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Ask Hal: Worried about next season’s center fielder? Stubbs is the man

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer 8:41 PM Saturday, September 26, 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 Reds now owning nine straight losing seasons, could one of your records include covering a team with the most losing seasons? — Dave, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek

A: You sent me scurrying to the Reds media guide to check that one out. In my 37 years, the Reds have had 17 losing seasons, 19 winning seasons and one .500 season (81-81). You want balance? My first nine years were all winning seasons, and my last nine were all losing seasons. I can’t beat the record of Pittsburgh’s John Perrotto, who has covered the Pirates in each of their 17 straight losing seasons. He should get a Purple Heart.

Q: With the influx of foreign-born players in the last three or four decades, does former Reds, Indians and Phillies (amongst others) pitcher Cal McLish still have the longest name in baseball history? — Mike, Dayton.

A: That’s the one major-league record that never will be broken. His full name: Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish. His folks had some sense of humor. His nickname was Bus, probably because he needed the side of a bus to write his full name.

Q: Since the Reds are out of it and the Bengals are out of it, what should I do with my spare time because it is two months before the UD basketball team starts back up. At least they have a team? — Marty, Spring Valley.

A: Don’t be too hasty about the Bengals, except you know they’re always like your first girlfriend: they’ll break your heart if not your wallet (if they don’t fumble it). I’d say watch the Cleveland Browns, but that’s even worse, torture even. What can you do the next two months? Come and mow my yard.

Q: Why would anybody want to manage the Pirates? It can’t be for major-league managing experience. — Keith, Brookville.

A: Anybody with a superiority complex needs to manage the Pirates, which would flatten their ego like a sat-on balloon. The Pirates are in a perpetual mode to trade any player who looks as if he might be a star. And he usually is — someplace else.

Q: You and I both wanted to keep Josh Roenicke, but his pitching stats in Toronto are awful, an ERA over 7.00, 11 earned runs and 11 walks in 15 innings. Maybe Walt Jocketty knew what he was doing on this one. — Mike, Cincinnati.

A: I love getting Scott Rolen, a class act, a real pro, a defensive wizard, good with the bat. I didn’t like giving up Roenicke, but I liked even less giving up Zach Stewart. The sampling is too small. Roenicke may yet be a closer and he may yet be a bust. We do know Rolen never will be a bust, unless somebody sculpts his profile and anchors it at third base.

Q: What would you think of ending the season around mid-September? I get tired of watching the World Series in nasty weather. — Steve, Fairfield.

A: That means they’d have to start the season in mid-March and it’s pretty nasty then, too. I’m all for cutting the season from May 1 to Sept. 1, a 100-game season. Won’t happen. That would skewer every record baseball cherishes. But it would eliminate these September Cincinnati-Pittsburgh and Cincinnati-Houston games that are played for no apparent reason in front of more empty chairs.

Q: What’s your call on Drew Stubbs for the 2010 season, keeper or not? — Roger, Riverside.

A: This is not just some fish you throw back. To me, Drew Stubbs is a whale, or at least a Great White Shark. Not only will he be on next year’s team, he’ll be the starting center fielder. I don’t care how much they owe Willy Taveras in 2010 or how much they think he can bounce back and provide; if Stubbs isn’t the starting center fielder next year then the Reds aren’t trying to win.

Question of the week

Q: Other than the fight that you ignited between Lou Piniella and Rob Dibble, what is the best baseball brawl you ever witnessed?

A: Has to be the Reds-Mets brawl in the 1973 playoffs when Pete Rose nearly amputated shortstop Bud Harrelson’s leg on a slide into second base. The best part was after the brawl, Reds relief pitcher and resident goofball Pedro Borbon picked up a hat and put it on his head. Folks began laughing and Borbon yanked off the hat and discovered it was a blue New York Mets hat. He bit a hunk out of the bill, not unusual for him. His teeth were so sharp he used to bite the ends of leather straps off baseball gloves after his teammates relaced them with new leather.

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