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Ask Hal: Suddenly the Reds have all these arms to spare?

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer 8:08 PM Saturday, August 1, 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.

Q: Why is it that when the pitcher throws the ball in the dirt the catcher automatically reaches back to the umpire for a new ball, yet when Edwin Encarnacion throws the ball to first base in the dirt they don’t change the ball? — Dave, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek.

A: If a ball gets scuffed, the pitcher can do tricky things with it, like make it dance around a bat, something Reds pitcher aren’t able to do these days. But catchers know umpires won’t let that happen, so why waste time. They just reach for a new ball. And you won’t have Encarnacion to kick around anymore, nor will he be around to kick around ground balls. You have to catch ‘em before you can throw ‘em.

Q: Robert Manuel received an MLB.com award last year as the best reliever in the minor leagues and Wladimir Balentien was designated for assignment by Seattle, so what is the logic for this trade? — Luke, Sophia, W.Va.

A: I’m sort of mystified myself (no shock there) as to why the Reds suddenly are dealing pitchers like a blackjack dealer pitching cards. Isn’t baseball pitching, pitching, pitching? I know the team is short of outfielders, but when an organization comes up short of pitchers, that’s a problem. Every play starts with that guy on the mound throwing the ball, doesn’t it?

Q: Short and sweet — what is wrong with Aaron Harang? — Vin, New York City.

A: What? You’re concerned because Harang hasn’t won a game in his last 12 starts and leads the league in losses after going 6-17 last year? He has lost velocity, his slider doesn’t have the snap it once had, his pitches are consistently up in the strike zone. I pitched one inning of Little League in my entire baseball career and had one strikeout and three walks, so I can relate to Harang. I’m no pitching coach, but I’d say all those things are bad.

Q: This is the third season in a row I’ve asked this question and I understand that Greg Maddux speaks highly of Reds pitching coach Dick Pole and I understand that hitting coach Brook Jacoby is the hardest worker in the organization. The bottom line is they are not getting the job done so, again, why do you think they should keep their jobs? — Creighton, Dayton.

A: You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him do a triple back flip. You can teach them and advise on the nuances of pitching and hitting, but they have to do it themselves. You’ll probably get your wish this year because heads probably will roll, but how has it worked out the last nine years when the Reds continue to change GMs, managers and coaches? At some point they might consider bringing in some real talent to play the game.

Q: How do you take this losing year after year? For the fans it’s easy. We just stop going to games or watching them or reading about them. Being stuck, how do you pick up your pen day after day and write about this misery? — Bob, Dayton.

A: Thanks for the concern, Robert, but please don’t stop reading. I still need an audience and it’s a poor actor playing in front of any empty house. I comfort myself on the fact I still get to see Albert Pujols and Roy Oswalt and Chase Utley (don’t you love that name?) and stars from other teams. Joey Votto is fun to watch, if you’re expectations aren’t too high for the rest of the team. I guess to write about this team I have to make sure there is a little bit of poison on the tip of my pen.

Q: I know they are very dedicated and try as hard as they can, but is there any chance of catching Pittsburgh? — Bob, Mount Orab.

A: Oh, yeah. These fifth-place Reds are capable of catching the sixth-place Pirates. But every time the Reds get close, the Pirates trade away two or three more pretty good players and get worse. But I love what the new Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington said about all his trades: “We aren’t exactly trading away the ’27 Yankees.” The Pirates are en route to their 13th straight losing season.

Q: Didn’t owner Bob Castellini say that he was tired of the losing and that if it continued he would fire himself? — Rick, West Chester.

A: He got mad at me for asking when the team might look for some stability when he fired GM Wayne Krivsky and he said, “We are not going to lose any more.” And then he went on WLW after I wrote in January that he said the team had reached the payroll limit and said, “I’m excited about this team. We have a good team and we will be a contender and if we don’t you can play this tape.” Bill Cunnigham has begun playing that tape over and over and over.

Q: Voting on the Reds Hall of Fame begins this weekend and I see several relief pitchers on the list, but I don’t see Rob Dibble, Randy Myers and/or Norm Charlton, The Nasty Boys of the 1990 World Champions. Why is that? — Mark, Bloomington, Ind.

A: I’ve just been added to the Reds Veterans Committee to chose Hall of Famers, so I’ll get my spy glass and finger print kit and investigate this oversight. Maybe they should go in as a threesome — the Nasty Boys. I don’t know about putting those three guys in the same room for an induction dinner. I don’t think any of the three was ever domesticated.

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Folks, I've worked for Mr. Castellini and let me tell ya, it ain't pretty. All I can tell you is expect A LOT of hot air and NO action worth writing home about. If anyone wants to know the not so pretty details I'm afraid we'd have to dedicate an evening and a twelve-pack to groom over the not so flattering details that make up his convoluted business ethics. I've been "this" close to calling in on local AM and letting our Queen City know just how bad off we're going to end up down the road

Been there and back, Bobby boy
11:01 PM, 8/2/2009

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Memo to Reds Management and Ownership:

If you put a winning team on the field, the fans will come.

Put a winning team together, payroll be damned, and you're return on investment will be HUGE.

Marty
5:06 PM, 8/2/2009

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Is it possible that Walt had more control over player movement in St. Louis than he does in Cincy? If St. Louis, a similar market for sports, can have a decade long run of being competitive / in the playoffs why can't the Reds? There should be no excuses. It's not like the Cards are spending money like the Mets or Cubs.

Scott
11:56 AM, 8/2/2009

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Dusty Baker is a one year wonder of a coach. Once the players figure out they can play him like a fiddle (see Phillips, Brandon) then his luster fades and he becomes an average manager with a bad team.

wilbur
11:08 AM, 8/2/2009

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The Reds need to quit signing pitchers for the purpose of burning up their young arms. Teach them how to pitch and not just to throw. Look long and hard at the farm system, and also long and hard at **** Pole and Dusty Baker on the major league team. Answers? Just look at the Cardinals and the Dodgers as examples and it starts right at the manager level.

Wilbur
11:05 AM, 8/2/2009

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