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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 > September > 19 > Entry
Are the Reds suddenly playing ‘scared?’
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while flipping channels to watch the Bengals-Raves game and the ineptitude of quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Joe Flacco - about as frustrating as watching the Reds try to get some key hits in recent games. And is there anything more boring than tuning in an NFL game only to see a soccer game break out? I mean, one touchdown and six field goals?
Earlier this week, a regular e-mailer espoused this theory: “It looks to me as if right now the Reds are playing scared.”
I disagreed and said, “It’s just the fact they aren’t hitting right now with runners on base.”
That’s true, the non-hitting part, but now I wonder if what he said doesn’t have some creditability.
It struck me flush in the face while watching the Reds lose to the Houston Astros, 4-3. For sure, Astros starter Brett Myers was on his game and put together his 31st straight game this season of six or more innings. He gave up no runs in his seven innings.
But the Reds had their chances. They had two on with two outs in the first but Jay Bruce flied to center. Ramon Hernandez led the second with a single but never budged off the bag.
Joey Votto had a two-out double in the third but was left there. The Reds put two on with two outs in the sixth but Hernandez grounded out.
Drew Stubbs, who has worked hard on learning how to bunt for a hit, led the seventh with a bunt single. But instead of moving the runner along, Paul Janish flied to cener, pinch-hitter Jim Edmonds flied to left and Brandon Phillips grounded to first.
That isn’t necessarily playing scared, but when the Astros scored three runs in the fifth the Reds played like a bowl full of goldfish with a cat sitting on the table.
Travis Wood hit Jason Michaels with a pitch and Jason Michaels doubled to right.
With one out, Humberto Quintero hit a medium-depth single to left which should have scored one run. But left fielder Jonny Gomes hesitated with his throw and when he did cut loose the throw was high, wide and ugly permitting a second run to score. Ramon Hernandez then threw the ball into center fielder, permitted Quintero to reach third.
After fouling a suicide bunt attempt, pitcher Myer lofted a medium-depth fly ball to center fielder Drew Stubbs. Slow-running Quintero tagged at third and should have been out but Stubbs’ throw was far up the third base line and Quintero scored to make it 3-0.
Is poor execution the product of playing scared? What do you think?
Poor Travis Wood gave up only two earned runs and three hits over six innings, walked none and struck out five and was slapped with a loss.
The Astros scored what turned out to be a decisive run in the seventh when Chris Johnson said hello to relief pitcher Jordan Smith with a lead-off home run to make it 4-0.
THE REDS FINALLY showed some life against relief pitcher Matt Lindstrom in the eighth after Myers left. Jay Bruce’s run-scoring single and THE REDS finally showed life in the eighth against Hernandez’s two-run homer.
Too little, too late. Houston closer Brandon Lyon struck out pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso, struck out pinch-hitter Juan Francisco, Brandon Phillips singled to right and pinch-hitter Scott Rolen singled to right.
Two on two outs and MVP candidate Joey Votto, already the owner of three hits, came to the plate. Votto popped to shallow center.
THE MAGIC NUMBER stays at eight and with the St. Louis Cardinals winning Sunday the Reds’ lead is back down to six.
THERE WAS an elderly gentleman who used to sit outside the visitor’s clubhouse door, the gatekeeper. No matter how many times you were in and out of the clubhouse, he ALWAYS made you show your credentials before he would let you in. But he didn’t check them close and one Houston writer took delight in showing him credit cards instead of his media pass - a Visa card or a Sears charge card or a gas credit card. He always gained admittance.
To avoid this guy, a couple of us discovered a side door to the clubhouse, which led to a couple of incidents.
The waiting period after a game for the media to gain entrance is 10 minutes after the game ends. But one could gain immediate access by using the back door.
There was one game where Reds catcher Bo Diaz let in the winning run in the ninth inning with a passed ball. A Cincinnati beat writer, who wasn’t long on the job, barged in that door and charged over to Diaz and said loudly, “How could you miss that ball.”
Fortunately, several players intervened before Diaz could lift the guy and deposit him in a trash can.
ANOTHER TIME it was me. After another tense loss to the Astros, I walked into the clubhouse via that door and walked right into the middle of two Reds involved in a scuffle. I turned around quickly, headed out the back door and circled to the regular entrance, showing the guy my insurance card to gain entrance into the clubhouse, where the scuffle was over. I never wrote it because I shoudn’t have been in there when it happened.
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By Tom b
September 20, 2010 8:52 PM | Link to this
Do you see any similarities between Homer Bailey and Brett ( softie ) Tomko?
By marty
September 20, 2010 4:23 PM | Link to this
bb, you’re a moron. caroline was saying the phillies would win in 4 games, meaning the series would last 4 games—with the reds winning one and the phillies winning 3.
By michael
September 20, 2010 1:29 PM | Link to this
Not playing like champions, that is for sure!
By ttt
September 20, 2010 1:17 PM | Link to this
I hate to say this but the Reds are starting to look like some other teams that have blown big leads. If the Cards get within 3 by Thursday then it’s over for the Reds…it may be already!
By Gem&Heater
September 20, 2010 1:09 PM | Link to this
ADmobius, where did I get that idea? From email comments like yours. You criticize him for being a bad lead off hitter but is there a better option? This guy bats wherever Dusty puts him (including batting cleanup at one point) and doesn’t seem to complain. The guy was hitting .290 before he got hit on the hand and he still tried to play thru it. He also is as good in the field as any NL second baseman. He even showed some emotion (which is atypical to the Reds) when the Cards were in town and he caught a ton of crap for that. The biggest complaint was that he opened his mouth and the Cards responded by beating down the Reds. Well after that series was over, which team played with more emotion? The Reds did and they put the Cards in the rear view mirror. Wake up here, the guy cannot do anything right to a majority of those who comment, and yet he plays every day and gets the job done. Now, again, can someone rationally explain why he gets more crap than praise? I’ll back off if you can.
By ADmobius
September 20, 2010 12:31 PM | Link to this
Whoa Gem & Heater! Where did you come up with that idea? Could the problem be that he doesn’t look like Votto or Rolen? How about Phillips is the lead off batter???? The idea is to actually GET ON BASE as a lead-off batter!!!
By Gem&Heater
September 20, 2010 11:44 AM | Link to this
First, aren’t the Reds playing hurt? Rolen, Phillips, Cabrerra, and most of the outfielders are nursing injuries. They need to get these guys healthy or this is a very weak team. Second, why all the crap about Brandon Phillips? This guy is the best second baseman the Reds have had since little Joe. The guy continues to get zero love and he is only second to Votto in importance to the team. Could the problem be that he doesn’t look like Votto or Rolen?
By bb
September 20, 2010 11:10 AM | Link to this
Caroline, I agree mostly, but how are the Pillies going to win 4 games in a best of 5 Series?
By sw
September 20, 2010 11:06 AM | Link to this
i think Stubbs should be lead off hitter. Maybe he would feel less pressured. The Reds better get un-scared soon. The pitching they face post season will only get better.
By Gary Esposito
September 20, 2010 10:32 AM | Link to this
I agree, Dusty needs to sit Phillips. He’s just not being productive. Also, he is a terrible lead off hitter as he swings at anything - in the dirt SWING! outside SWING! high heat out of the strike zone SWING SWING SWING!!! It seems like it would occur to Phillips, that if he’s not hitting he should try to get a walk. Plus he can no longer run, so we can forget bunting and base stealing. But, I’m sure Dusty will continue to pencil in his name everyday.
By Kevin Gillenwater
September 20, 2010 10:20 AM | Link to this
They have been playing ‘prevent D’ the entire month. This nonsense of resting guys (for the playoffs) and playing rookies in key situations has taken the drive and fire out of them that got them to this point. A sense of urgency and passion is in order here….
By bob
September 20, 2010 9:48 AM | Link to this
Stubbs’ throw home yesterday was as poor as any I’ve seen. It’s hard to imagine a major-leaguer that can’t may a better one. It was wide by 25’ and had an arc like a rainbow. Oh, to have Josh Hamilton with his cannon and offensive nos. would all but guarantee a WS.
By Predicted it
September 20, 2010 8:44 AM | Link to this
No they are just playing like the Reds always do.
By WillBill
September 20, 2010 8:30 AM | Link to this
The reds are playing like a tired team with nothing to play for.Hope they get their second wind soon,if they don’t they won’t win a game in the playoffs.
By TB
September 20, 2010 8:01 AM | Link to this
Lets not all panic just yet. Single digit magic numbers at this point in the season are a good thing. Don’t be so hard on the team. This has been an awesome team, no doubt about it. All you haters just chill or go hate on the Buckeyes for a while.
By ohdave
September 20, 2010 7:54 AM | Link to this
Why on earth are we sending Alonso and Francisco to the plate in the ninth when we need a run? Francisco has no pitch discipline.
By Bill
September 19, 2010 11:08 PM | Link to this
Nothing ever changes in Baker’s decision-making. Do you know how many times in the past three years where subs have played well for a game, or two, and were replaced by the regulars, who continued playing poorly? This manager doesn’t play the hot hand. That has nothing to do with his lineup card.Often talent doesn’t matter, either.
By caroline
September 19, 2010 10:24 PM | Link to this
I don’t think there is any doubt the Reds will win the division. But I think they’ll get knocked out in the 1st round of the playoffs. They would have been much better off if St. Louis had a made it a contest down the stretch. As it is, the Reds don’t have to play good ball right now, so they won’t be ready for the playoffs. Remember the Rockies (2007?) when they had to fight and claw to get in the playoffs and then played so well? I see them losing in 4 games in the first round to the Phillies.
By J
September 19, 2010 10:07 PM | Link to this
What exactly do they have to be scared of? It’s just a bad stretch they’re going through. They’ve played exceptional baseball most of the season. Just a bad slump; we’ve been spoiled :) They’ll get the hits soon enough, and they’ll get their heads back in it on defense. Look at it this way: the pitching has been great throughout this tough stretch.
By pops
September 19, 2010 5:54 PM | Link to this
I hope they get it turned around soon. We sure don’t want them to let the cards back in. Lets get it going against the Brewers.
By Mailman
September 19, 2010 5:53 PM | Link to this
All I can say about the Reds is to agree with piano man and to put BP on the bench, he is not helping the Reds. Valaika was doing fine and BP is hurt, play the best nine guys.
By piano man
September 19, 2010 5:43 PM | Link to this
two very dissapointing losses against Houston where the offense failed to show up again. There have been about twenty games where their hitting looks listless. Why not sit Phillips and give his hand a chance to heal and start Valaika, who was playing very well. Phillips is 2 for 40 or something like that and is killing us right now. They need to kick start it as 6 games is not enough, not with the way they are hitting. I feel bad for Travis Wood, who, with a little run support could have probably 9 wins now.