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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 > August > 15 > Entry
Baker: From ‘exile’ to Cuba, Costa Rica
Dusty Baker and his family are planning a one-week trip to Cuba and a one-week trip to Costa Rica after the season, as part of a Jewish organization’s good-will trip.
Former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is an acknowledged baseball aficionado, a lover of the game. Said Baker, “He’ll know I’m there. Hank Aaron once told me he was in the country and didn’t think Castro knew he was there, but he got a call at his hotel the first morning he was there and was invited to visit Castro that afternoon. He’ll know I’m there.”
Speaking of Cuba, Baker was in his office Sunday morning after his two-game suspension, after spending the last two games sitting in GM Walt Jocketty’s private box watching the game from on-high.
Asked if he knew about any famous exiles other than Napolean Bonaparte’s Elba exile and Baker smiled and said, “My favorite comes from one of my favorite albums, a Van Morrison album, ‘Too Long in Exile.’ I broke it out and that’s what I’ve been playing the last two days.”
Baker said his two days above the playing field were productive, “Because you can see a couple of things from the players that I can help with - batting, fielding, positioning, catching - stuff I wouldn’t see up close. I got to see replays and pitches and I’m going to have some meetings with guys today. I already had a couple. You use all your time to be as productive as possible.”
ONE TALK Baker didn’t want to have was with infielder Juan Francisco, a chat in which he had to tell him of his demotion back to Class AAA Louisville to make room on the 25-man roster for Sunday’s pitcher, Homer Bailey.
“It is getting tougher to make these moves and it is going to get tougher,” said Baker. “The good thing is that we only have two weeks before September 1 when he can expand our roster to as many as 40. So if we can make it to then, then we can make all the moves we want to make. This shows us we have good players, good personnel.”
Baker realizes that the Francisco move leaves him short of infielders, with a surplus of outfielders, but he quickly said, “All our outfielders are playing pretty good, so we do, theoretically, have too many outfielders.”
To remedy that, Baker is having outfielder Chris Heisey working out at second base as an emergency infielder, but it isn’t a stretch. Heisey was a shortstop his entire baseball career, including in college. And he’s willing to be play infield in an emergency situation.
HEISER, OF COURSE, relishes the opportunity, should it arise.
“I’m taking ground balls, just in case of an emergency,” he said. “I played shortstop my whole life and in college the second half of my junior year I spent at shortstop. Not that I would feel comfortable now in a big-league infield, but I wouldn’t feel like a stranger, like I never played there. I trust my hand-to-eye and reflexive co-ordination that I can knock the ball down and throw it across the infield. I’ve watched enough second baseman to know all the movements. Actually it would be kind of fun, do something different. It makes me more versatile and valuable.”
Baker said it would only be a ‘911’ call for Heisey, a one-game or one-inning situation until the Reds could summon help from Louisville or elsewhere.
“Mostly he would be at second base in an emergency because I can move Brandon Phillips to shortstop and Miguel Cairo to third and Scott Rolen can play first if something would happen to Joey Vott,” Baker added. “It would be just a stopgap situation until we got somebody in here.”
When it was mentioned that Cairo can play every infield positions, Baker smiled and said, “Yeah, but he can’t play everywhere at the same time.”
ON FRANCISCO, Baker said, “He did an outstanding job and we didn’t want to send him out. We don’t really want to send anybody out. But we needed the spot for Homer Bailey today. There are some more spots we’re going to need at some point in time - Travis Wood, Miguel Cabrera, Russ Springer, Aaron Harang - so we just have to do what’s best for the club at the time and try to explain the best we can until September 1. One thing we’ll be - as honest as we can be with them and that’s all they can ask from us.”
ON FRIDAY, Jonny Gomes approached me with some journalistic advice: “You should talk with (Florida Marlins interim manager) Edwin Rodriguez and ask him about me. He was my first manager and is the best manager I ever had.”
As an editor, Gomes is straight-on. I asked Rodriguez about Gomes and he broke into a broad smile.
“It was 2001 and it was at Class A Princeton (W.Va.),” Rodriguez began. “Like every organization, they give you a lineup they want you to use. These are the guys who have to play. And he wasn’t there. He wasn’t even close. They told me, ‘You know, we got this guy in the 19th round (Tampa Bay) and you play him when you get a chance.’
“Then I saw him take his first batting practice,” Rodriguez continued. “Then I saw him the second day taking batting practice and I thought, ‘This guy has something.’ I explained to him the whole situation. I told him, ‘You will play when I get the opportunity, but you will get your chance.’”
So what happened?
“Well, “Rodriguez said with a broad smile. “He got his chance and he was MVP of the league (Appalachian). The rest is history. He started hitting seventh, then sixth and he quicly became my No. 3 hitter for the rest of the season. The first he played he went 3 for 4, so I didn’t hear from the organization. If he had gone 0 for 4 with three strikeouts, I’m sure they would have called me and said, ‘What are you doing?’
“The other thing was that when he wasn’t playing, he was getting to the park early and working on everything, like he was an every-day guy,” Rodriguez said. “As a manager you noticed things like that. This guy wants to do it, he wants to make it. He is all-out on every pitch, like our guy Dan Uggla. He’s great and I’ve been following his career and I’m glad he is doing well.”
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By Bill
August 21, 2010 11:40 PM | Link to this
Dusty: Learn how to make out a lineup card! How come the Cowboy knows what is wrong with Cueto’s mechanics and you and Price do not?”
By jim T
August 17, 2010 6:19 PM | Link to this
Dusty, while your in Cuba see if you can bring back another lefty who throws 100mph and if you can a young Tony Perez.
By Mike-Cinci
August 17, 2010 4:59 PM | Link to this
In response to “why” the Reds think Grandal is better and has more potential than the guy on the 40 man roster they will drop. Also Grandal probably would not have signed unless he was put on the 40 man roster. The Reds scouts see a fellow who has played 3 years of college baseball and may be only a couple of years or less away from the majors. Hopefully they are right but who knows if he will develop as expected. Chapman and Alonso are on the 40 man roster too. The Reds will probably drop Herrera or someone like him who they think won’t be good enough to stay in the majors.
By Why
August 17, 2010 2:03 PM | Link to this
Why would they do agree to putting him on the 40 man roster. Now we lose a player and slot. CINCINNATI - The good news is that the Cincinnati Reds and first-round draft pick catcher Yasmani Grandal have agreed to terms on a 4-year contract through the 2013 season, according to a press release from the team. The bad news is that the contract requires the team to put Grandal on the 40-man roster. The Reds will have to make a roster move to accommodate the signing. Whoever is removed from the 40-man roster could be picked up by another team.
By Believe It Or Not
August 16, 2010 3:52 PM | Link to this
Replying to TLP46: Suggestion, have Leake & Wood share a rotation spot. Leake pitches 5 innings and Wood finishes that game. Next turn Wood starts and pitches 5 and Leake finishes that game. Save wear and tear on two youngsters but provides regular work for both of them. It also opens a slot if that is still needed because of a surplus of starters. It also takes some pressure off of our relief corp down the stretch. This also allows the flexibility to move Bailey into the “shared slot” rather than Wood. Run it by Walt & Dusty TLP46—That is a terrific idea you had for Leake and Wood! Bravo! Of course, great ideas seem to never be picked up on—since we are dealing with “old school” veterans who are making all the decisions. I like your idea of pitching Leake and Wood in the same game’s—that would eliminate any need for Cordero…perhaps it will catch on. 8/16/2010 3:48:16 PM
By Mike-Cinci
August 16, 2010 2:02 PM | Link to this
Dusty Baker has done a fine job as manager of the Reds. His team has exceeded expectations and they play hard, smart baseball. He has kept everyone involved. The guy is a good example to the players and the fans. He never whines. The guy has been in baseball as a player, coach, and manager for 40+ years. That’s a great career. For those who like Chris Speier, and I like him too, Speier played for Dusty and Baker picked him as his bench coach. Smart move.
By Kevin j
August 16, 2010 12:04 PM | Link to this
Bart, I got some bad news for you. Dusty is your Father.He even looks like your Mother.Which makes you one ugly troll.
By Kevin j
August 16, 2010 12:03 PM | Link to this
Bart, I got some bad news for you. Dusty is your Father.He even looks like your Mother.Which makes you one ugly troll.
By Bart
August 16, 2010 11:19 AM | Link to this
Why give Dusty credit? He’s not even good looking.In fact, he’s down right ugly. No ugly managers ever knew what they were doing…not EVER, in the history of the game. You people need to realize how ugly this guy is.
By florence ky
August 16, 2010 10:33 AM | Link to this
Dusty and his staff is the reason the Redlegs are in 1st. Compare the Reds OF to other teams. Gomes, Stubbs, and Bruce are mediocre at best. There are still several holes on this team and in the OF and other areas but Dusty and his staff are doing a outstanding job. A guy gives Speier credit for the whole season on here after two games. I also like how he brought Rhodes in to face all righties with the exception of one LH hitter. That was a great move
By steven ross
August 16, 2010 9:01 AM | Link to this
We’re in first so even critics like me need to give Dusty some slack. However, I agree that, in two games, Speier showed me how to manage a game. The Reds success has more to do with pitching and defense than anything Dusty rolls out. We win in spite of him. The suicide squeeze with Janish was all Speier.
By Doooooooglasz
August 16, 2010 5:56 AM | Link to this
Great. I open my Google alerts, click on this article and within the first paragraph what do I see? Jewish. 2% of the worlds population and it’s all you see and hear, everywhere you look.
By J
August 16, 2010 1:21 AM | Link to this
LOL, yeah I’m sure ole Fidel will be thrilled to have the manager of the team that stole his star pitcher from his country. What could go wrong there? :)
By Seth
August 15, 2010 4:21 PM | Link to this
This is quite off topic, but I don’t know how else to find out what I’d like to know. I read a great quote about Pete Rose, attributed to Hal: “the major problem with Rose betting on baseball, particularly the Reds, is that as manager he could control games, make decisions that could enhance his chances of winning his bets, thus jeopardizing the integrity of the game.” I’d like to cite this in a paper I’m writing, but I can’t find an original source. Can someone help me verify these are Hal’s words, and if so, where they were first reported?
By Tom
August 15, 2010 1:21 PM | Link to this
Glad to see that Dusty and his family are going to Cuba for a week after the season. It’s long overdue to drop the ridiculous embargo that has been a failure with the Castro Brothers still in power. Let ordinary Americans travel to Cuba and then there will be change. We can travel to China but not to Cuba. It makes no sense.
By Common Cents
August 15, 2010 1:21 PM | Link to this
The Reds are tied for 1st place in the division in the middle of August and yet people still wont stfu about Dusty? I love The Reds but I swear we have some of the crappiest fans out there. Quit being so damn bitter and start enjoying a good year of Reds’ baseball
By birdie
August 15, 2010 12:59 PM | Link to this
bob, you are 100% correct about Dusty.There would not have been a suicide bunt and he would have pinch hit.Now we have to go back Dusty’s terrible managing(Edmond is in the lineup again today for some reason)!It will probably be the start of another losing streak!! I hope the management realizes this and does not bring him back next year(better yet get rid of him right now!!).
By bob
August 15, 2010 12:36 PM | Link to this
Dusty’s exile accomplished a win that would not have happened otherwise. The best, most unbelievable suicide squeeze bunt I’ve ever seen was called by Spier. It would have never been called by “Pick”. He’d probably pinch hit for both Janish and Leake. End of story. Dusty loses another.
By Steve M.
August 15, 2010 12:35 PM | Link to this
It was probably Baker himself who said Miguel Cabrera instead of Orlando. That would explain a lot better why Baker insists on playing him every day and batting him, one of the worst hitters in the league, in the #2 spot every day.
By Jim
August 15, 2010 12:17 PM | Link to this
When did the Reds trade for Miguel Cabrera? Haha, I know who you meant Hal….just some good natured ribbing. Love your blog Hal!!