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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 > June > 25 > Entry
Phillips-Cabrera do the ol’ flip-flop
In Dusty Baker’s baseball world, there is no absolutes - nothing is forever, everything is temporary. Adjustment always must be made.
“Everything about our lineup is temporary, except maybe Joey Votto batting third. That’s probably not temporary, but then again it might be.”
That’s because Baker turned a flip-flop on his lineup card Friday night against the Cleveland Indians, dropping Orlando Cabrera from first to second and lifting Brandon Phillips from second to first.
Asked if that was a temporary thing, Baker said, “Everybody sees how Cabrera is not going very good (0 for 18). You see at-bats piling up on Cabrera. Maybe batting seocnd he’ll get some none at-bats with some sacrifice bunts, some hit-and-runs and walks. Take the pressure off him. It’s just like when Drew Stubbs batted lead-off early in the year - when you’re batting lead-off and you’re not going good, you’re 0 for 4 and everybody else has batted fourth.”
It was mentioned the Cabrera has a good track record against Cleveland starter Aaron Laffey and Baker said, “When you’re not going good, a track record doesn’t mean anything. He had a good track record against some of the pitchers we faced on the road, too, but it didn’t matter.”
Cabrera has complained of a sore ankle, “But it doesn’t appear to affect him in the field and he refuses to say his ankle affects him at the plate, but I can see it on some swings,” said Baker.
So Phillips batted lead-off for the third time this season. He also has batted second (41 times), third (seven times) and fourth (22 times). He didn’t realize he was batting lead-off when he arrived at the park Friday and when told he said, “Really? I don’t know nothin these days. I just know that we’re winning.”
And he says it matters not where he swings his bat in the order.
“Wow? Leading off? Glad you told me, man,” he said. “He must be just trying something different. I’m just trying to get on base for the big dogs. That’s my job and that’s the way I was supposed to be playing. I’m not a No. 4 hitter (as he was last year and early this season). I just feel like batting first, second or third, I’m the type of player to get the team going. That’s how I’ve always seen myself.
“I tried to be the best No. 4 hitter I could be and I did that,” he added. “I learned from my mistakes in 2008, my first time hitting fourth. I took it into ‘09 and did a good job, learning how to drive guys in. This year, I’ve hit all over the lineup and Dusty is seeing the type of player I can really be at the top of the lineup. And it has been paying off.”
JUST ANNOUNCED tonight by the Louisville Bats, who are in Durham: Aroldis Chapman will work the rest of the season out of the bullpen, because that’s the biggest need the Reds have and it isn’t likely relief help will be available at the trade deadline. Chapman started 13 games, then appeared in relief earlier this week - two innings in relief of Edinson Volquez, who was pitching on rehab for the Bats.
HOMER BAILEY SAID before Friday’s game that he is scheduled to start throwing again on Monday and added, “I feel like I could start throwing now because I feel pretty good, but we have a plan and it seems to be going pretty well, so we’ll take our time and stick with it. I’ve had pretty good shoulder-strengthening workouts and the last couple of days and on Monday we’ll just start tossing. It seems years since I throw, but it has only been about a week-and-a-half since my rehab start (for Class AAA Louisville). We’ll start light and build into it.”
PITCHER MIKE LINCOLN has been eligible to come off the DL for 10 days, but he has yet to throw a baseball and doesn’t know when that will happen.
“All I’m doing is rehab work, trying to get myself happy,” he said, referring to his sore right lat. “Throwing? Naw, not yet. I’m hoping to throw starting next week, but I don’t know yet. I feel pretty good, but it is a situation where we don’t want to start it up and aggravate something. I know how I am. I know I’ll have a tough time stopping once I get going.”
THE REDS signed Gary Matthews Jr. to a minor-league contract Thursday and he has experience leading off. Is he an option, a quick fix?
“Lead-off is the toughest position to fill in baseball,” said Baker. “When didn’t make the World Series in San Francisco until we got Kenny Lofton as our lead-off man. And when I went to Chicago we had trouble at lead-off until we got Kenny Lofton.
“As for Matthews, he has to get his act together first. How do you do that without getting your act together. He is going to Triple-A to get his act together,” said Baker. “If he had his act together he would have been playing somewhere and probably leading off.”
IT WAS IRISH Heritage Night in the Great American Ball Park Friday and the Reds wore green hats, the same as they do on St. Patrick’s Day during spring training. As Brandon Phillips pulled on his green hat, he said, “You didn’t know I’m part Irish, did you? Just call me Brandon O’Phillips.
Question: When are they going to have Scotch Heritage Night, or German Heritage Night or Polish Heritage Night or Hungarian Heritage Night or Jewish Heritage Night?
WHAT DO PLAYERS do in the clubhouse during their down time between getting dressed and batting practice? Lots of things. Interviews, TV gazing, treatment from the trainers and in the case of pitchers Sam LeCure and Logan Ondrusek - a game of cribbage.
And several players were filling out a ballot for the players’ All-Star team. Mike Lincoln and Daniel Ray Herrera were discussing their ballots and Herrera was asked if players are permitted to vote for teammates, he smiled and said, “I’ve already voted for myself four times.”
LAYNCE NIX received some good news Thursday when his brother, Jayson, called to tell him he would see him in Cincinnati this weekend - and not for just a visit. Jayson Nix was designated for assignment by the Chic ago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians picked him up.
So there was the possibility the Brothers Nix could face each other sometime this weekend, which is fine with Laynce. “We’ve never had the opportunity to play against each other in the majors, other than last year during The Civil Rights Game here in Cincinnati,” he said. “I haven’t yet been able to hit a hot shot at him and I’m looking forward to doing that. I’m happy for him. He didn’t get much of an opportunity to play in Chicago.”
SEVERAL WRITERS saw a disturbance in the Chicago Cubs dugout during their televised game against the Chicago White Sox, with flamboyant pitcher Carlos Zambrano in the center of it all. Somebody said they thought they saw Zambrano and Derek Lee exchange heated words and Baker, who managed both players, laughed and said, “Zambrano and D-Lee? Man, I’d like to have a seat for that one. A seat and some popcorn. That would be a good one.”
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By Brian
June 28, 2010 8:48 AM | Link to this
Hey Calvin S! Do you know what quotations mean? Hal wasn’t suggesting that Matthews was the answer batting lead off. That was a Dusty quote. Duh! What a crock!
By Worn Cleat
June 27, 2010 11:17 PM | Link to this
I agree with you; but I felt if a genuine effort was made to teach him to push bunt toward 1st{he’d beat out nine out of ten}, and drag bunt at third—it would have made him more of a threat, as a LO hitter. No chance for him to LO, without the bunting ability. I cannot believe they haven’t insisted on him learning it, but more importantly, DOING IT! This stupidity on their part, will force them to look for a true leadoff hitter. Perhaps bunting would not have solidified Stubbs as a LO hitter; but, one would think they’d have made an effort to find out, considering his speed! Even doing it from the 7th hitting position, would have added to his arsenal, and the Reds offensive weaponry.
By MAC
June 27, 2010 10:18 PM | Link to this
Cleat, I hear ya & agree to a certain degree. Fact is Reds haven’t produced a LO type hitter w/in organization for quite some time & more than likely they’ll need to make a trade to get 1? IMO, Stubbs isn’t the proto-typical LO off guy who will bunt or slap the ball the other way. I C him filling out & becoming more of a gap / power hitter w/ speed.
By Worn Cleat
June 27, 2010 5:57 PM | Link to this
Here is some more they ought to get flack over: The real truth and/or proof of Dusty lying, while reading between the lines—Chris Welsh when asking Stubbs before today’s game how much time he actually spends on bunting, says: “Stubbs is a little reluctant to say exactly how much he has worked on bunting…”{because he doesn’t work on it!He has now attempted four bunts, for base hits, and failed on each, in game situations}. So apparently, Dusty did, in fact, lie about it, when he said earlier this season:”We work on bunting everyday”! And,”The hitting coach is working on it with Stubbs”. Baker is a liar, as suspected long ago.
By MAC
June 27, 2010 4:39 PM | Link to this
DB & organization caught a lot of flack over Patterson, A. Gonzales & Willie T. & they should have because they gave them too much rope. Yet, look how A. Gon, Patterson & D. McDonald have bounced back this season along w/ Dunn & Kearns. Obviously the organization saw talent there…it just didn’t materialize for the Reds. What’s interesting to me is how the Reds play AAA guys who aren’t ready w/ ML team and keep ML vets in AAA (Miller, McDonald, Gomes, Burke ect.) in AAA stealing playing time from legitimate prospects. Of course, every team does this to a degree, but Reds seem to take it to another level?
By MAC
June 27, 2010 4:23 PM | Link to this
In the past,DB has had to be dragged kicking & screaming to make these types of moves. Thankfully, he’s more willing to make the obvious adjustment this season. IMO, BP has always been the best LO option for the last several yrs; it’s good to finally have him in that role! As for Matthews, I don’t see him helping, but it’s probably worth a try? DB is right about the LO position being hard to find. Reds don’t seem to have a legitimate option @ AAA or AA which is a big problem IMO. It’s probably something they need to trade for instead of hanging on to 2 or 3 LF or 1st base canidates!
By dude
June 27, 2010 8:27 AM | Link to this
If this guy were to replace Stubbs? HUGE down grade on defense, a huge down grade on speed in the lineup and down grade in an at bat. Cabrera did a great job at leading off in the month of may and they still could not put any distance between themselve’s and STL. Bull Pen just killed them all month long. Now the Pen is sort of straightened out and they want to tinker with the lineup? Makes no sense to me.
By Calvin S
June 27, 2010 1:29 AM | Link to this
Matthews hasn’t had an act to get together for years. He had one good season with Texas, and that wasn’t that great of a season either. Hal why would you write a crock of bull about Matthews being a lead off hitter? The day he hits lead off for the Reds and takes Stubbs spot, is the day you’ll see the Reds drop from contention. If that happens the Reds need to clean house and fire everyone.
By Believe It
June 26, 2010 9:34 PM | Link to this
Everyone check out the Sports Illustrated article on Baker at: SI.com, by Joe Sheehan. It’s about time someone pointed out the truth for the blind bloggers of Dustyville. Lots of folks have been saying the same thing for three years…VETERANS=Patterson/Taveras/Gonzales—all of them have cost the Reds victories because of their lack of offense—and noone, I said noone replaced them for very long, because they were “VETERANS”. To play Matthews for Heisey or Stubbs or Dickerson, would be one more stupid move by Baker, tacked on to those others he has “stubbornly” made forever now. That’s SI.com
By Marybf
June 26, 2010 8:21 PM | Link to this
Farm report: Gary Matthews Jr. activated Saturday night for AAA Louisville in Norfolk. Playing CF and lead off batter. Chris Burke, former everyday CF and leadoff batter, was released by the Reds. Last night, Chris Burke led off with a homerun. A Louisville native and a pro. He is 30, Matthews is 35. When Matthews was hired, one of the many things said was that AAA Louisville needed depth in the outfield. As you said last night in the chatroom, Matthews will be leading off for the Reds anyday and the AAA Bats will be lacking in the outfield for real.
By dodi51
June 26, 2010 1:47 PM | Link to this
I am so happy to see the REDS diving, and jumping, and flipping for the balls hit into their area … exciting. Altho family members are Pirates’ fans, I’m in front of the tube for most Red’s games telecast. Happy to read your comments, Hal.
By Mike-Cinci
June 26, 2010 1:12 PM | Link to this
The Reds have moved back into first place. The world is a beautiful place. I’m in Chicago and the media and fans are blasting Lou Pinella and Zambrano. Some are saying the Cubs players have quit on Lou and this is a team with a $145 million payroll. It is not a pretty sight along Lake Michigan.
By Mo
June 26, 2010 10:40 AM | Link to this
Uh, that would be Scottish or Scots. Scotch is a type of whiskey.
By Mike-Dayton
June 26, 2010 10:38 AM | Link to this
“Get his act together”??? What does that mean?? Matthews was hitting about .100 which is why he got released - there is no act remaining on Matthews to get together. If the Reds bring him up and play him (and Dusty can’t wait for that as he loves veteran players who aren’t worth a s**t anymore), the only good thing is that the Reds will lose and then they can finally fire Baker.
By J
June 26, 2010 2:08 AM | Link to this
Haha, I’ll bet Dusty’s glad to be out of Chicago, between their stupid fans and the psycho Zambrano. Hal, tell Lincoln and Matthews to take their time. Plenty of time. All the time they need to get ready, ha.
By Mark
June 25, 2010 10:28 PM | Link to this
You know Hal if they can sell a few more hats I am sure they will have a Scotch Heritage Night, or German Heritage Night or Polish Heritage Night or Hungarian Heritage Night or Jewish Heritage Night.
By Believe It
June 25, 2010 9:49 PM | Link to this
In the pre-game radio Dusty Baker, when discussing Matthews signing and plans for him: “The ball’s in his court”. Hmmmm, the ball was in the court of Patterson, Taveras, and Gonzalez{at ss}not too long ago; and you never did replace them and their poor performances,Dusty. These and other examples, are the reason you got blasted in Sports Illustrated yesterday for your “stubborness” as a manager. Now I realize Mr. Cabrera got a couple hits tonight hitting second, but I’m trying to figure out who is shiing who here:Either Cabrera is shiing you about his injury {seeing how fast he ran stealing second base}or you are shi**ing Reds Nation to keep him at SS. Seems like playing Janish at SS tonight might have also, been a good move, if in fact, you need to protect an injured player.This move would greatly improve your defense, while protecting your “veteran player”. Of course, even SI understands how you like to keep the “cold hand” in the lineup until it gets “hot”. Nice job with the Reds, on all other fronts, however.