk. It’s only 20 miles away, but it is up a mountain, two miles high.
Central City at one time had the biggest producing silver mines in the world. Once the silver played out, Central City and Blackhawk became ghost towns. Then some entrepeneurs put an Opera House in Central City and some casinos and the place was reborn. Instead of giving silver, Centeral City now takes it away.
One day I walked out of a casino (no, not the opera house) in Central City and there was two inches of snow on the ground. I inched my way down the mountain the 20 miles to Denver, where it was 76 and the sun was shining brightly.
I WATCHED the first three Reds-Rockies game in the Man Cave with my friends Murray Greenberg, Jeff Gordon (No, not THAT Jeff Gordon) and John Robison. The Man Cave is my garage, which has a couch, chairs and a TV and that’s where I watch games and smoke my cigars, along with my buddies.
Nadine and I had a beautiful sun room with 10 windows built as an addition to the house a coupe of years ago. My smoking room. Only $35,000. When it was finished, Nadine said, “This room is too nice to smoke in. Back to the garage.”
So back to the garage I slunk (is that word?).
Anyway, I’ll rejoin the Reds for the three-game series in Chicago where I’m looking forward to seeing Lou Piniella and partaking of my favorite steakhouse, The Saloon, and watching the Ohio State-USC game on TV Saturday night at The Lodge, the favortie watering hole for baseball writers in Chicago.
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By Travis D. Hill
October 19, 2009 9:41 PM | Link to this
It is to bad the real McCoy is retiring. What will the unsung do now like Jerred Hill at Central State University. Jerred Hill is in the top 100 in two categories for the entire national division II. I guess he will be like General MacArthur comment and just fade away. Who will pick up the torch and move ahead of the pack, Looks like no one will? This will be a good story for the next leader if they can handle the challenge.
By Mike-Cinci
September 11, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
Worn Cleat, your points are very reasonable and you may be right. I just don’t think the guys mentioned have much potential. Bruce could become a good player…maybe Stubbs too. The rest are back-ups at best. They all do something we like to see, defense and speed in some cases, but they don’t do enough good things to deserve a starting spot on a competitive team.
By BelieveItOrNot
September 11, 2009 11:52 AM | Link to this
In addition, Thursday, while Rolen sat-the first two times his replacement, Rosales, came up, the bases were loaded, then runners on first and third!And, NO RUNS SCORED!!!! Another move by Baker that failed miserably!
By BelieveItOrNot
September 11, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this
ROLEN OFF: Scott Rolen got a scheduled off day Thursday. “It’s the perfect time,” Baker said. “Day game, two night games, day game, then three day games – with seven more games before an off day.” How is it that Baker’s reasoning and logic NEVER agrees with anyone else’s? The day after Rolen hits a go ahead homerun-he is given a day OFF???? Baker: please stop thinking! It doesn’t work for you!
By BrarHopper
September 11, 2009 2:00 AM | Link to this
Please keep in mind that this now awesome Rockies team was down in the basement until they changed managers. Never underestimate what might spark a revolution in the clubhouse. The Reds organization has NO leadership, terrible from top to bottom, lousy coaches and manager, poor ownership knowledge of baseball, and only signs has-beens. The proof is in the standings. This team of young players is capable of better. But not under current staff of duds.
By Gary Maloy Jr.
September 11, 2009 1:14 AM | Link to this
We missed you in Denver, Hal. And yes, with your credentials, you’re allowed to make up new strong verbs. But ‘slunk’ sounds more like the perfect past. ‘Slank’ works for me in the simple past. To slink - slinks - slinking - slank - Hal has slunk off to the garage again. Haha. Call Daniel Webster - he missed one!
By Worn Cleat
September 11, 2009 12:37 AM | Link to this
Well, Mike, based on what we saw this year, no doubt, you are correct. Most would agree with you. But, some of these guys have to play next year, whether we like it, or not. Sooo, who will that be? Is it possible that we might just be underestimating the collective abilities of this roster? Better performances by everyone is possible. At the beginning of this year, I and many others, thought we might be in for a better season then previous disasters. If one considers all of the negatives that this team dealt with, beginning with the managers stubborn attitude when some did not produce; and all the injuries, and much more-is it possible that if we were without just the previous mentioned negatives, that the collective abilities might produce a different outcome? After all, this year was pretty awful to watch! Bad we were. I maintain that our leadership did not make the right ‘repairs’ to a leaky ship! And, I maintain the leaky ship would have sailed further and with less struggle, had proper and timely ‘repairs’ been done!
By Mike-Cinci
September 10, 2009 10:14 PM | Link to this
Please let’s be honest with ourselves. Could Hanigan, Janish, Gomes, Stubbs, Dickerson, Balentein, Bruce, Taveras, McDonald, Sutton, Rosales, Tatum,Miller, Barker, start on the Rockies? Look at their lineup. No they could not start but we have some who think the Reds will compete with these guys. I can only say “wow, what are they watching and what are they thinking”.
By Wizard
September 10, 2009 6:54 PM | Link to this
It was demonstrated once again in today’s game that Stubbs continues to strike out too much{while not moving his bat}; and he does not play centerfield with the same skill level as Dickerson. Going back on a ball, and coming in: CD has the better tools! And, CD was hitting .277 when he left the lineup! Isn’t this the eighteenth day for Dickerson-on the 15 day DL?
By Marvin
September 10, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this
BC could have saved himself millons of dollars by keeping Pete Mackanin. Getting rid of WK helped but too late. The Reds would have been in the race without Dustbag. He was a good hitter that got old, he was a good manager that got old before his time. He stunk after his first year in Chicago and still stinks.BC, save lots of money and let him go.
By joe
September 10, 2009 12:11 PM | Link to this
Bruce, you ask what is wrong with Cordero? Nothing. He isn’t that good. Anyone can be a closer and pile up good stats. Saves are easy.
By michael
September 10, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this
Dusty is a good guy. I have met him. However, good guys finish last. As for the series against the Rockies…they are simply better than the Reds, like most other teams.
By RRF
September 10, 2009 8:05 AM | Link to this
Hal: Was looking forward to see you walking over to Coors Field so that I could wish you a farewell. Spoke with George Grande and he thought maybe you had not gotten out of Atlanta with the extra inning game on Sunday. Sorry you didn’t make this trip. As for the Reds - thanks for tanking while here - GO ROCKS!
By MAC
September 10, 2009 7:57 AM | Link to this
I’m no Dusty fan; he was a good ballplayer and hitter, but he can’t seem to influence the young players to have better ABs and limit their other mistakes. However, even if DB is gone, the team still doesn’t have enough hitters or score enough runs to overcome bad base running, or a pitching or defensive lapse! I like R. Hernandez, but I don’t think he’s the answer either? I think they need a little bit more than RH??
By ShockMonkey
September 10, 2009 6:37 AM | Link to this
OF COURSE, I thought the Reds should have kept Pete Mackanin when he was interim manager but owner Bob Castellini wanted a name manager so the Reds hired Dusty Baker. Me too! How’d that work out? Can’t fire this guy fast enough.
By Steve M.
September 10, 2009 1:34 AM | Link to this
I think it’s “slinked”… As in, “After watching Chris Dickerson and Drew Stubbs outplay him in centerfield, Willy Taveras slinked back to the clubhouse to pack his things.”
By Bruce
September 10, 2009 1:18 AM | Link to this
What is wrong with Cordero? He wasn’t even close tonight!
By MAC
September 10, 2009 1:07 AM | Link to this
What’s interesting to me is how the Reds have lost the 1st 3 games…same way they’ve lost most of their games this season: lack of timely hitting, pitchers walking lead-off man & other BBs, 1 or 2 Defensive miscues and poor base running. Same fundamental problems they’ve had off and on all season long. ?? is how do they correct that standing still in the off-season? IMHO, they can’t! Good SP will keep U in a lot of games, but pitchers R going to walk hitters, Defenders aren’t going to make every play and hitters R going to K when U need them most. If things R going to improve, Reds need to add talent…more hitters w/ good OBP to overcome a pitching, baserunning or Defensive mistake.