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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 > 17 > Entry
Maloney needs only three fans
If nobody is there to see it, does it really count? Well, yes, it does, but Matt Maloney wouldn’t have cared if they only folks in Great American Ball Park Thursday were his mother, father and fiance.
There were barely more than that.
With an announced crowd of 9,685, the Florida Marlins should have felt as if they were playing in the comfort of their own North Miami home, where there are more alligators within a mile radius than baseball fans.
With cell phone conversations discernible two sections apart all night, the Cincinnati Reds put a crimp in Florida’s wild card aspirations with a 3-2 victory, the Reds’ eighth straight home victory, most of them played in relative silence and with enough empty red chairs to seat the Ohio homeless.
The Reds lit into Florida starter Anibal Sanchez for three first-inning runs on Darnell McDonald’s leadoff home run and a two-out two-run soft flare single to left field by Jay Bruce.
Matt Maloney wobbled inning after inning with that 3-0 lead, but never toppled, pitching four scoreless innings before the Marlins scored their two runs in the fifth.
Maloney didn’t care how many or how few were in the park. With his mother, father and fiancé in the house, he was happy to get the start in place of Johnny Cueto (flu-like symptoms) and happy to be back on the mound after he was skipped a turn with a blister.
It all resulted in his first career major-league victory.
He gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings, then watched the bullpen of Ramon Ramirez, Arthur Rhodes, Nick Masset and Coco Cordero combine for no runs and one hit over the final four.
“That was awesome,” said Maloney. “Got the beer shower and the game scorecard. My finger was sore, but I was able to get through it and keep the ball down.”
Maloney survived because he ignored the cutter, the pitch that caused the blister. He stuck with an effective sinker, then went into the clubhouse to sweat out his one-run lead.
“I was in here talking to Homer Bailey and trying not to think about it too much,” said Maloney. “I was anxious, but the bullpen guys just nailed it down.”
McDonald, who homered to lead the bottom of the first, was playing in place of a resting Drew Stubbs.
“Stubbs has played every day since he has been here,” said manager Dusty Baker. “Time to give him a day off. I have another good center fielder in Darnell, too. Drew will be strong and better down the stretch if you give him a day off now and then, a mental day off. He’ll be back in there (tonight).”
It was a night for stand-ins — McDonald and Maloney — and of Maloney Baker said, “He ran out of gas in the fifth, but we tried to stick with him, which we did.”
McDonald gave up three hits for two runs in the fifth and had two outs with the tying run on second. Instead of lifting him, Baker stuck with Maloney so he could get the final out to qualify for the win.
Maloney retired Cody Ross on a pop up to first.
“Then our bullpen came on to do a great job because rarely do you score three in three in the first, then don’t score any more and end up winning,” Baker added. “Matt battled through the fifth inning and we were all pulling for him so he could get that first win.
“It’s fun for me to give a guy like Maloney the lineup card when he gets his first win,” said Baker. “Back in the day, I wish I would have had mine. Memorabilia stuff wasn’t as important as it is now.”
Maloney said he planned to give the lineup card to his dad, Joe, “And let him take care of it.”
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By max
September 20, 2009 12:35 PM | Link to this
Why does everybody want to get rid of Corderro? Sure he makes a lot of money but last time I checked the bullpen was 3rd in the National League. I think 4 teams get into the playoffs…The assumption that we are going to pick up a guy for the major league minimum to get 40 saves is crazy. We went into the season with six big questions which we were hoping we’d somehow addressed. Bruce, Traveras, Gonzolas, Hernandez, left field and Encarnarcion. Aside from left field which Gones has kind of saved and Hernandez who I thought did fine before his knee injury, those questions were answered in resounding negatives…People make the point, a team only winning 70 games cannot afford that much for a closer. Well, are we trying to set up the team to win 70 games. Believe me, the teams winning 90 and over are most times going to have a very good closer…AS for the money, if you spend it and are competitive in September instead of sitting 10k in the stands you are sitting 40k. That means 30k by 20 games you are losing 600,000 people. At whatever they are charging for tickets and beer, that might make up for a couple of big contracts.
By ShockMonkey
September 19, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this
Actually, Barhopper’s post was kind of funny. Element of truth to it. However, the “bulbous” one does have 38 saves which leads the NL. Plus the bulbous one has done that on a 5th place team!
By HavaKlu
September 19, 2009 4:55 AM | Link to this
Jim T and Mike-Cinci, I echo your sentiments on BrarHopper. Why he hasn’t been eliminated from this blog is a mystery to me.
By Mark in Sun Valley
September 18, 2009 10:18 PM | Link to this
Memo to Rusty. Cordero on 3 straight days, shakey, on the 4th straight day, horrible. How can you not have seen this by now?
By RC
September 18, 2009 8:06 PM | Link to this
Just ignore the little doofus. Works for me.
By Mike-Cinci
September 18, 2009 4:18 PM | Link to this
Jim t said it very clearly. I don’t understand why BrarHopper would call people ugly names or suggest that violence should happen to them which he has done on numerous occasions. We are talking about baseball here. It’s not a matter of life and death. It should be fun talking about who should play CF or who should bat second in the lineup. When people get personal with ugly comments the fun of the blog is lost. Hal has set a gracious and courteous tone in his blog and in his writing over his career. Expressing opinions is a good thing. Expressing them with hatred and prejudice is a bad thing. To his credit Cordero has saved 38 games in 41 opportunities. He was an All-Star this year. The Reds have some problems but he was not one of them this year. If they can trade him and improve the team I would do it. In fact I would trade anyone if it made the team better. It is much easier to say this than do it though.
By Jim t
September 18, 2009 3:57 PM | Link to this
More pearls of wisdom from brarHopper.It certainly is insane that a player would thank the Lord for his good fortune after delivering another save. Yes, we should jetison Coco immediately for such a reaction. And yes, his badly shaped body probably is the cause of his blowing those 3 saves in 41 chances.If your point is we can use his salary to strenthen the team in other areas I can respect your opinion. Don’t agree with it but respect your opinion.But to sit behind a computer screen and direct insults at people you don’t even know is a indication of your lack of character. Blogging is such a great invention for people like you who never had the courage to confort someone face to face with your insults. Enjoy your day.
By Jack
September 18, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this
Can only hope Brar that Cordero keeps saving this year. He should be quite attractive to some teams in the off-season.
By BrarHopper
September 18, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
As a long-time Reds fan, I’m kicking myself that someone didn’t pick up Cordero. The Reds so badly need to jettison his bulbous salary and his bulbous body. And his insipid pointing to the sky fairies…I guess Geezus helped Coco get another save! What’s he do when he blows one, point down? Idiot.
By Steve
September 18, 2009 8:46 AM | Link to this
I had the pleasure of sitting next to Matt Maloney’s fiancee at a game a couple weeks ago. She was a very nice, sweet girl, who has been with Matt through all of the trials and tribulations of the minor leagues. I really wish them nothing but the best and hope Matt has a great career as a Red.
By Randy
September 18, 2009 6:14 AM | Link to this
The Reds are going to have ANOTHER Hal McCoy night and play with only Hal in attendance!
By max
September 18, 2009 2:28 AM | Link to this
I am really rooting for this kid. When Harang went down one of the good things was that it would give some starts to Matt. It would be good to see what he can do up here, if he has a chance. It would be nice to have a left hander in the rotation…If you think about it we haven’t done badly in those late season trades where you are essentially dumping salary or giving up on a player. We have gotten Masset, Owings and Maloney in the past three years. Nothing this year though. I bet a few teams are kicking themselves that they didn’t pick up Cordero or Arroyro.
By ryan
September 17, 2009 11:48 PM | Link to this
I love you Hal!