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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 > July > 17 > Entry
Reds put Rolen and his virus in quarantine
Scott Rolen’s clubhouse dressing cubicle was as tidy as a French maid’s linen closet, obviously unused on Saturday before batting practice. And there was no sign of his presence anywhere.
“He’s in quarantine,” said Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker.
Locked away?
“In a very dark place,” said Baker.
Rolen was not in Saturday’s lineup and probably shouldn’t have played Friday, “Because he didn’t feel very good Friday and he feels worse today,” said Baker. “His kids are real sick and so is he, so we’ve put him in quarantine. We don’t want that stuff spreading through our clubhouse. He’ll be available only in emergency situations.”
HIS PLACE IN the lineup was taken by Miguel Cairo, a guy Baker calls, “My minuteman,” because sometimes he has to get ready to play within minutes. And Baker began a dissertation on the importance of a guy like Cairo and said, “Cairo has been a valuable man for us, hasn’t he?”
Of Cairo’s slow start this year, Baker said, “Veterans start slow in the spring, but they know how to get it together and keep it together. Rolen actually is one of the guys who had seen him a lot, played with him (in St. Louis) and he played for (general manager) Walt Jocketty. He knew what he had to offer. You go by what his track record is. Unless a guy is overweight or hurt, he usually doesn’t lose it that quickly.
“Hunger and bills will take you a long way,” Baker added. “When you lose the hunger to play and can pay all your bills you go back to amateur ball. You have to enjoy playing, which Cairo does. And he works hard, runs every day, works as hard as anybody we have to keep his legs in shape.”
WAS EDISON VOLQUEZ nervous before his first start major-league start in nearly a year? Well, early in the afternoon he was dancing in the clubhouse to the loud - very loud - salsa music that emanates before every game at Coco Cordero’s locker.
The roster moves to make room for Volquez? Left-hander Matt Maloney, as expected, was sent back to Class AAA Louisville. Relief pitcher Mike Lincoln was moved to the 60-day disabled list.
Baker said there was no pitch limit for Volquez, but added, “It depends on how stressful his innings are. And he has to be honest with us. It is not hero time. Yet. He’ll have to fight extra adrenaline and over-exuberance for his first time on the mound. You have to feel nervous, first time out after an operation and you want to help the team. When you reach a goal, which he has - coming back in less than a year - it puts high anxiety in you.”
ONE OF the sad tales surrounding the All-Star game was that Cincinnati’s 40-year-old pitcher, Arthur Rhodes, did not get in the game. He made his first All-Star team in his 19th major-league season, “And all I wanted to do was get in, just face one batter, to honor my son. Everything I do is for my son.”
That would be his son, Jordan, who died at the age of 5 in December of 2008 and for whom Rhodes scratches the initials, JR, on the back of the mound before he makes his first pitch when he arrives from the bullpen.
“I know it looked bad and I would have loved to have pitched in an All-Star game,” said Rhodes. “At least one hitter. But (National League manager) Charlie Manuel apologized to me after the game for not getting me in and I told him, ‘No problem, Charlie. I had a great time, a great experience and a lot of fun.’ More import is our team, the Reds. This team is great. They go out and play a hard nine innings every day.”
JONNY GOMES watched on a clubhouse TV Saturday afternoon as the Chicago Cubs suffered a late-inning meltdown, a complete blow-up by closer Carlos Marmol. Gomes launched into a great imitation of what Cubs manager Lou Piniella would say after the game.
Mimicking Piniella’s accent and inflections, Gomes said, “Was that a closer’s situation? Is Marmol my closer? So I put him in the game. It ain’t my fault. Get Marmol in here. Ask him what the hell happened?”
Gomes played for Piniella for three years in Tampa Bay and recalled a moment on the mound early one season.
“We had a young pitcher who barely made the team out of spring training,” said Gomes. “He got into trouble late in a game and Lou went to the mound and asked, ‘Son, did you find a nice apartment to live in?’”
Said the pitcher, “Yeah, yeah I did.”
Said Piniella, “Did you sign a nice lease?”
Said the pitcher, “Yeah, yeah I did.”
Said Piniella, “Well, let me tell you, son. Either get this guy out or find a way to get out of that lease.”
HOMER BAILEY was sitting on a couch reading a book on his new iPad, wearing a ‘Vote Votto’ tee-shirt that the team was given to wear in Philadelphia. When somebody said, “Hey, you cant quit wearing that, Votto won,” Bailey smiled and said, “I use it for my workouts, sweat it all up.”
When asked what his routine is for the next few days, Bailey lifted himself off his seat and walked to his locker, taking down a printed sheet from the wall. “I’m going to throw on the side on the 18th (Sunday), I’m going to pitch a simulated game on the 21st (Wednesday) and I’m going to make a minor-league rehab start on the 26th (a week from Monday).”
Bailey tested his shoulder Thursday and said, “Everything is going well. I don’t have any pain and that’s the most important thing right now.”
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By LARed
July 19, 2010 3:45 PM | Link to this
P.S. Please FIRE DUSTY. He’s already cost us at least 10 wins with his inept handling of pitchers, and love affair with Cairo & Cabrera over Janish. Will somebody please explain why he plays Janish and pitches Owings so little? I love Janish, and think Owings can be made into a good RP.
By LARed
July 19, 2010 3:40 PM | Link to this
The more I see & hear Barry Larkin, the less I think he knows—but is in love with himself. The more I see & hear Joe Morgan, the more I think he knows—but he’s not really a Reds guy! In LA on MLB-TV I can hear Tom B & the Cowboy. Tom is good, but over-talks. The team, however, is one of the best—only Vinnie(LA) is really the gold standard. But I hate Dodgers—lifelong Reds guy(from Dayton).
By Reds0602
July 19, 2010 2:50 PM | Link to this
I think each of them add something to the broadcast. Having Larkin or Morgan in the booth will just add to the greatness of Reds baseball. Thom is young. He is doing a great job and has a lot to learn yet so give him time. The Reds by far over every other team have a wonderful team on TV & Radio. Trust me I live in New Jersey (10 minutes outside of NYC) and our team beats all others hands down. Take a listen one day to other teams and you will agree. Is it perfect? No not yet but working in that direction. Go Reds !
By Esteban
July 19, 2010 8:48 AM | Link to this
Does anyone else immediately after hearing Thom’s voice on TV for the start of the game, turn down the volume and listen to radio only? Wow, is he full of himself…I love when he’s teamed up with his Dad, and Marty verbally slaps him around every now and then..Other than that he loves himself WAY too much.
By babel2
July 19, 2010 8:40 AM | Link to this
Each age to his own, I guess. I liked having Eric Davis and Jim Maloney interviewed in the booth during the Reds game and I TIVO’d it because I had to leave. The World Series Game One 1st inning home run by the former was most awesome as the Reds were expected to lose the Series and Eric showed the team the possibilities. In retrospect, the end of the Reds Good Era. Questioning of Jim Maloney on the Robinson trade was excellent. I would have liked someone to have questioned him about that last fantastic weekend of 1964 when the Reds came from way back but still lost out in a three-way pennant race. And why he didn’t pitch that last game. (Tsitoris did.) Actually I need to look at TIVO. Maybe they did question him on that, but I doubt it.
By Mike-Cinci
July 18, 2010 11:29 AM | Link to this
Once again the Reds get good pitching, timely hitting, and excellent defense. The Cards will be tough. Carpenter, Wainwright, and Garcia are excellent. Jay Bruce has to get better soon. They need his bat.
By Never Forget
July 18, 2010 8:20 AM | Link to this
I use to absolutely love Larkin. However, when he and Griffey bolted for vacation before the game actually ended a few years ago, I said, NO-MAS! Larkin can go work for another team as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want his kind around here…….
By Michael from Arlington
July 18, 2010 12:59 AM | Link to this
Thom sort os grows on you. Yes, yes, I know, at first he seems like a blowhard, just talking to fill up space; but if you actually stop and listen to him you will notice that he is always making a good effort to introduce some interesting subject or angle into the commentary. He is far, far superior to man announcers. I enjoy him now and think he and Welch make a good team. Marty, on the other hand, is in a class by himself; and I would say that class is like him being a character out of Charles Dickens— because Marty is always grumbling about something. He’s a true eccentric with the courage of his eccentricities. We are very fortunate to have these folks, and Cowboy, as announcers. Go Reds.
By bb
July 17, 2010 11:03 PM | Link to this
Joe, Back at you Sir, Larkin knows baseball alot better than you think. And he is a great speaker. And i personally think Larkin will run this team someday. And he will be in the HOF very soon! Go Reds!
By no way
July 17, 2010 11:02 PM | Link to this
I love listening to Chris call the game - not so much Thom. Then again the “cowboy” cracks me up - and Marty is always a class act. I listen to other teams and just can’t stand any of their announcers - we are fortunate!
By JimmyCap
July 17, 2010 10:40 PM | Link to this
I agree. Way too much talk about evrything but the game. Sometimes they don’t even know who is batting.
By JimmyCap
July 17, 2010 10:39 PM | Link to this
I agree. Way too much talk about evrything but the game. Sometimes they don’t even know who is batting.
By bruce
July 17, 2010 10:06 PM | Link to this
Thom Brenamen does too much BSing rather than call the game.
By bill
July 17, 2010 10:02 PM | Link to this
We need to get these former players away from the booth. It is boring and really takes away from the game. I am talking Randy Myers and Charlton last night and Larkin tonight.
By sam
July 17, 2010 9:59 PM | Link to this
Larking and Morgan are both working for the Reds only as figureheads.
By joe
July 17, 2010 9:58 PM | Link to this
Alex, Larkin knows nothing about baseball. Enough said.
By Voice of Reason
July 17, 2010 9:52 PM | Link to this
Larkin can take Paul Keels place. That is, as long as Larkin would actually finish the game instead of leaving in the middle of the 5th with Griffey.
By Alex
July 17, 2010 8:27 PM | Link to this
Is anyone else watching this game tonight thinking that Barry Larkin needs to take Welch’s place in the TV booth next year?
By Alex
July 17, 2010 8:27 PM | Link to this
Is anyone else watching this game tonight thinking that Barry Larkin needs to take Welch’s place in the TV booth next year?