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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > May > 22 > Entry
Mitch puts needle to Griff
OK, a bad loss to a bad team. Make that a bad loss to a bad team by a bad team.
San Diego, owner of the worst record in the majors and the lowest batting average in the NL, emasculated the Reds, 8-2, hitting four home runs and clipping 14 hits Thursday night.
It was uglier than Throw Mama From the Train. Even Aaron Harang was bad - five runs, 10 hits (two homers) in 5 1/3 innings.
So, this roaming band of rogues have lost 11 of their last 12 road games and now they are getting their behinds reddened by a real bad baseball team.
Time for something off the wall to soothe the pain.
Kevin Mitchell, a storied player with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Oakland A’s and the Cincinnati Reds, was in the Reds’ clubhouse before Thursday’s game.
Always one with the snarky tongue, Mitchell was sitting at Ken Griffey Jr.’s locker, the needle razor-sharp.
“You ever gonna get off 597?” said Mitchell. “I see they got you in right field, the old man’s position.”
“Naw, first base is the old man’s position,” said Griffey.
“You’ll be there soon,” said Mitchell, his gold tooth flashing under the clubhouse lights. He was hefting Griffey’s bat and said, “Man, why are you swinging a toothpick?”
Said Griffey with a smile, “I’ll tell you what I told Dave Parker when he got all over me: I got this far, didn’t I?”
Griffey then showed Mitchell how he got to 597, although it took him 90 at-bats to get from 597 to 598.
In the first inning Friday night against the Padres, Griffey crushed one that sounded like a Browning Automatic Rifle, “c-r-r-r-r-r-r-a-c-k-k-k-k.” Gone. No. 598 in the books.
It was his 200th as a member of the Reds and Randy Wolf became the 382nd pitcher to feel the sting of Griffey’s home run wand.
In the stands, Mitchell smiled. He once caught a fly ball barehanded with his back to the infield. He once punched Reds manager Davey Johnson when the two argued over Mitchell’s late arrival for a practice after the All-Star break.
Mitchell said his two best friends were, “Big, Fat Stinky Mike and Japanese Tony. Mike was so fat he took the front seat out of his Cadillac and drove it from the back seat.”
Mitchell once owned a club in suburban San Diego at which an old USA Network show called “Silk Stalkings” was taped. He built a house in San Diego that had a sliding board from his upstairs bedroom into a swimming pool. “I can’t slide anymore. I have to crawl,” he said.
While he seemed in constant trouble and turmoil, he was so good with the Reds media that one year they awarded him The Good Guy Award. When we gave him the trophy it brought tears to his eyes and he said, “I ain’t never won an award like this.”
When I saw him Thursday, one of the first things he said was, “You got me that award, sir. I really appreciated that.”
Before Griffey homered, he told Mitchell, “I’m just like Big Brown. I let ‘em all get out in front and then I sneak up on them and pull away. And by the way, Mitch, ANYBODY can catch a ball barehanded.”
Speaking of Big Brown, one of the nation’s prettiest horse tracks is Del Mar, not far from San Diego. Lou Piniella loves the sport of kings and the last year he managed the Reds he and I went to Del Mar on a Saturday afternoon.
You had to wear a sport coat in the clubhouse. I wore one, Lou didn’t. So they brought him an usher’s jacket - a blue blazer with an orange Del Mar logo on the pocket. So there was the manager of the Cincinnati Reds sitting at a table checking out his program in an usher’s blazer.
He hit three out of the first four races and it was time to go - Piniella needed to make out a lineup card for batting practice. But he was running hot with the ponies and wanted to stay. “One more, one more,” he said.
I nearly had to drag him out of Del Mar, and as we sped down the interstate toward the ball park I said to him, “We’re going to be late. Batting practice starts soon and they don’t even have a lineup.”
It was early September and Piniella wanted a contract extension from owner Marge Schott, but she wouldn’t talk to him during the season. So, at that moment, on the freeway, Piniella said, “To hell with them. I’m not coming back next year anyway.”
And that’s how I got the scoop that Piniella wasn’t returning for another season.
Oh, for the good ol’ days - back in the day …
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: Ken Griffey Jr.
Comments
By Jim
May 23, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Pitching coach,hitting coach,person with the idea to platoon two left handed hitting first baseman,have a leadoffman who does not hit or get on base (patterson)reds would show some improvement if they where gone!By Jim
May 23, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this
Pitching coach,hitting coach,person with the idea to platoon two left handed hitting first baseman,have a leadoffman who does not hit or get on base (patterson)reds would show some improvement if they where gone!By Jason
May 23, 2008 3:01 PM | Link to this
All you Griffey lovers need to get over it. Someone on here said to check out some website with stats - it had the words historical leaders in it. I don’t care what Griffey has done in the past, I want them to win now and he’s not pulling his share of the load. He sets a bad example to the younger guys by not hustling to first and obviously a poor offseason workout routine.By Jason
May 23, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
All you Griffey lovers need to get over it. Someone on here said to check out some website with stats - it had the words historical leaders in it. I don’t care what Griffey has done in the past, I want them to win now and he’s not pulling his share of the load. He sets a bad example to the younger guys by not hustling to first and obviously a poor offseason workout routine.By Kyle
May 23, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
I hear that the crappiest teams in the league look at the calendar and circle the dates that they will play the Reds. They know they’ll get healthy against them, start pitching, hitting, you know, all the fundamental things. Pittsburgh did it, SD did it. Should have cleaned house with all of the coaches and not hired Dusty. Walt needs to do something. I think any of us could get paid his money to sit around and do nothing about this. Why fire Krivsky if Walt isn’t going to do anything?By econprof
May 23, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
I remember reading a story about Kevin Mitchell when he was with the Giants. He had a bad cold, and a reporter watched him reach in his locker for Vicks Vapo Rub. He allegedly dipped into it with a spoon and ate it to ward off the symptoms of his cold!By Jeremy
May 23, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
I’ve gotta admit…seeing “needle” and “Griff” in the same headline sort of made me sick to my stomach until I read the article. I know there is no way he used them but steroids and needles were the first thing to pop into mind.By Pressbox Cigars
May 23, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this
I was sitting at our normal table at the Starbucks inside our Englewood Kroger store when I was approached by a man wearing a Reds cap. The man said, “I was told you were the John Robison that Hal wrote about in his blog the other day called Trains and Planes.” I told gentlemen that “yes, it was me and that he was pretty close on the title of the blog as well. The man then asked me if I had read Hal’s current blog, and I replied no. The man then tells me this great story about Lou at a horse track with Hal. I then had to stop the gentlemen in mid sentence and finish the story for him about getting back after batting practice, not having a line-up and not returning to the Reds the following year. The man then looked at me and asked “I thought you hadn’t read his blog today.” I told the gentlemen “I haven’t but I have smoked several 100 cigars with the Hall of Famer and not only have I heard that one but 50 to 100 others that one day will be in his book. The moral of the story, please keep telling Hal to write his book, it will be well worth the wait. His stories keep me on edge of my seat as we sit in his garage and enjoy a Padron 64, Montecristo #2, or simple conversation from a baseball tradionalist, how lucky am I!!By Randy Plessinger
May 23, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
This team has lost it already. They have a lot of good players but can’t put it together. That’s the fault of the coaches. Dusty’s style would have worked with the Big Red Machine. But, this team needs guidance. I have no idea what Griffey’s problem is. He looks totally lost. Let Marty coach them from upstairs. He seems to have a lot of answers. At least I can plan my summer vacation now.By Henry
May 23, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
Hal, I can’t wait for you to write a book of stories like these. I’ll be first in line.By HuberTucky
May 23, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this
HEADLINE: Last place Reds ace whupped by last place Padres; Pads hit a ton of homers in non-home run park. The time is near, folks. Bob & Walt will NOT put up with this poor quality play. The Reds can’t figure out how to pitch to opposing teams (pitching coach?), opposing teams pitch the Reds like the little leaguers they sometimes are, Reds can’t hit half the time (batting coach?). I predict a few heads are gonna roll and soon.By Tom
May 23, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
Every once in awhile you think the Reds might be turning it around. BUT when you look inside the numbers you have a leadoff hitter with terrible numbers, the improved bullpen-where???? except for Cordero BUT when you hardly use him. Three (four counting Fogg) starting pitchers with ERA’s over 6 and a manager who starts Bako who is now hitting more to the past because he handles Cueto better (ERA 5.69). Bailey, Bruce, even Thompson would not have at least the same if not better numbers. Castellini is spending the money but when you waste it on ill advise signings you are going to continue to be bad. So it is not just the left coast except for a few, very few, bright spots just a bad baseball team.By Deaner
May 23, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this
So many great stories…By Mike
May 23, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Is the GM watching? This team is bad..someone wake up Jocketty..he has been with the team since mid January..he knows changes need to be made..but he says he’s still evaluating etc. His team is 21-27 .438 in last place..the Reds’s are suffocating..terrible road record of 7-18..4 straight losses..It looks urgent to me! His report card at this time has D’s and the idea was to be an improvement over his predecessor Wayne. But Griffey hit a home run..all is well.By Another Losing Season
May 23, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
Very nicely done. This is a true “Reds Insider” article. Thanks for understanding your purpose Hal. Scores, lineups, post-game wrapups are things I can figure out myself. This is exactly the kind of information readers want to see. Thanks again.By rob
May 23, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Hal, Love the anecdotes about Piniella and Mitchell.By Tom
May 23, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this
No pitching, and no hitting.By jarrod
May 23, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
it might be time to remove the article “contrary to appearances, these reds ain’t that bad” from the web page and replace it with despite six terrific games, these reds are horrific.” they play awful on a routine basis and thats the bottom line.By Reds Fan
May 23, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
4 straight nights of this crap think I’ll get some sleep the next 2 nights. Pretty bad when Griffey makes it 2-0 I doze off wake up and its 3-2 and then all of sudden 8-2. This team is THE WORST in MLB fundamentally. NO QUESTIONS!!!!! This team has no plate discipline, and no intensity. They can get away with this crap at the GABP not on the road. 2 wins in the 3 remaining games will be a miracle.By Dave
May 23, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Great story Hal. I hope you’ll fill a book with stuff like that one day…By Jimmy1Time
May 23, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
How is Mitchell really doing? Does he still have some cash? Or is he another Strawberry?By Todd
May 23, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this
All we have are the good old days! I love to hear the stories Hal. where is my favorite DDN section; Around the Horn? Those were the good old days.By Coach
May 23, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this
I no longer think they should trade Griffey—brian—I think they should merely put him to sleep—with the rest of his pretenders!By joe
May 23, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
I remember Kevin Mitchell as a ‘problem child’ but Hal makes him out to be someone special. I guess that is what it takes to be a hall of fame writer.By brian
May 23, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
for all the idiots who think the reds should trade Griffey - check out this MLB stat site… http://mlb.mlb.com/stats/historical/leaders.jsp?c_id=mlb&baseballScope=mlb&statType=1&sortByStat=All&timeFrame=3&timeSubFrame2=1By bill
May 23, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
When is Baker going to start getting his due criticism? He is an awful manager. He has a decent career record because he had the horses on his other teams!By JL
May 23, 2008 6:51 AM | Link to this
Great Job Hal! I always enjoy your reports on the games and your personal stories. You’ve got to get started on that book! I’m your number one fan from Dayton, Ohio.By Jim M.
May 23, 2008 6:09 AM | Link to this
Enjoyed reading your article Hal.. I was a big fan of Mitchells when he was on the Reds and got excited when he got traded to the Reds again.. Miss his hitting and wish he was the hitting coach for the Reds (ask him if he would do that for the Reds.. heck since you got him the Good guy award!)By Petey in LA
May 23, 2008 3:11 AM | Link to this
Great story. The Reds lose 4 in a row, and it remains a pleasure to read you. You’re the best, Hal.By MAC
May 23, 2008 2:16 AM | Link to this
One bad throw (Bako) and the flood gates opened; the Reds keep finding ways to lose. I guess after tonight’s performance,Harang’s the next guy headed to AAA ?