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Ask Hal: Gullett knew how to handle pitchers, pick winners

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Updated 1:17 AM Sunday, October 18, 2009

Hal McCoy, the hall-of-fame baseball writer for the Dayton Daily News, knows a thing or two about America’s pastime. If you want to tap into that knowledge, send an e-mail to hmccoy@daytondailynews.com. For more Ask Hal, log on to DaytonDailyNews.com/reds.

Q With the current status of small-market teams and apparently no type of help coming from the commissioner’s office, have we seen that last World Series in Cincinnati? — Dave, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek

A Are you suggesting that the commissioner issue legislation that says, “Let the Reds win one?” Hey, at least you’re not a Pirates fan (17 straight losing seasons). With the Pirates in the same division, take solace in the fact the Reds probably won’t ever finish last. But first place? A World Series trophy costs more money than the Reds can invest.

Q Some baseball players wear pants that cover their shoe laces and some wear pants hiked to their knees to show their socks. Are these the same pair of pants? — A.J., Beavercreek

A Same pants, same players, different styles. Doesn’t uniform mean “the same thing,” and shouldn’t all players wear their uniforms in a uniform manner? Not baseball. Anyway, all a player has to do is pull his pant legs up high and with elastic in the bottom they’ll stay in place right below the knees. Next thing you know they’ll have seamstresses in the clubhouse to alter pants.

Q Wouldn’t Don Gullett be a good option as the next Cincinnati Reds pitching coach? — Mike, Houston

A Major league teams seldom admit they made a mistake and bring back a coach or manager once he is fired — and let’s not mention Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner because that was a special love-hate relationship. Gullett was the best Reds pitching coach I saw in my 37 years on the beat and he was great at rehabilitating broken-down pitchers (Pete Schourek, Pete Harnisch, Steve Parris). And he knew how to pick ’em at the dog track.

Q Ever since I bought an HD TV I’ve noticed that it is obvious the players have taken a blow torch to their helmets to project an image of a dirty, blue-collar player. It looks so fake it has an opposite effect on me. — Mike, Beavercreek

A A blow torch is not used, and have you ever tried to light a cigar with a blow torch? Just once, right? What you see on those helmets is pine tar. The players used a rag covered with pine tar to rub on their bat handles, then they adjust the top of their helmets when they bat and the pine tar that gets on their batting gloves gets on their helmets. Houston’s Craig Biggio had so much pine tar on his helmet that the ‘H’ on the front was obliterated. Have you noticed how hard Cincinnati’s Jonny Gomes pushes down his helmet? By career’s end, he’ll be two inches shorter.

Q How could you leave Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman off your all-time Cincinnati Reds opponent team? — Rick, Vandalia

A If I picked the team that did best against the Reds, Houston pitcher Roy Oswalt would be the captain and Houston first baseman Lance Berkman would be the co-captain. That isn’t what I was doing. I was picking a team of the best players I saw playing against all teams. I’ve had a distaste for All-Star teams every since one of my sons was unanimously voted onto a Little League All-Star team by his teammates, but the coach hid the vote and said the winner was his daughter. She was good, but not better than my son. Old wounds die hard.

Q Who was the outsider whom Homer Bailey went to and re-discovered the velocity on his fastball, and shouldn’t that guy be the Reds next pitching coach? — Bill, Villa Hills, Ky.

A That would be University of Texas pitching coach Skip Johnson and you know what — he probably makes more money there than he would as pitching coach of the Reds. Bailey said Johnson made a tweak here and a tweak there and shazam, the fastball was back, “And pitching became fun again.” And Bailey showed it the second half of last season, finally displaying why the Reds made him a No. 1 draft pick. But one still wonders why he goes by the name of Homer (for a pitcher) when his given name is David DeWitt Bailey.

Q With your 37 years of experiences and stories, you’d be great as a radio broadcaster and could be just as good as the great Joe Nuxhall. What say you? — Roger, Riverside

A Everybody says I have a face for radio. I tremendously enjoyed my second-inning cameos with Marty Brennaman, but I never got to say much because my innings nearly always went 1-2-3 and the second inning became known as The Hal McCoy Inning. Maybe if they hired me permanently, the Reds would never be scored upon. But even then I could never, ever replace Joe Nuxhall. Nobody can.

Q If the Reds really are cash-strapped, as you wrote, do you think they could trade Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo or Coco Cordero? A team in the Reds’ situation can’t afford that kind of cash outlay for a closer, can they? — Paul, Dayton

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Does anyone what Don Gullet is up to these days?

RedDirtRed
10:10 AM, 11/14/2009

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Too bad Gullett cannot come back as pitching coach.I wish
the Reds could come with the money to contend.Other so
called small market teams have been to the World series of
late.Got to put the big money on the right players,get the
right playersBut with what fans read Reds have not a chance
to contend much less go to the World Series.They still need
a lot,but nothing will be done, just hints,rumors and promises.

Wayne Lackey
4:05 AM, 11/3/2009

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If I read everything correct the REDS will never win a World Series because they do not have the money.I know you
are correct and that is so sad for the fans.Plus the
players the Reds do put a lot of money in,do not pan out.
Aaron Harang should give money back,Cordero did have 39
saves but still an over paid Closer.If Arroyo could put a first half/second half season together he would be GREAT!
Reds still need the BIG BAT,EVERYDAY SS & C..PLUS outfield
is not settled.

Wayne Lackey
3:58 AM, 11/3/2009

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Nick - if you're going to post info making fun of white trash, you might want to fix your stupid message first. Also, this is a baseball blog you idiot. So ... it's "casinos" not "casino's" ... it's "let's" not "lets" face it ... it's "too" not "to" about how worried you believe they are ... it's "therefore" not "there fore" ... and it's "KENO" not "KINO" ... and this is a baseball blog you idiot.

Helpful Hints
10:19 AM, 10/24/2009

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Real quick. Just wanted everyone to know that the proposed casino's in ohio will not pass. Reason being, the white trash community will not vote, lets face it. They are to worried about buying scratch offs, and cigs, and have probably never even registered to vote. There fore Ohio, will still be stuck in the 80's. Continue to enjoy KINO in your local bars. Nick P. oxford

Nick Parisey
6:00 PM, 10/19/2009

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