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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 > 2010 > March > 17 > Entry
Who do you want covering your back?
GOODYEAR, Ariz. - During a lull in the action at Tucson Tuesday (There is always a lull in the action at spring training games), somebody wondered: “If there is a fight involving the Cincinnati Reds, who is the guy you want on your side?”
The winner? Jonny Gomes, hand down (or hands up, formed in fist).
What we couldn’t determine is who would be No. 2.
When Gomes was presented the question, he said, “You don’t need to go beyond No. 1. Maybe I’m No. 2, too.”
Then the options were weighed. Scott Rolen was mentioned and Gomes said, “Yeah, I’m sure he can take a punch. Somebody mentioned that Arthur Rhodes would stare ‘em down. Laynce Nix was mentioned and Gomes said, “I’d let him watch my back.”
With a gleam in his eye, Gomes said, “How about D-Ray? He’d bite some ankles.” The reference was to Short Stuff - 5-foot-6 left handed pitcher Daniel Ray Herrera.
After saying, “I’m a lover, not a fighter,” Gomes said, “I probably led the minors and maybe the majors in getting hit most by pitches without charging the mound. I got hit three times in one minor-league game and all I did was drop my stuff and trot to first base. All the fights I’ve been in comes from covering my teammates’ backs, helping my gteammates.”
The original discussion also involved all-time Reds and my nomination won - Kevin Mitchell, who once punched out his manager, Davey Johnson. And Mitchell once allegedly cut off the head of his girl friend’s cat.
Gomes and Mitchell are close friends and Gomes said, “Oh, yeah. I go with Mitch. And before you get to him, you’d have to go through that posse he always had with him, his entourage - not that he needed it.”
MANAGER DUSTY BAKER was chewing on his breakfast this morning as he talked to the media and said, “I apologize for eating in front of you guys while I talk. The clubhouse kitchen closes at 9:45 and I can’t be seen walking out of there with food at 9:50 - especially when it’s my rule.”
TWO BLASTS from the past showed up in camp Wednesday, pitchers Jack Billingham and Jim Maloney. Maloney was one of the original bonus babies. When a team signed a player to a large bonus, he had to stay with the major-league team for an entire season. Maloney was worth every penny, nickel, dime, quarter and dollar.
FORMER OAKLAND star Tony Phillips lives in the Phoenix area and has spent all spring working with the Reds as a guest instructor. He walked by an old acquaintance in the clubhouse this morning and the man said, “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be in green.”
Said Phillips, dressed head-to-toe in red, quickly said, “Hey, lots of tradition in this red, The Big Red Machine. I’m proud to wear this red.”
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By Tb
March 18, 2010 9:56 PM | Link to this
I’m watching the Reds v Indians on Replay. The picture is really fuzzy. No I don’t have HD but it looks horrid. Hoping they have better equipment for the regular season or I’ll have to upgrade to HD. Anyone else seeing this?
By W.Va. Fan
March 18, 2010 9:20 PM | Link to this
Pete Rose and Pedro Borbon. I never will forget that brawl with the Mets when Pete took out Bud Harrelson. And then Borbon picked up the wrong hat (Mets) and when he realized it threw it to the ground. Pete took out Ray Fosse too.
By jim
March 18, 2010 5:49 PM | Link to this
obviously not Tracey Jones.Just talk from team to team to team and then complain nobody likes or admired his skills
By Ren
March 18, 2010 1:44 PM | Link to this
You have to go with the Big Klu. The guy would flex and blow his sleeves off! Now that’s intimidation.
By Air Force Chief
March 18, 2010 9:52 AM | Link to this
A fleet of B-52 Bombers - love the smell of Napolm in the morning.
By Overlook Stomper
March 18, 2010 9:50 AM | Link to this
Uh, Gary Maloy, you’re making stuff up. The fight you reference (the twinbill with the Pirates) started when the late Joe Hoerner plunked Frank Taveras….so Parker couldn’t have sprinted in from RF (he was still a Pirate), he would have been in the dugout when it started.
By John in Grove City
March 18, 2010 8:17 AM | Link to this
Having my back I’m going with Randy Myers, Kal Daniels and Chad Mottola.
By redsfan54
March 18, 2010 7:28 AM | Link to this
Frank Robinson,Don Hoak,Big Klu
By Gary Maloy
March 18, 2010 3:10 AM | Link to this
Big Klu, Overlook Stomper? In the 1970’s it was Kluszewski and Johnny Bench who pulled people out of the fights. Not much of a fighter there - despite (or maybe because of=?) him being huge. I was siting in the green seats, straightaway rightfield at a Reds-Pirates doubleheader once at Riverfront. Can’t recall the details, but the Reds were batting, someone got HBP and all hades broke loose. The Cobra sprinted from RF into the fray and together with Bench and Klu pulled people out of the fray. When he trotted back to his position, he got a standing ovation from my friend and I. He doffed his batting helmet to us and waved. So I don’t think he was much of a fighter, either.
By Macho Man
March 17, 2010 9:34 PM | Link to this
I want Randy Poffo in the fight. OHHHH YEAHHHHHH!
By Mike Tyson
March 17, 2010 9:32 PM | Link to this
For the fight, I am trading for Kyle Farnsworth.
By Kyle
March 17, 2010 9:30 PM | Link to this
I’m going with Dibble. I’m thinking if he’s willing to toss at a guy in center, who knows what he might do to have your back.
By LeeHoFook
March 17, 2010 8:42 PM | Link to this
My guy is Chris Welch. If I’m in a fight I’m probably getting my rear kicked. But I’ll probably end up looking better than the Creeper. Plus the black eye would fill the void on his mug since he shaved the ‘stache.
By foxbase_alpha
March 17, 2010 7:08 PM | Link to this
Pedro Borbon. Or Brad Lesley.
By ted
March 17, 2010 6:12 PM | Link to this
What about Reds pitcher and black belt in karate John Denny? As I recall the Reds - Mets brawl he ended up on top of Kevin Mitchell whaling away.
By Leon Harrison
March 17, 2010 6:06 PM | Link to this
Kylie Conway or Megan O’Rourke or Daljit Dhaliwal or…
By Justin
March 17, 2010 4:28 PM | Link to this
what about Glenn Braggs…dude was huge!
By me
March 17, 2010 3:36 PM | Link to this
RAY KNIGHT.
By Overlook Stomper
March 17, 2010 2:33 PM | Link to this
Kevin Mitchell? Hardly….I remember him getting tossed around (while a Met) during the Eric Davis/Ray Knight donnybrook in ‘86 or ‘87. I also have heard that Tracy Jones backed him down in a locker room confrontation. I’d go with Dave Parker, Bill Plummer, Ron Gant, Bob Lee, Lee May, and Big Klu in some order…..
By Semper Fi
March 17, 2010 1:39 PM | Link to this
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